Many doctors prefer women to remain as hospital inpatients during this time. Twice weekly blood tests looking for signs of a response to infection and weekly vaginal swabs are often instigated. Increasingly, however, doctors are beginning to feel that the risks of infection with PROM have been previously overstated, and many are now happy for women to be managed at home after an initial period in the hospital. Daily temperature checks are helpful and the other investigations mentioned above can be done in the clinic. This is something that a doctor from the neonatal unit will be able to discuss.
Survival rates vary in different parts of the world and in different units.
In the UK, when delivery occurs after 30 weeks gestation, the outlook for the baby is very good, all other things being equal. Between 28-30 weeks there is still a good chance of a normal outcome, although some infants will run into problems. An infant delivering at 24-25 weeks can be expected to have a difficult time on a neonatal unit, and unfortunately many do not survive. Every day between 25 and 28 weeks is important and chance of survival without long-term problems gradually improves. These are, of course, gross generalisations, and individual factors will apply.