CHORIOAMNIONITIS

Course overview

CHORIOAMNIONITIS IS AN INFECTION THAT CAN OCCUR BEFORE LABOR, DURING LABOR, OR AFTER DELIVERY. IT CAN BE ACUTE, SUBACUTE, OR CHRONIC. CHORIOAMNIONITIS IS ASSOCIATED WITH CHRONIC LUNG DISEASE IN THE INFANT. CHRONIC CHORIOAMNIONITIS IS ASSOCIATED WITH RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY, VERY LOW BIRTH WEIGHT, AND IMPAIRED BRAIN DEVELOPMENT IN THE PREMATURE INFANT. CHRONIC CHORIOAMNIONITIS IS COMMON. MOST COMMONLY, CHORIOAMNIONITIS IS ASSOCIATED WITH PRETERM LABOR, PROLONGED RUPTURE OF MEMBRANES, PROLONGED LABOR, TOBACCO USE, NULLIPAROUS PREGNANCY, MECONIUM-STAINED FLUID, MULTIPLE VAGINAL EXAMS POST RUPTURE OF MEMBRANES, AND IN WOMEN WITH KNOWN BACTERIAL OR VIRAL INFECTIONS. HOWEVER, IT CAN OCCUR AT TERM AND IN WOMEN WITHOUT PRIOR INFECTIONS. CHORIOAMNIONITIS CAN LEAD TO MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY FOR THE MOTHER AND NEONATE IF LEFT UNTREATED. ANTIBIOTIC THERAPY HAS BEEN SHOWN TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE AND SEVERITY OF THE INFECTION IN BOTH THE MOTHER AND NEONATE. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE CLINICAL EVALUATION OF CHORIOAMNIONITIS AND EXPLAINS THE HEALTH PROFESSIONAL TEAM'S ROLE IN COORDINATING THE CARE OF PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.