EXPECTANT MANAGEMENT OF PREMATURE RUPTURE OF MEMBRANES WITH AMNIOTIC-FLUID CULTURES POSITIVE FOR UREAPLASMA-UREALYTICUM ALONE

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine maternal and neonatal outcome in patients with premature rupture of membranes and amniotic fluid cultures positive for Ureaplasma urealyticum alone. STUDY DESIGN: Amniocentesis was performed on 225 patients with premature rupture of membranes at less than or equal to 34 completed weeks of gestation. Amniotic fluid was cultured for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, Mycoplasma hominis, and Ureaplasma urealyticum. Patients with cultures positive for Ureaplasma urealyticum alone were managed expectantly, including erythromycin and daily biophysical profile examinations. RESULTS: Thirty-three patients (15%) had amniotic fluid cultures positive for Ureaplasma urealyticum alone, and clinical chorioamnionitis developed in three of these patients. There were no suspected or documented cases of neonatal sepsis. The incidence of infectious morbidity in patients with amniotic fluid cultures positive for Ureaplasma urealyticum alone was not significantly different from that seen in patients with negative cultures. CONCLUSION: An amniotic fluid culture positive for Ureaplasma urealyticum alone may not be an indication for a preterm delivery in patients with premature rupture of membranes.