Planned Early Birth Versus Expectant Management of Premature Rupture of Membranes At Term

Abstract

Background: At term, immediate delivery is found to be associated with a lower risk of maternal infection and high maternal satisfaction as compared to expectant management. Objective: This study was done to determine the neonatal and maternal outcomes of planned early birth versus expectant birth in management of prelabour rupture of membranes at term.

Patients and Methods: This study was non-randomized interventional study conducted at the labour ward of the maternity teaching hospital in Erbil city, Kurdistan-Iraq from 1st of January to 30th of June, 2010. A sample of one hundred eligible pregnant women was non-randomly assigned in two groups. Both groups were matched for age and gestational age. The first group included 50 women in which labour was induced with oxytocin. In the second group, 50 women were included for labour to begin spontaneously.

Results: Mode of delivery was significantly (p<0.001) associated with parity in both study groups. The differences in maternal and neonatal outcomes for both study groups were not significant. The time to active labour from admission, time of active labour and time from rupture membrane to delivery were significantly (p<0.001, 0.03, <0.001, respectively) longer among women of expectant group. 

Conclusion: Maternal and neonatal outcomes of both induction and expectant labour were similar although, labour duration was longer among women in expectant group.