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4092984 
Journal Article 
Does peripartum infection increase the incidence of cerebral palsy in extremely low birth weight infants? 
Costantine, M; How, H; Coppage, K; Maxwell, R; Sibai, B 
2006 
Yes 
American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
ISSN: 0002-9378
EISSN: 1097-6868 
DART/TER/7000208 
195 
6 Suppl 
English 
OBJECTIVE: To determine the perinatal predictors of cerebral palsy (CP) in extremely low birth weight infants ( and lt; 1000 gms). STUDY DESIGN: A case control study of infants with birth weight of and lt;1000 gm (19 with CP and 38 controls) who survived beyond 18-22 months of corrected age was performed. Outcome variables included maternal demographics, obstetrical complications and neonatal outcome (gestational age at delivery, birth weight, Apgar scores, IUGR, RDS, IVH and neonatal sepsis). Data analysis consisted of t-tests, chi-square and ANOVA when appropriate. RESULTS: There were no differences with regard to demographics, magnesium sulfate use, steroid use, preeclampsia, anterpartum vaginal bleeding, mode of delivery among infants with CP vs. no CP. The mean gestational age at delivery (2547 and #146;b 1.4 wks vs. 2557 and #146;b 1.8 wks), mean birth weight (727.1 and #146;b 107 g vs. 807.9 and #146;b 138 g) and the rate of IUGR (5% vs. 8%) are similar between groups. Using univariate analysis, male gender (OR 3.70; 95% CI: 1.0-12.5), primigravid (OR 5.52; 95% CI:1.7-18.3), early neonatal sepsis (OR 12.9; 95% CI: 2.9-57.2), chorioamnionitis (OR 3.7; 95% CI:1.2-11.9) and PROM and gt; 48 hrs OR 6.2; 95% CI:1.1-36.6) were significantly more frequent in children who later developed CP. Table below shows that neonatal sepsis, chorioamnionitis and PROM and gt; 48 hours remained significantly different between the CP and no CP group after adjustment for primigravidity. However, only chorioamnionitis and neonatal sepsis remained significantly different between the CP and no CP group after adjustment for gender. CONCLUSION: In extremely low birth weight infants, CP was strongly associated with chorioamnionitis and neonatal sepsis. (Table: see text).