This large single center study can provide good foundation for counseling parents on previable PPROM, especially the prognosis of PPROM<20 weeks of pregnancy is of additional value.

Conclusions Only one study (Mercer 2010) reported a better neurodevelopmental outcome at 7 months of age for preterm infants receiving placental transfusion via DCC. To our knowledge this is the first report on 3.5 year follow-up in infants with DCC or MC. Our results indicate that MC could safely be used as an alternative to DCC. There were no excess events of typical prematurity related co-morbidities in the MC group. Ex-preterm infants seem to benefit from MC and DCC in their neurodevelopmental outcome. Large studies are needed to confirm the findings.The study is reported on behalf of the Brighton Perinatal Study Group. Background and aims Preterm infants are at risk of brain injury. Cranial ultrasound is frequently used in neonatal care to detect and monitor brain injury. Anatomical structures and abnormalities can be distinguished by differences in echogenicity. PO-0467Our primary objective was to reliably measure sonographic grey values in basal ganglia. Secondary objectives included the influence of gestational age at birth on echogenicity and aspects of deep grey matter change at 30 weeks corrected GA. Methods We prospectively collected CUS-data of 229 preterm infants (<29 weeks gestation). Parasagittal images through the gangliothalamic ovoid were assessed on mean grey value in putamen and globus pallidus. Intra-and interobserver for placement of ROI were analysed. Results The method used produced a reliable globus pallidus to putamen ratio (GPP ratio). Mean GPP ratio was 0.786 (±0.085). Extreme preterm infants have significantly lower GPP at birth than did preterm infants above 28 weeks (0.755 ± 0.081 vs 0.808 ± 0.091; P-value <0.01). At 30 weeks corrected GA this was still the case (0.723 ± 0.051 vs. 0.818 ± 0.063; P-value <0.01). Conclusion The putamen of extremely preterm infants is more hyperechoic then putamen of preterm infants of 29 weeks of gestation. Objective measurement of grey values can help to study brain injury.