Histologic Chorioamnionitis in Pregnancies of Various Gestational Ages. II: Implications in Preterm Labor

Richard P. Perkins; Shi-mei Zhou; Cooley Butler; Betty J. Skipper

doi:10.1055/s-2007-999710

American Journal of Perinatology, Table of Contents

Am J Perinatol 1988; 5(3): 300-303
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-999710

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Histologic Chorioamnionitis in Pregnancies of Various Gestational Ages. II: Implications in Preterm Labor

Richard P. Perkins, Shi-mei Zhou¹ , Cooley Butler, Betty J. Skipper

Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pathology, and Family, Community and Emergency Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico
¹Visiting Scholar, Beijing Medical University, Beijing, People's Republic of China

Abstract

ABSTRACT

A retrospective review of placental materials (membranes, chorionic plate, umbilical cord) derived from preterm birth is reported. All those studied had intact membranes on admission and did not have spontaneous rupture. Those with preterm labor unresponsive to tocolysis, including those with brief and more prolonged labors, were compared with those delivered preterm because of maternal or fetal indications without labor. Those with labor had inflammatory changes in all three sites of greater frequency than those without labor. Those with longer labors had significantly higher rates of inflammation than those without labor. In this population, removing the influence of spontaneous rupture and labor over 6 hours long greatly diminished the likelihood of inferring that inflammation of the choriamniotic environment is a cause of preterm labor unresponsive to tocolysis.

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