Latency period of PROM at term and the risk of neonatal infectious diseases

To find the risk of time thresholds of PROM for infectious diseases of term neonates. A multi-center prospective cohort study including pregnancies with PROM at term with a single fetus were conducted. Time thresholds of the duration from PROM to delivery were examined in 2-h increments to assess the rates of infectious neonatal diseases. 7019 pregnancies were included in the study. Neonatal pneumonia and sepsis were most frequent infectious diseases in neonates born from mother with PROM at term. Rates of early-onset pneumonia varied significantly when comparing length of time of PROM greater than 16 h vs. less than 16 h (for EOP in 3 days of life, adjusted OR 1.864, 95% CI 1.159 ~ 2.997, p = 0.010; for EOP in 7 days of life, adjusted OR 1.704, 95% CI 1.104 ~ 2.628, p = 0.016). Neonates born from mother of whom the length of time from PROM to delivery ≥ 16 h were at a higher risk of acquiring EOP.