Mustafa Rasit Ozler, Erkan Saglam
Medicine Science - 2026;15(2):658-664
This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the latency period until delivery on obstetric and perinatal outcomes in pregnancies diagnosed with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) before 32 weeks' gestation. This retrospective study included 192 singleton pregnancies managed at a tertiary center between January 2020 and January 2025. Patients with multiple gestations, placenta previa, fetal anomalies, hypertensive disorders, gestational diabetes, cervical surgery history, vaginal bleeding at admission, or delivery within 48 h of PPROM were excluded. Patients were classified according to gestational age at PPROM and the latency period. Maternal complications, obstetric outcomes, and neonatal morbidity parameters were compared, and predictors of neonatal complications were assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The longest latency occurred in the <24-week group, and the shortest occurred in the 28-31+6-week group. Prolonged latency is associated with higher rates of cesarean delivery, placental abruption, and chorioamnionitis. Birth weight increased significantly with longer latency periods in all subgroups. In the 24-27+6-week group, prolonged latency reduced respiratory distress syndrome and total neonatal complications. In the <24-week group, a shorter latency was associated with a higher incidence of retinopathy. ROC analysis identified gestational age at delivery as the strongest predictor of neonatal complications. In conclusion, gestational age at delivery was the primary determinant of perinatal outcomes in PPROM <32 weeks. Nevertheless, prolongation of latency, especially between 24 and 27+6 weeks, improves neonatal prognosis, although maternal risks increase.
