Chorioamnionitis: prevalence, risk factors and neonatal mortality

Chorioamnionitis is the acute inflammation of fetal membranes caused by a bacterial infection, leading to premature births and the increase of maternal and neonatal morbimortality. The objective of this study was to identify the prevalence, risk factors and neonatal mortality rates from chorioamnionitis in expectant mothers who were admitted to Maringa University Hospital in 1997. This cross-sectional study was performed using data collected medical records. Fisher's exact risk test and relative risk were utilized to verify the differences in the averages. Nine cases of chorioamnionitis (1.8%) were observed among 504 pregnants. The risk factors associated were a mean age of 24.6 years, Caucasian ethnicity and low level of schooling. The presence of uterine activity was an important sign of infection, in addition to tachycardia and fever in the mother. Chorioamnionitis was associated to pelvic/transversal fetal presentation, meconial/sanguinous amniotic fluid, low birth weight and Apgar score < 7, besides higher perinatal morbimortality.