MATERNAL ASSESSMENT IN THE PREDICTION OF INTRAUTERINE INFECTION IN PRETERM PRELABOR AMNIORRHEXIS

The objective of this study was to evaluate maternal temperature, hear t rate, leukocyte count and C-reactive protein in the prediction of fe tal bacteraemia and positive amniotic fluid cultures in 75 pregnancies complicated by preterm prelabor amniorrhexis. Cordocentesis and amnio centesis were performed and fetal blood and amniotic fluid were cultur ed for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Amniotic fluid was also culture d for Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis. Patients were cla ssified into 3 groups: negative fetal blood and amniotic fluid culture s (group 1, n = 45); negative fetal blood but positive amniotic fluid cultures (group 2, n = 18), and positive fetal blood cultures (group 3 , n = 12). In the groups with intrauterine infection compared to the n on-infected group, the median maternal temperature, leukocyte count an d C-reactive protein were significantly higher. In groups 1, 2 and 3 t he respective incidences of maternal pyrexia were 0, 7 and 16% and rai sed C-reactive protein 13, 28 and 33%. In pregnancies complicated by p reterm prelabor amniorrhexis, maternal temperature, heart rate, leukoc yte count and C-reactive protein do not provide sensitive prediction o f intrauterine infection.