Assisted reproductive technology is associated with premature rupture of membranes

Objective: To evaluate the elements more likely to be associated with premature rupture of membrane (PROM) in patients that use assisted reproductive technology (ART). Materials and methods: A retrospective case-control study was performed from January 2014 to August 2017. We included 301 patients, 257 patients were without PROM in the non-PROM group and 44 patients with PROM in the PROM group. Results: In the PROM group, the rate of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and BMI were significantly higher than the non-PROM group. Moreover, the rate of preterm birth was significantly higher in the PROM group. When using logistic regression analysis to decrease the impact of confounding factors, it showed that overweight and ICSI were confirmed to be associated with PROM. After matching 1:2 by BMI, the process of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation was all similar in the two groups. What is more, the rate of twin pregnancies was significantly higher in the preterm PROM (PPROM) group compared with the term PROM group and twin pregnancies were associated with preterm birth. Conclusions: ART parameters ICSI may increase the risk of PROM. Single embryo transfer during ART should be supported to decrease the incidence of PPROM and losing weight is essential for patients before embarking on ART.