False vs True rupture of membranes

Abstract

New medical nomenclature: False rupture of membranes or False ROM and Double rupture of membranes or Double ROM are being introduced into the English language. A single caregiver found about 1% of term births and 10% of term PROM involved False ROM, in which the chorion breaks while the amnion remains intact. Diagnostically, if meconium or vernix is observed, then both the chorionic and amniotic sacs have broken. In the absence of detection of vernix or meconium, an immediate accurate diagnostic test for False ROM is lacking and differentiating between True ROM from False ROM is possible only after leaking stops, which takes hours to days. The obvious benefit of differentiating between ‘True’ and ‘False’ ROM, is that in the case of False ROM, the amnion is intact and ascending infections are likely not at increased risk, although research is lacking as to whether False ROM is associated with an increased rate of ascending infection. Three cases of False ROM are presented and avenues for future research are enumerated.

Keywords::

• Ruptured membranes
• False ROM
• high leak
• amnion
• chorion
• chorioamnionitis
• True ROM

Declaration of interest: The author reports no conflicts of interest. The author alone is responsible for the content and writing of the paper.