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Hello Jamie

We did not record presence of microbial infection - we only used pathology reports (retrospectively collected). We only looked at the clinical correlates that I showed in the powerpoint. We did not specify the inflammatory cells (do you mean like, cytokines, etc?)

Sorry to not be more helpful.

It is difficult to tease out, from retrospectively looking at delivery data and notes, what maternal clinical characteristics were present, such as clinical diagnosis of chorioamnionitis. There is a lot of back and forth about what is considered chorioamnionitis, and many times (from personal experience), we treat what is assumed to be an infection because we may see fetal tachycardia and/or maternal tachycardia without a true fever. So it is difficult to tell, based on this, who actually had chorioamnionitis suspected while intrapartum. Also, meconium is something we struggle with a lot as well. We know it is a sign of fetal distress but we also know it can be a normal part of physiology and it does not always portend a poor outcome for the neonate. From my experience, we always worry a little more about fluid that is meconium stained, and are extra-vigilant about the fetal heart tracings of babies exhibiting this. But that doesn't always mean there is a poor clinical outcome. I can't think of any methods to prevent either chorionic infection (other than the ones we already employ - limiting vaginal exams after rupture of membranes, treating with antibiotics when infection is suspected, etc) or meconium. This study MAY make me even a little MORE concerned about meconium-stained fluid, especially in the background of a not-reassuring fetal heart tracing- which may make me more likely to expedite their delivery (either vaginally or by cesarean). Hope this helps!

Hi,
In the demographics of your study (about the 6:50 mark) the gestational age is 38-40 weeks. Is this a study that could be replicated for preterm births? Since babies are less likely to expel meconium earlier in pregnancy, (theoretically) would the presence of it then be more likely to suggest associated funisitis?