الفهرس 
IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Premature rupture of membranes continues to be a leading cause of
neonatal morbidity and mortality it occurs approximately in 2-8% of all
pregnancies and it is responsible for 20% of all perinatal deaths.
Complications include maternal and fetal infection , preterm labor,
asphyxia and if earlier in pregnancy pulmonary hypoplasia and
anatomic distortion as a result of amniotic bands ( Nava Flores et al.,
2003).
Microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity is frequently observed in
patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM). It is a
major risk factor for neonatal infection and adverse neonatal outcomes,
which include bronchopulmonary dysplasia and periventricular
leukomalacia (Wu et al., 2000).
A noninvasive method of testing for maternal-fetal infection
involves the detection of proinflammatory cytokines in vaginal
secretions. Some studies have suggested that their presence in cervical or
vaginal secretions is associated with microbial invasion of amniotic fluid.
In particular, IL-6 has been associated with neonatal infection and
adverse neonatal outcome in cases of PPROM. Several authors have
studied the relationship between IL -6 concentrations in cervical and
vaginal secretions and occurrence of preterm labor and amniotic
infection. Only one of these studies dealt with the relationship between
vaginal fluid IL – 6 concentration and neonatal infections in case of
PPROM (Jun et al., 2000).
So, this study was conducted to evaluate the diagnostic value of
interleukin – 6 in the vaginal secretion as an early predictor for
neonatal infection in pregnant women with preterm premature rupture of
fetal membranes.