[Symptomless amniotic infection related to pregnancy outcome].

Placental histology in 984 pregnancies (758 term and 226 preterm) occurring during the years 1995 to 1998 was investigated and amniotic cavity cultures were taken during 918 cesarean sections. Histology revealed placental infection in 20.3% of placentas. Chorioamnionitis was confirmed in 119 out of 758 term pregnancies (15.7%) while in 81 out of 226 preterm pregnancies (35.8%); the difference is highly significant (chi 2 = 26.6, p < 0.01). Bacteriological culture resulted in bacterial growth in 19.7% of all cases (181/918), its frequency was significant higher in premature births (54/133, 40.3% chi 2 = 25.2, p < 0.01) as compared with pregnancies carried to term. Recovery of any organism from the amniotic cavity was strongly associated with chorioamnionitis confirmed by histology. Comparison of the rates of indicating placental infection found in this study and a study performed between 1981 and 1983, showed that the program aiming at detection and treatment of silent intrauterine infection has only partially been successful.