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Fetal membranes structure and prelabour rupture

Part of: Bespoke shallow archive Weizmann

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 January 2010

TM Malak  and
SC Bell
TM Malak
Affiliation:
Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, General Hospital, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 2UD.
SC Bell
Affiliation:
Reader in Reproductive Biology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Leicester, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester LE2 7LX.
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Extract

In most pregnancies labour begins at term in the presence of intact fetal membranes. Without intervention the membranes usually spontaneously rupture near the end of the first stage of labour. In 10% of pregnancies that deliver at term the fetal membranes fail to maintain their structural integrity and this results in their “prelabour rupture”, defined as spontaneous rupture of membranes at least one hour before the onset of labour. In 95–98% of these cases at term, labour is precipitated within 48 hours. Although preterm birth, defined as birth prior to 37 completed weeks of pregnancy, occurs in only 7–8% of all pregnancies, 40–60% of these deliveries are preceded by prelabour rupture of the fetal membranes.

Type
Research Article
Information
Fetal and Maternal Medicine Review , Volume 8 , Issue 3 , August 1996 , pp. 143 - 164
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

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