Abstract

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to evaluate the neonatal outcome and psychomotor development of infants born from a mother with chorioamnionitis.

METHODS

Cases were selected from the records of pathology department whose mother had a histological diagnosis of chorioamnionitis and normal placental examination. Perinatal characteristics, complications during stay in neonatal intensive care unit and psychomotor development at one year of age were evaluated. Sixty cases were included in the study.

RESULTS

Histologic evidence of chorioamnionitis was identified in 30 cases. Thirty cases with normal placental examination served as the control group. The age of mother, risk factors during pregnancy, the way of birth and sex of the cases did not differ between the two groups. However, the number of preterm births was significantly higher, and the mean gestational age and the mean birth weight of the cases were significantly lower in the chorioamnionitis group compared with the control group (p=0.001, p=0.046, p=0.001, respectively). The psychomotor development of the cases at one year of age did not differ between the two groups (p=0.154).

CONCLUSION

Although chorioamnionitis leads to premature birth and complications in neonatal intensive care unit, it does not seem to have any adverse effect on the psychomotor development of the infants at one year of age.