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Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.

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Chorioamnionitis differential diagnosis

Introduction

Overview

Overview

Chorioamnionitis must be differentiated from other conditions that cause maternal fever, abdominal pain, or maternal/fetal tachycardia such as epidural-related fever, extrauterine infections, and noninfectious conditions characterized by abdominal pain. Epidural-related fever should be considered in patients with epidural anesthesia who have low grade fever without maternal/fetal tachycardia during the intrapartum period. Extrauterine infections should be considered in patients with fever and abdominal pain. And lastly, noninfectious conditions such as placental abruption should be considered in patients with abdominal pain in the absence of fever.

Differentiating Chorioamnionitis From Other Diseases

Differentiating Chorioamnionitis From Other Diseases

Chorioamnionitis must be differentiated from other conditions that cause maternal fever, abdominal pain, or maternal/fetal tachycardia such as epidural-related fever, extrauterine infections, and noninfectious conditions characterized by abdominal pain.[1]

  • Epidural-related fever should be considered in patients with epidural anesthesia who have low grade fever without maternal/fetal tachycardia during the intrapartum period.
  • Extrauterine infections should be considered in patients with fever and abdominal pain. Extrauterine infections that must be differentiated from chorioamnionitis include:
  • Noninfectious conditions should be considered in patients with abdominal pain in the absence of fever. Noninfectious conditions that must be differentiated from chorioamnionitis include:


Chorioamnionitis, must be differentiated from other diseases that may cause, fever, abdominal pain, and maternal/fetal tachycardia. The table below, summarizes the differential diagnosis for chorioamnionitis:

Disease Findings
Epidural-Related Fever Intrapartum fever (≥38 °C), Absence of other clinical findings of intrauterine inflammation (abdominal pain, maternal/fetal tachycardia, etc.)[2][1]
Appendicitis Presents with abdominal pain that begins around the umbilicus, then migrates to the right lower quadrant (relatively rare but also possible at right upper quadrant), nausea vomiting, abdominal guarding, deep tenderness at MBburney’s point, dysuria[3]
Pneumonia Presents with fever, productive cough, pleuritic chest pain, dyspnea, rigor, perspiration, and findings on auscultation such as inspiratory rales localized to the affected area
Influenza Presents with acute fever, headache, cough, rigor, perspiration, myalgias, and malaise[4]
Pyelonephritis Presents with fever, chills, malaise, dysuria, urinary urgency, polyuria, nausea, flank pain[5]
Others Thrombophlebitis, placental abruption, colitis, connective tissue disorders, and round ligament pain can produce abdominal pain that may be confused with chorioamnionitis. However, the absence of fever indicates these conditions rather than chorioamnionitis.[1]
References

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Tita AT, Andrews WW (June 2010). “Diagnosis and management of clinical chorioamnionitis”. Clin Perinatol. 37 (2): 339–54. doi:10.1016/j.clp.2010.02.003. PMC 3008318. PMID 20569811.
  2. ↑ Jansen S, Lopriore E, Naaktgeboren C, Sueters M, Limpens J, van Leeuwen E, Bekker V (2020). “Epidural-Related Fever and Maternal and Neonatal Morbidity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”. Neonatology. 117 (3): 259–270. doi:10.1159/000504805. PMID 31991422.
  3. ↑ Franca Neto AH, Amorim MM, Nóbrega BM (2015). “Acute appendicitis in pregnancy: literature review”. Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 61 (2): 170–7. doi:10.1590/1806-9282.61.02.170. PMID 26107368.
  4. ↑ Gaitonde DY, Moore FC, Morgan MK (December 2019). “Influenza: Diagnosis and Treatment”. Am Fam Physician. 100 (12): 751–758. PMID 31845781.
  5. ↑ Johnson JR, Russo TA (January 2018). “Acute Pyelonephritis in Adults”. N Engl J Med. 378 (1): 48–59. doi:10.1056/nejmcp1702758. PMID 29298155.

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] ; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Adnan Ezici, M.D[2]