Spontaneous premature rupture of the membranes.

Abstract A sample of cases of spontaneous premature rupture of the membranes associated with the delivery of approximately 7,500 infants weighing 400 grams and above is presented. The over-all incidence of premature rupture of the membranes was 15.8 per cent. The incidence of premature rupture of the membranes among the fetal and neonatal deaths was 26.7 per cent. Premature rupture of the membranes occurred in association with a sizable number of major obstetrical complications. Infection was the principal lethal factor in the infant deaths which were primarily due to premature rupture. It occurred more frequently among the non-white and less educated mothers, and was tolerated less well by the older mothers from lower socioeconomic groups, whether the classification was based upon the mother's education, race, or the father's occupation. Premature rupture of the membranes is a major obstetrical complication which requires additional study.