OBJECTIVE: To study the influence of premature rupture of membranes (PROM) on the early prognosis of extremely premature infants, and to provide a basis for the management of extremely premature infants and prenatal consultation. METHODS: A total of 179 extremely premature singleton infants who were born from 2017 to 2019 were enrolled. According to the presence or absence of PROM, they were divided into two groups: PROM group ( RESULTS: Compared with the non-PROM group, the PROM group had significantly higher incidence rates of earlyonset sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) ( CONCLUSIONS PROM increases the incidence rates of early-onset sepsis and NEC in extremely premature infants and does not increase the incidence rates of other adverse outcomes. For pregnant women with PROM at the risk of extremely preterm delivery, prevention of miscarriage and chorioamnionitis is recommended to prolong gestational weeks, reduce the incidence rate of infection, and thus improve the outcome of extremely premature infants.
Chorioamnionitis ; Enterocolitis, Necrotizing/etiology* ; Female ; Fetal Membranes, Premature Rupture/epidemiology* ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Extremely Premature ; Infant, Newborn ; Pregnancy ; Prognosis

OBJECTIVE: To study the association of different stages of histological chorioamnionitis (HCA) with the incidence rate and severity of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in preterm infants. METHODS: Related data were collected from the infants and their mothers who were treated in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Qingdao Women and Children's Hospital, Qingdao University, from January 2018 to June 2020. According to the presence or absence of HCA and its stage, the infants were divided into four groups: control ( RESULTS: Compared with the control and late-stage HCA groups, the early-stage HCA group had a significantly lower incidence rate of placental abruption and a significantly higher rate of prenatal use of antibiotics ( CONCLUSIONS Early-, middle-, and late-stage HCA can reduce the incidence rate of RDS in preterm infants. HCA stage may not be correlated with RDS severity in preterm infants, which needs to be verified by further research.
Birth Weight ; Child ; Chorioamnionitis/epidemiology* ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Pregnancy ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn/etiology*

Listeriosis is a rare foodborne infection caused by Listeria monocytogenes. It is 12–20 times more prevalent in pregnant women compared to the general population, with a 20–40% mortality rate in neonates. Early treatment with appropriate antimicrobial agents is critical for pregnancy outcomes; however, the infection is difficult to control because the nonspecific clinical manifestations and rarity of the disease often preclude early diagnosis. We encountered 2 cases of pregnancy-associated listeriosis that occurred at 29 and 37 weeks of gestation. Both neonates were delivered by emergent cesarean section due to fetal condition, and one of the preterm infants died immediately after birth. Pregnancy-associated listeriosis should be considered in the management of unexplained fever or inflammatory conditions in pregnant women.
Anti-Infective Agents ; Cesarean Section ; Chorioamnionitis* ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Fever ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Listeria monocytogenes ; Listeriosis* ; Mortality ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnant Women

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is the most common morbidity of prematurity. BPD is a chronic respiratory disease related to lung-injury during the primary course of critical lung disease such as respiratory distress syndrome or when abnormal development of the preterm lung occurs. Abnormal lung development not only results from primary lung injury in the first days after birth, but also secondary injury through abnormal repair resulting in arrested and abnormal alveolarization, fibrosis and pulmonary vascular dysgenesis. Chorioamnionitis is a risk factor that plays an important role in the development of BPD. Ureaplasma subspecies (spp.) are the most common isolated organisms from chorioamniotic tissue after premature births. Therefore Ureaplasma spp. appear to play an important role in the development of BPD, and treatment or prophylactic treatment of these infections or colonization may reduce the incidence, morbidity and mortality of BPD. Ureaplasma spp. infections are challenging not only to treat, but also to diagnosis in a timely manner. This review summarizes the current state of treatment and new developments in the treatment of Ureaplasma exposure in premature infants.
Azithromycin ; Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia* ; Chorioamnionitis ; Colon ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Lung ; Lung Diseases ; Lung Injury ; Mortality ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Premature Birth ; Risk Factors ; Ultrasonography ; Ureaplasma*

PURPOSE: We report a rare case of bilateral macular infarction as an ocular presenting sign of primary antiphospholipid syndrome. CASE SUMMARY: A 29-year-old woman who had undergone a cesarean section for chorioamnionitis in the department of Obsterics was referred to the department of ophthalmology for bilateral visual loss. At examination, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of the right eye was counting fingers, and for the left was 0.05. Fundus examination revealed extensive macular edema and cotton-wool spots in both eyes. We performed hematologic tests including thrombophilia examination. Antinuclear antibody and rheumatoid factor were negative but lupus anticoagulant presented high titers on two occasions 12 weeks apart. She was administered sub-Tenon's injections of triamcinolone acetonide 50 mg/week in both eyes under the diagnosis of bilateral macular arteriolar occlusion in primary antiphospholipid syndrome. Her BCVA remained 0.025 in her right eye and improved to 0.125 in her left eye. CONCLUSIONS: Macular infarction is an uncommon but severe complication of antiphospholipid syndrome. Early and regular fundus exam in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome is necessary to avoid progression of severe ocular complications.
Adult ; Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Antiphospholipid Syndrome* ; Cesarean Section ; Chorioamnionitis ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Fingers ; Hematologic Tests ; Humans ; Infarction* ; Lupus Coagulation Inhibitor ; Macular Edema ; Ophthalmology ; Pregnancy ; Rheumatoid Factor ; Thrombophilia ; Triamcinolone Acetonide ; Visual Acuity

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of premature rupture of membranes (PROM) on maternal infections and outcome of preterm infants.

METHODSA total of 441 preterm infants and 387 mothers were enrolled as subjects. According to the presence or absence of PROM, the mothers were divided into non-PROM group with 104 mothers, PROM duration <72 hours group with 90 mothers, and PROM duration ≥72 hours group with 193 mothers. The three groups were compared in terms of clinical features of mothers and infants and complications.

RESULTSCompared with the control group and the PROM duration <72 hours group, the PROM duration ≥72 hours group had significantly higher maternal age, incidence rate of umbilical vasculitis, and rate of antibiotic use; the PROM duration ≥72 hours group had a significantly higher incidence rate of moderate-to-severe chorioamnionitis than the control group (P<0.05), while there was no significant difference between the PROM duration ≥72 hours group and the PROM duration <72 hours group (P>0.05). Compared with the control group and the PROM duration <72 hours group, the PROM duration ≥72 hours group had significantly higher incidence rates of pneumonia and intracranial hemorrhage in preterm infants; the PROM duration ≥72 hours group had a significantly higher incidence rate of congenital infection and a significantly longer mean length of hospital stay compared with the control group (P<0.05), while there were no significant differences between the PROM duration ≥72 hours group and the PROM duration <72 hours group (P>0.05). The multivariate analysis showed that PROM duration ≥72 hours was an independent risk factors for pneumonia (OR=2.200, 95%CI: 1.386-3.492) and intracranial hemorrhage (OR=2.331, 95%CI: 1.420-3.827) in preterm infants.

CONCLUSIONSPROM duration ≥72 hours significantly increases the risk of placental infection in mothers and it is an independent risk factor for pneumonia and intracranial hemorrhage in preterm infants.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Chorioamnionitis ; etiology ; Female ; Fetal Membranes, Premature Rupture ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; etiology ; Logistic Models ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious ; etiology ; Time Factors ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between maternal genital Ureaplasma urealyticum colonization in the second trimester and the neonatal outcomes. METHODS: We studied 577 premature infants born at ≤35 weeks' gestational age (GA) at Hallym University, Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital from January 2008 to December 2014. Maternal vaginal specimens were collected and polymerase chain reaction and/or culture tests were done in the second trimester of pregnancy. The subjects were divided into 2 groups: a Uu colonization-positive group (UU) and a Uu-negative (control) group. Subgroup analyses were performed in extremely premature (23–28 weeks' GA) and premature (29–35 weeks' GA) infants. Various clinical outcomes were compared. RESULTS: Of 577 preterm infants, 311 were delivered with maternal Uu infection (UU, 53.9%). Mean GA (30.0±3.6 weeks vs. 31.0±3.7 weeks, P=0.010) and birth weight (1,685.6±680.4 g vs. 1,932.7±733.1 g, P=0.003) were lower in the UU group than in controls. However, there were no significant differences in GA and birth weight in extremely premature group. Premature labor (P=0.002) and histological chorioamnionitis (P=0.032) was significantly more common in the UU group, especially in mothers who delivered in third trimester (29–35 weeks' GA). In particular, the incidence of moderate-to-severe BPD was statistically higher in UU extremely premature group (60.8% vs. 32.2%) (P=0.001). CONCLUSION: Maternal colonization with Uu was associated with an increase in premature delivery and lower birth weights. Moderate-to-severe BPD was more common in premature infants born at ≤28 weeks' GA with maternal Uu colonization.
Birth Weight ; Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia ; Chorioamnionitis ; Colon* ; Female ; Gestational Age* ; Heart ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Mothers ; Obstetric Labor, Premature ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Second* ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third ; Ureaplasma urealyticum* ; Ureaplasma*

Chorioamnionitis is an inflammation in the fetal membranes or placenta. When chorioamnionitis develops, fetal lungs are exposed to inflammatory cytokines and mediators via amniotic fluid. Because inflammation plays a pivotal role in the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a chronic lung disease of prematurity, fetal lung inflammation induced by chorioamnionitis has been considered to be one of the major pathogenetic factors for BPD. Although there have been a number of studies that demonstrated the relationship between chorioamnionitis and BPD, there are still controversies on this issue. The controversies on the relationship between chorioamnionitis and BPD arise from not-unified definitions of chorioamnionitis and BPD, different study populations, and the proportion of contribution between inflammation and infectious microorganisms. The publication bias also contributes to the controversies. Clinical trials targeting chorioamnionitis or microorganisms that cause chorioamnionitis will answer on the actual relationship between chorioamnionitis and BPD and provide a novel prophylactic strategy against BPD based on that relationship.
Amniotic Fluid ; Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia* ; Chorioamnionitis* ; Cytokines ; Extraembryonic Membranes ; Female ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Inflammation ; Lung ; Lung Diseases ; Placenta ; Pneumonia ; Pregnancy ; Publication Bias ; Ureaplasma

BACKGROUND: Meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) is defined by respiratory distress requiring supplemental oxygen in a meconium-stained neonate. MAS is clinically subclassified as mild, moderate, and severe according to the oxygen requirement. The aims of this study were to compare the histological findings in the placentas of MAS neonates with those of meconium-stained but non-MAS neonates and to analyze the correlation between the severity of MAS and the grade of its histological parameters. METHODS: We collected 160 singleton term placentas from neonates with meconium staining at birth from a tertiary medical center, Seoul, Republic of Korea. We reviewed hematoxylin and eosin sections of tissue samples (full-thickness placental disc, chorioamniotic membranes, and umbilical cord). RESULTS: Funisitis was present more frequently in MAS than in non-MAS (p < .01), of which the stage was correlated with the severity of MAS (p < .001). The histological findings consistent with maternal underperfusion and chronic deciduitis were more frequent in MAS than in non-MAS (p < .05). There was a correlation between the degree of chorionic vascular muscle necrosis and the severity of MAS (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that fetal inflammatory response evidenced by funisitis occurs prenatally in MAS and that the stage of funisitis and of chorionic vascular muscle necrosis may be a predictive marker of the severity of MAS.
Chorioamnionitis ; Chorion ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Female ; Hematoxylin ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Meconium Aspiration Syndrome* ; Meconium* ; Membranes ; Necrosis ; Oxygen ; Parturition ; Placenta ; Pregnancy ; Republic of Korea ; Seoul

PURPOSE: To develop a model based on non-invasive clinical and ultrasonographic parameters for predicting the likelihood of subsequent histologic chorioamnionitis in women with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) and to determine whether the inclusion of invasive test results improves the predictive value of the model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 146 consecutive women presenting with PPROM (20-33 weeks). Transvaginal ultrasonographic assessment of cervical length was performed. Maternal serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and white blood cell (WBC) counts were measured after amniocentesis. Amniotic fluid (AF) obtained by amniocentesis was cultured, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels and WBC counts were determined. The primary outcome measure was histologic chorioamnionitis. RESULTS: Risk scores based on serum CRP concentrations and gestational age (model 1) were calculated for each patient. The model was shown to have adequate goodness of fit and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.742. When including AF test results (e.g., AF IL-6 levels) in model 1, serum CRP concentrations were found to be insignificant, and thus, were excluded from model 2, comprising AF IL-6 levels and gestational age. No significant difference in AUC was found between models 1 and 2. CONCLUSION: For women with PPROM, the newly developed model incorporating non-invasive parameters (serum CRP and gestational age) was moderately predictive of histologic chorioamnionitis. The inclusion of invasive test results added no predictive information to the model in this setting.
Adult ; *Amniocentesis ; Amniotic Fluid/*cytology/microbiology ; C-Reactive Protein/*metabolism ; Chorioamnionitis/blood/*diagnosis/metabolism ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Fetal Membranes, Premature Rupture/*blood ; *Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Interleukin-6/blood ; Leukocyte Count ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Pregnancy ; ROC Curve ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity