Role of intrauterine infectious and inflammatory complications in the development of necrotizing enterocolitis in a newborn from preterm prelabor rupture of membranes gestation: a retrospective cohort study.

Abstract

Introduction This study aimed to evaluate whether the presence of microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity (MIAC) and/or acute histological chorioamnionitis (HCA), as well as their subtypes, in pregnancies complicated by preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM) is related to the subsequent development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in newborns from these pregnancies. Methods This retrospective study included 295 women with singleton pregnancies complicated by PPROM between gestational ages 24+0 and 31+6 weeks who underwent transabdominal amniocentesis. MIAC was detected using a combination of cultivated and non-cultivated methods. HCA was revealed by histopathological examination of the placenta. Only neonates with stage IIa of the modified Bell's criteria were considered to have NEC. Results NEC developed in 3% (10/295) of newborns. There were no differences in the rates of MIAC (p=0.33), HCA with the absence (p=1.00) or presence of fetal inflammatory response (p=0.52), and HCA with acute inflammation of the amnion (p=0.20) between those who developed and did not develop NEC. Conclusion Neither MIAC nor HCA was associated with the development of NEC in newborns from singleton pregnancies complicated by PPROM between 24+0 and 31+6 weeks of gestation.