Transabdominal amniocentesis was used in 73 consecutive, referred patients with premature rupture of membranes and no clinical signs of infection or labor. Positive Gram stain or positive culture of obtained amniotic fluid was used as an indication for delivery. The outcome of pregnancy in this group of patients was compared with the outcome of a historic control group of 73 patients managed conservatively without amniocentesis. Clinical amnionitis and low five-minute Apgar scores occurred significantly less often in the study than in the control group; however there was no difference in the frequency of neonatal infection, one-minute Apgar score, cord blood pH, or perinatal mortality between the two groups.