Premature rupture of the membranes

Premature rupture of the membranes (= amniorrhea) occurs in 1% to 2% of all pregnancies and 30% of preterm births (earlier than 37 weeks) are due to the rupture of membranes.The rupture occurs if an imbalance between the resilience of the amnion and the pressure administrated develops; this can have different reasons. An intact amnion with sufficient amniotic fluid is not only essential for the fetal development (lung, movement), but also protects the child from ascending infections. Regardless of the pregnancy week, an amniotic infection syndrome (AIS) clearly degrades the newborn's prognosis.The sensitivity of the laboratory parameters (e. g. interleukin-6 and procalcitonin), which can selectively detect a subclinical AIS, has yet to be proven by studies. Hence, depending on the pregnancy week, one has to decide whether to prolong the pregnancy, which would increase the risk for AIS and preterm birth.