​PPROM is defined as the amniotic sac breaking and leaking before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Management of PPROM is influenced by gestational age and the presence of maternal and fetal complicating factors/ and always results in preterm birth. According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG), PPROM complicates approximately 2-3% of all pregnancies in the United States and represents a significant proportion of preterm births.1
 
Cervical insufficiency is when the cervix is unable to sustain a pregnancy to term.2  Cervical shortening may be identified in the second or early third trimester of an ongoing pregnancy. Progressive cervical dilation at an early gestational age can result in PPROM, pregnancy loss, or spontaneous preterm birth.3
 
Preterm birth is the leading cause of death for infants under the age of one. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), preterm birth complications were responsible for approximately 1 million deaths in 2020.4