Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are required to maintain the fluidity, permeability and integrity of cell membranes. Maternal dietary supplementation with ω-3 PUFAs during pregnancy has beneficial effects, including increased gestational length and reduced risk of pregnancy complications. Significant amounts of ω-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are transferred from maternal to fetal blood, hen...

OBJECTIVE To asses the degree of erythrocyte aggregation in the peripheral blood of women with preterm premature rupture of the membranes (PPROM). STUDY DESIGN This was a prospective case control study. Twenty patients with preterm premature rupture of the membranes and matched controls were recruited at the Lis Maternity Hospital. A slide test and image analysis were used to quantitate the d...

Although the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in women with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) is recommended to prolong pregnancy and decrease short-term neonatal complications, the optimal regimen remains undetermined. The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of cefazolin plus macrolide (erythromycin or clarithromycin) versus cefazolin alone in reducing neonatal mo...

Background: Premature rupture of the membrane (PROM) is a major cause of preterm birth, and the mechanisms still not fully defined. However, the mechanisms for PROM still not fully defined. This study investigated the roles of p38 in regulation the expression of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 in fetal membranes of patients with preterm premature rupture of membrane (PPROM) and full-term premature rupture of ...

Aim: To elucidate the outcome for very low birth weight infants delivered after preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) managed conservatively, and to determine the prognostic value of perinatal factors for long-term outcome. Methods: Perinatal data were collected from medical records for singleton live-birth infants delivered between 1991 and 2008 after conservatively managed PPROM. Cas...

The aims of this study were to determine whether sonographically measured cervical length is of value in the identification of microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity in women with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) and to compare its performance with maternal blood C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell count (WBC), and amniotic fluid (AF) WBC. This prospective observational ...

OBJECTIVE We sought to evaluate gestational age, cervical length, amniotic fluid interleukin (IL)-6, and selected proteomic biomarkers as independent predictors of adverse outcome in preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM). STUDY DESIGN This was a prospective cohort study of 65 consecutive women with PPROM (20.0-34.6 weeks). Gestational age, cervical length, amniotic fluid IL-6, and pr...

Matrix metalloproteinase 8 (MMP8), an enzyme that degrades fibrillar collagens imparting strength to the fetal membranes, is expressed by leukocytes and chorionic cytotrophoblast cells. We identified three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at -799C/T, -381A/G and +17C/G from the major transcription start site in the MMP8 gene, and determined the functional significance of these SNPs by ana...