[Premature rupture of the membranes and RDS incidence in prematures (author's transl)].

In the years 1974, 1975 and 1976 495 children were born alive with a birthweight less than 2500 g in the Ist Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics of the University of Vienna. We selected all cases with dystrophy or factors, which were a disposal for RDS, so we got a rest of 188 prematures with a weight from 1000 g to 2500 g. For these children we checked the influence of time of rupture of the membranes (ROM) before delivery to the incidence of RDS. We found a lower incidence of RDS of the newborns when duration of ROM exceeded the time of 12 hours. This fact was statistically significant in the class of premature newborns with a weight of 1500 g to 2000 g. The similar trend was found in 119 dystrophic newborns with a weight between 1000 g to 2500 g, although there was no statistical significance. No influence of duration of labor on the incidence of RDS neither in selected premature nor dystrophic newborns was found.