Premature rupture of the fetal membranes: is the amnion the major determinant?
The amnion is significantly stronger than the chorion when subjected to biaxial strength testing. The amnion but not the chorion is significantly affected by the chemical and mechanical changes during gestation and the labor process. These data will help direct future studies on the effects of clinical and molecular modulators of inflammation on membrane rupture thresholds with special emphasis on the biochemical and structural changes in the amnion.
many of the commonly used indicators of deprivation are poorly suited to studying inequalities in health in older people. Uptake of income support offers many advantages over conventional indicators.