Latency and infectious complications after preterm premature rupture of membranes: impact of body mass index

Obesity has been associated with chronic inflammation. We hypothesized that body mass index may be inversely related to latency and directly related to infectious complications after preterm premature rupture of membranes. This secondary analysis of a randomized trial of antibiotics for preterm premature rupture of membranes had information available for 562 subjects. We analyzed the association between body mass index and latency, the occurrence of chorioamnionitis, endometritis, and maternal infectious morbidity after controlling for gestational age at rupture and treatment group. Survival analysis, regression, and test of proportions were used as appropriate. When evaluated as a categorical or continuous variable, body mass index did not reveal any significant associations. Latency to delivery was affected by gestational age at rupture of membrane and antibiotic therapy but not by body mass index group. Body mass index was not associated with latency or the occurrence of maternal infectious complications during conservative management of premature rupture of membranes before 32 weeks' gestation.