Maternal and neonatal characteristics
| Early onset sepsis | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Possible or proven (%) | Not infected (%) | Total | p Value | |
| Maternal | ||||
| Spontaneous preterm labour | ||||
| Yes | 82 (71) | 487 (49) | 569 | <0.0001 |
| No | 34 (29) | 501 (51) | 535 | |
| Clinical chorioamnionitis* | ||||
| Yes | 22 (20) | 68 (6.9) | 90 | <0.0001 |
| No | 90 (80) | 912 (93) | 1002 | |
| Abnormal amniotic fluid† | ||||
| Yes | 20 (18) | 89 (9.1) | 109 | 0.006 |
| No | 93 (82) | 891 (91) | 984 | |
| Maternal antibiotics‡ | ||||
| Yes | 97 (86) | 687 (69) | 784 | 0.0004 |
| No | 16 (14) | 302 (31) | 318 | |
| Maternal GBS status | ||||
| Positive | 24 (21) | 286 (29) | 310 | 0.13 |
| Negative | 64 (55) | 461 (47) | 525 | |
| Unknown | 28 (24) | 244 (25) | 272 | |
| Delivery at less than 37 weeks | ||||
| Yes | 98 (84) | 632 (64) | 730 | <0.0001 |
| No | 18 (16) | 359 (36) | 377 | |
| Neonatal | ||||
| Gender female | ||||
| Yes | 62 (50) | 487 (45) | 549 | 0.27 |
| No | 61 (50) | 592 (55) | 653 | |
| Apgar score <7 at 5 min | ||||
| Yes | 84 (68) | 403 (37) | 487 | <0.0001 |
| No | 39 (32) | 675 (32) | 714 | |
| Gestational age (weeks) | ||||
| Mean (SD) | 30.5 (4.6) | 34.6 (4.0) | 1202 | <0.0001 |
| Median (range) | 30 [23, 40] | 34 [24, 42] | ||
| Respiratory distress lasting more than 3 h | ||||
| Yes | 112 (91) | 534 (49) | 646 | <0.0001 |
| No | 11 (8.9) | 545 (51) | 556 | |
| Need for surfactant | ||||
| Yes | 76 (62) | 179 (17) | 255 | <0.0001 |
| No | 47 (38) | 900 (83) | 947 | |
*Fever during labour as a temperature greater than 37.5°C on two occasions more than 1 h apart or a temperature >38.0°C.
†Meconium-stained or foul-smelling amniotic fluid.
‡Any antibiotics given prior to or during labour with the exception of prophylaxis antibiotics for elective C-section. p Value represents χ2 or adjusted χ2 tests for categorical variables on maternal and neonatal characteristics, respectively, and adjusted t tests for continuous neonatal characteristics.
GBS, Group B Streptococcus.