Preterm premature rupture of membranes in pregnancies complicated by human immunodeficiency virus infection: A single center's five-year experience

Objective. The objective of this study was to describe one center's five-year experience of the management of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive gravidas with preterm premature rupture of the membranes (PPROM) not in labor at <= 34 weeks of gestation. Methods. This is a retrospective chart review of all HIV positive gravidas with PPROM at <= 34 weeks of gestation, who delivered between December 1, 2000 and December 31, 2005. Results. We identified 228 HIV positive gravidas of whom 19 had PPROM at <= 34 weeks of gestation. Mother-to-child transmission occurred in two of 18 surviving neonates as confirmed by a follow-up visit at six months of age. No mother-to-child transmission occurred in the 10 neonates of mothers who received antenatal highly active antiretroviral therapy and intrapartum zidovudine. Eleven neonates were delivered between 30 and 33 weeks of gestation. In this group, five of 11 gravidas received antenatal corticosteroids. The mean neonatal hospital stay was 31 days with or without prophylactic treatment of the mothers with antenatal corticosteroids. Conclusions. In this study of HIV positive patients with PPROM, the mother-to-child transmission rate of HIV did not seem to be related to the duration of rupture of membranes prior to delivery.