Histological chorioamnionitis is associated with cerebral palsy in preterm neonates.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the interaction between histological chorioamnionitis and unexplained neonatal cerebral palsy among low birth weight infants. STUDY DESIGN: We studied 141 preterm infants below 1500 g delivered between 2000 and 2010. Clinical data, neonatal neuroimaging, laboratory results, the histopathological features of the placenta and gastric smear within the first hour of delivery, were evaluated. RESULTS: Cerebral palsy was detected in 11 out of 141 preterm newborns (7.8%). The incidence of silent histological chorioamnionitis was 33.6% (43 of 128 cases). Chorioamniontis was significantly associated with the risk of unexplained cerebral palsy (p=0.024). There were also significant correlations between maternal genital infections and chorioamnionitis (p=0.005), and between maternal infections and a positive smear of neonatal gastric aspirates (p=0.000). The rate of cesarean section was 67.4% (95 out of 141 deliveries), and elective cesarean section was performed in 68 cases. CONCLUSION: Intrauterine exposure to maternal infection was associated with a marked increase in the risk of cerebral palsy in preterm infants.