Otitis Media in the Newborn: Relationship to Duration of Rupture of Amniotic Membrane

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Abstract
IT IS WIDELY believed that intrapartum factors may produce diseases in the newborn baby.1-4 Otitis media has been included among these diseases.5-7 One hypothesis, based on anatomic findings, is that amniotic fluid components enter the middle ear cavity of the fetus via the eustachian tube and, if infected, may produce otitis media.7 Wittmaack attributes arrested pneumatization to otitis media neonatorum with subsequent development of attic retraction cholesteatoma.8 This study was undertaken to determine if duration of rupture of the amniotic membranes showed a positive correlation with otoscopic signs of otitis media in babies in the newborn nursery. Duration of membrane rupture was utilized rather than more precise methods of assessing infection of amniotic fluids for convenience as a first step in investigation of the hypothesis. Patients The 84 babies, 46 boys and 38 girls, who were included in this study were examined in the newborn nurseries

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