A review on PPROM (Preterm Prelabour Rupture of Membranes) and early onset neonatal sepsis and role of inflammatory markers in diagnosis of maternal and neonatal infection

Abstract

One of the major problems in obstetrics and neonatology till today is the occurrence of preterm births in spite of best possible antenatal care. Many preterm labour are due to PPROM (Prelabour Preterm Rupture of Membranes) where infection plays a major role. The neonatal morbidity and mortality is directly related to maternal infection and early-onset neonatal sepsis. Laboratory evaluation of various inflammatory markers such as TLC (total leucocyte count), ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate), CRP (C-Reactive Protein) predict events such as maternal chorioamnionitis, neonatal sepsis with reasonable accuracy and hence are valuable tools in high dependency obstetric (HDU) and neonatal intensive care units (NICU). The following treatise mainly focusses on aetiopathogenesis, clinical features, haematological and biochemical parameters of maternal PPROM and neonatal sepsis. Understanding these factors will definitely prevent adverse maternal outcomes such as postpartum infections and puerperal sepsis and perinatal events such as stillbirth due to intrauterine foetal infection, preterm birth, neonatal sepsis, long term sequele of chronic lung disease and brain injury leading to cerebral palsy and other neurodevelopmental disabilities.