Interpretation
Our results pin-point the difficulties in identifying clinical tools of
timely prediction of adverse neonatal outcomes associated to
chorioamnionitis. We observed a strong association between highest
measured CRP and positive cervical culture with neonatal infection.
Importantly, it reflects the dynamic nature of CRP, with a
characteristic slow increase in response to inflammation. Thus, CRP has
limited usefulness in predicting neonatal outcomes prior to delivery.
Likewise, the result from a cervical culture will similarly take at
least 24 hours to be analyzed. Nevertheless, our findings underline the
importance of prioritizing a continuous collaboration between obstetric
and neonatal care extending past the delivery time point to communicate
emerging maternal symptoms which could affect neonatal care.