Abstract
Preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), is linked to many complications for both the mother and the baby. Identifying women with an increased risk of PPROM early in pregnancy would lower the incidence of negative perinatal outcomes. This study aims to evaluate the usefulness of maternal C-reactive protein (CRP), platelet count, and mean platelet volume (MPV) in early pregnancy in predicting the development of PPROM later. This prospective study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Saudi Arabia for nine months (2019-2020). After common clinical causes of PPROM were excluded, 560 women were included in the study, of which 60 developed PPROM before labor, with the remaining 500 completing their pregnancy with intact membranes. After informed consent, maternal blood samples for platelet count, MPV, and CRP evaluation were collected at the first visit and later at admission for delivery with PPROM (evidenced by vaginal leakage of amniotic fluid) or normal delivery. The sensitivity and specificity of maternal CRP were 87% and 54% respectively.
The sensitivity of platelet count and MPV in predicting PPROM was 67 and 60%, with a specificity of 47% and 62%, respectively. The present study concluded that CRP and MPV are more effective markers than platelet count for early detection of PPROM.