Is amniopatch an effective treatment for spontaneous previable premature rupture of membranes? Analysis of perinatal outcome

To characterize the perinatal outcomes of pregnancies complicated by spontaneous previable premature rupture of membranes with a therapeutic intervention in the form of amniopatch (AP) at the 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (2008‒2019). The retrospective analysis of perinatal markers and early neonatal morbidity of pregnancies treated with amniopatch. Discussion comparison with the published papers of cases of spontaneous previable rupture of membranes managed expectantly. Out of the total number of pregnancies, 53 met the exclusion criteria, of which 35 were terminated by delivering a live newborn, 3 newborns died during the hospitalization. The following incidence of early complications has been reported in live births: 1) Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (10/35-28.57 %), 2) Newborn respiratory distress syndrome (25/35-71.42 %), 3) Neonatal sepsis (15/35-42.85 %), 4) Intraventricular hemorrhage (14/35-40 %), 5) Periventricular leukomalacia (3/35-8.57 %), 6). Necrotizing enterocolitis (2/35-5.71 %), 7) Retinopathy of prematurity (7/35-20 %) and 8) Foetal compression syndrome (16/35-45.71 %). In a discussion comparison with available publications of expectantly managed pregnancies, we observed a statistically significantly lower incidence of respiratory distress syndrome, retinopathy, and chorioamnionitis in our cohort along with a higher incidence of foetal compression defects. Amniopatch can be a therapeutic method for reducing the neonatal mortality associated with RDS, maternal infectious morbidity, and an alternative in patients, who require an active approach to such a compromised pregnancy (Tab. 12, Fig. 1, Ref. 50).