The effect of histological chorioamnionitis on the short-term outcome of preterm infants ≤32 weeks: a single-center study

Background and objectives: Chorioamnionitis (CA) is an acute inflammation of the membranes and chorion of the placenta. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of histological CA on the short-term outcome of preterm infants. Subjects and methods: The clinical characteristics and outcomes of the preterm infant including respiratory distress syndrome, duration of mechanical ventilation, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) requiring medical treatment or ligation, necrotizing enterocolitis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, death and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH; grade III-IV) were analyzed. Results: Two hundred and eighty-one infants born at <= 32 weeks gestational ages were included. Infants were divided into two groups: one with histological CA (n = 145) and without histological CA (n 136). Mean gestational age was 28.8 +/- 2.6 weeks and 29.1 +/- 2.5 weeks, and mean birth weight was 1138 +/- 350 g and 1210 +/- 299 g, respectively. There were no differences in gestational age and birth weight among the groups. Compared with the group, histological CA was associated with early onset sepsis (p = 0.007), PDA (p = 0.003), IVH (p = 0.03), and death (p = 0.04). Conclusion: Maternal histological CA is an important risk factor for preterm deliveries and associated with serious morbidities such as early onset sepsis, IVH, PDA and increased mortality.