[The frequency of cellular infiltration in fetal membranes and the umbilical cord and its dependence on the time of membrane rupture, transmission and EPH-gestosis].

The determination of the frequency of the histological severity of cellular, predominantly leukocytic infiltration in the fetal membranes and umbilical cord and its dependence upon the time of rupture of the membranes, the transmission, and the EPH gestosis yielded the following results: (1) Cellular infiltration of the decidua, the severity of which ranged from low to high, was observed in almost 90 percent of the placentae included in this investigation, with infiltration being not detected in only about 10 percent. (2) There was observed a continuous decrease in the frequency of low- and high-severity infiltration in the fetal membrane layers toward the choriodecidual space, so that high-severity infiltration of the amnion could be detected in about 3 percent only. (3) The percentages of infiltrates detected were roughly 13 percent in the umbilical vein wall and only 8 percent in the umbilical arterial walls. (4) Cellular infiltration of the umbilical vein may be observed significantly more frequently in those cases in which the time from the rupture of the membranes to the delivery of placenta is longer than three hours than in cases where this time is shorter than three hours. (5) In the case of transmission the frequency of cellular infiltration of the amnion and umbilical vein wall is significantly higher than in the cases of normal gestations. (6) High-severity forms of cellular infiltration of the umbilical vein and arteries are significantly more frequent in the case of EPH gestosis than low-severity forms. (7) The differences in frequency of cellular infiltration in fetal membrane layers and umbilical vessel walls not mentioned under (4) through (6) above are not significant for different times between the rupture of the membranes and the delivery of placenta, transmission, and EPH gestosis. (8) Hypoxidosis and chemotaxis due to acidification of the amniotic fluid rather than bacterial infection are considered to be the causes of cellular infiltration in the majority of cases of increases in time between the rupture of the membranes and the delivery of placenta, transmission, and EPH gestosis.