Controversies in the diagnosis and management of preterm prelabour rupture of the membranes

Preterm prelabour rupture of the membranes precedes around 30% of spontaneous preterm births. As well as its associations with complications of prematurity, it is additionally associated with pulmonary hypoplasia as well as increased rates of maternal sepsis and its sequelae. However, all stages of clinical management remain a challenge: from diagnosis, through to management and timing of delivery. This review discusses some of the major challenges clinicians face when caring for women with preterm prelabour rupture of the membranes.