Table 2.

Summary of studies reporting frequency of intra-amniotic infection/inflammation, amniotic fluid microbiology in patients with amniotic fluid ‘sludge’ in preterm gestations

Study	Clinical presentat ion	Gestational age, weeks	Amniotic fluid ‘sludg e’ % (n/N)	Amniocentesis in patients with amniotic fluid ‘sludge’, N	Intra-amnio tic infection % (n/N)	Methods for the detection of microorganisms	Detected Microorganisms	Intra-amniotic inflammation* % (n/N)
Espinoza et al [16]	Preterm labor and intact membranes	20 – 35	22.6% (19/84)	18	33.3% (6/18)	Cultivation	Ureaplasma urealyticum, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Candida albicans, Peptostreptococcus spp., Group B streptococci, Gardnerella vaginalis	N/A
Yoneda et al [51]	Preterm labor and intact membranes	20 – 29	18.1% (19/105)	19	31.6% (6/19)	Cultivation and PCR	Group B streptococci, Ureaplasma parvum, Flavobacterium succinicans	N/A
Kusanovic et al [17]	Short cervix	13 – 29	23.1% (28/121)	23	21.7% (5/23)	Cultivation	Ureaplasma urealyticum, Staphylococcus aureus, Fusobacterium nucleatum	27.3% (6/22)
Paules et al [29]	Cervical insufficiency	21–24	N/A	3	66.7% (2/3)	Cultivation	Fusobacterium nucleatum	100% (3/3)
Kusanovic et al (current study)	Preterm labor	20 – 34	N/A	13	61.5% (8/13)	Cultivation	Ureaplasma urealyticum, Candida albicans, Fusobacteriu m nucleatum, Mycoplasma hominis, etc.	61.5% (8/13)

^*Intra-amniotic inflammation was defined as an elevated amniotic fluid white blood cell count >50 cells/mm³.

N/A : not applicable