SIGNIFICANCE OF CHORIOAMNIONITIS

In preterm deliveries, we have reported a high incidence (30-50%) of histologic chorioamnionitis (CAM) in the placenta. There is little evidence about the effects of CAM on preterm infants. We investigated the levels of complements and cytokines in the cord blood, the pathological nature of the placenta, the L/S ratio of gastric and tracheal aspirate of each preterm infant at birth, and assessed the biological effects of CAM on them. CAM stimulates the immunological system by cytokine production (IL6 and IL8) and complement activation in the fetus. It has been suggested that CAM may be one of the factors accelerating fetal maturation of the immunological system such as complement activation and immunoglobulin production, and of surfactant synthesis in the lung. On the contrary, CAM may damage the structures along the lining cells in the airway by accumulating polymorphonuclear cells of the infants with Wilson-Mikity syndrome.