Time Matters: Evaluating the Clinical and Infectious Outcomes in Rupture of Membranes <12 Hours versus 12–18 Hours, at Term: A Retrospective Study

PROM lasting 12-18 h was associated with higher rates of maternal and neonatal infections compared with PROM <12 h. These findings suggest that infection risk rises earlier than the conventional 18 h threshold, raising important considerations regarding the timing and choice of intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis. Further prospective studies are warranted to validate these findings and to determine optimal antibiotic protocols.