Neonatal infection is uncommon, and the lack of significance between expectant and active management in
the randomised trials is likely to represent underpowering, given the other outcomes related to infection were
all increased in the expectant management group. Neonatal infection can result in devastating sequelae
including death, chronic lung disease and cerebral palsy. Several case control studies have strongly
implicated chorioamnionitis as a cause of loss and cerebral palsy in term infants.9 Potentially serious
maternal morbidity from chorioamnionitis or endometritis is also associated with increasing latency in term
PROM. While active management of term PROM was initially thought to be associated with an increased
risk of operative delivery and caesarean section, these concerns have not been borne out in randomised
studies.