The effect of intravenous hydration on latency period

Preterm delivery is associated with significant perinatal morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to determine the effects of intravenous (IV) hydration on time interval from rupture of membranes to delivery (latency period) in pregnant women with Preterm premature rupture of fetal membranes.
24 pregnant women during their 28 to 34 weeks of gestational age with singleton live pregnancy whose baseline amniotic fluid index (AFI) was ≥ 5 cm were randomized into 2 case and control groups. The study group (Amniotic Fluid Index) received one liter intravenous fluid bolus of isotonic Ringer serum during 30-minute period. The control group received expectant management. The time interval from rupture of membranes to delivery was studied. Independent t-test and paired t-test were used to compare 2 groups and mean latency period before and after hydration, respectively.
The results of this study demonstrated that AFI decreased significantly at 90 minutes in both control and study groups. The mean between time intervals and delivery was 196.41 h and 140.58 h in the study and control groups, respectively, But this differences were not statistically significant (95%: 75.9-316/9 CI 95% :10.2-270.9) (P=490).
This study did not show any significant impact of hydration on AFI and consequently latency period as a prophylactic method. So, further studies with a larger sample size and at different time intervals seem to be needed to clarify the effect of hydration on latency period in PPROM.