PRIOR PREGNANCY OUTCOME AND THE RISK OF INTRAAMNIOTIC INFECTION IN THE FOLLOWING PREGNANCY

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine whether the outcome of a prior pregnancy influenced the risk of intraamniotic infection in the follo wing pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: A case-control study was conducted at fi ve King County, Washington, hospitals from 1990 through 1994. Cases (n = 585) of intraamniotic infection were identified by a medical record review for clinical signs of infection during labor and compared with controls (n = 575). Women were classified as having a spontaneous abo rtion or elective termination if the pregnancy had been diagnosed by a health care professional before 20 weeks and was verified by medical record review. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated using logistic regression. RESULTS: Women with spontaneous a bortion (odds ratio = 4.3; 95% confidence interval 2.9 to 6.4) or elec tive termination (odds ratio = 4.0; 95% confidence interval 2.7 to 5.8 ) had an increased risk of intraamniotic infection. The increased risk was similar for women who did and did not have an earlier pregnancy c arried beyond 20 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Women who have had a spontaneous abortion or an elective termination have an increased risk of intraamn iotic infection regardless of previous successful pregnancy outcome.