ClinicalTrials.gg
Not yet recruitingNCT06906757PROMOATUpdated Apr 2, 2025

Preterm Rupture of Membranes Optimising Antibiotics Trial

An interventional study of Erythromycin 250mg + placebo and Azithromycin 500mg + placebo in PPROM and Preterm, sponsored by University of Melbourne. Not yet recruiting. Open to female participants. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-04-02.

Sponsored by University of Melbourne · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
3,900
Allocation
Randomized
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn which antibiotic regimen works best to prevent infection in pregnant women whose waters break early (preterm, pre-labour rupture of membranes, or PPROM) and assess the health outcomes of babies born to pregnant women who have received these antibiotics.

PROMOAT aims to answer the question: Which antibiotic or combined antibiotic regimen most effectively prevents infection in pregnant women with PPROM \< 37+0 weeks' gestation.

Researchers will compare three antibiotic regimens already used in clinical practice to prevent infection in pregnant women with PPROM.

Participants will be randomly allocated to the antibiotic regimen they will follow for seven days, or until birth (whichever is earlier). All antibiotics will be taken orally.

Neonatal health outcomes will be collected at 42 weeks postmenstrual age and maternal birth and postpartum care outcomes assessed at 42 days postpartum.

Questionnaires will capture maternal mood at time of consent and at 42 days postpartum. Antibiotic tolerance will be assessed at the time antibiotic treatment is ceased.

This trial will be undertaken as part of the PLATIPUS trial (NCT06461429).

Read the detailed description

PROMOAT aims to determine which of the most common antibiotic regimens are most effective in preventing infection in pregnant people with PPROM to improve health outcomes for their infants. PROMOAT is a pregnancy domain within the PLATIPUS adaptive platform trial (NCT06461429).

Preterm prelabour rupture of membranes (PPROM) precedes 30-40% of spontaneous preterm births and is an important cause of maternal and neonatal infection. Membrane rupture provides an entry point for microbes from the vagina to ascend into the uterine cavity, exposing the mother and the fetus to infectious pathogens leading to poor maternal and neonatal outcomes. Mothers with PPROM are at increased risk of haemorrhage, hysterectomy, sepsis, intensive care admission and death. Preterm infants exposed to in-utero infection are at higher risk of poor short- and long-term outcomes, including neonatal sepsis, neurodevelopmental delay, cerebral palsy, chronic lung disease and death.

Neonatal sepsis is the third most common cause of newborn deaths (\~340,000 per year) and prevention is a major research priority, Neonatal sepsis due to pathogens acquired after PPROM may present in the first days of life and result in bacteraemia, pneumonia and meningitis. The most common pathogens associated with early-onset neonatal sepsis are Streptococcus agalactiae (aka Group B Streptococcus: GBS), Escherichia coli and Ureaplasma sp. Mortality is highest in the most immature infants, with a 54% case fatality rate in infants born before 24 weeks' gestation.

The goal in managing pregnancies complicated by PPROM is to prolong the pregnancy to enable fetal maturity without an increased risk of infection (acquired while the fetus remains in utero). Antibiotic prophylaxis has been shown to increase latency to birth but there is limited evidence to guide antibiotic choice to prevent infection in PPROM.

In PROMOAT, pregnant women with PPROM will be randomly assigned to receive one of the three intervention arms:

  • Erythromycin
  • Azithromycin, or
  • Erythromycin and Amoxicillin.

Health outcomes will be assessed using the PLATIPUS Ordinal Outcome Scale, at 42 weeks' postmenstrual age or discharge home, whichever is earliest.

A short questionnaire at Day 7 (or birth, whichever is earlier) will measure compliance and antibiotic tolerance. A maternal and family health questionnaire will be collected at Day 42 postpartum.

02

Conditions studied

  • PPROM
  • Preterm

Keywords

  • Pregnancy, Preterm, PPROM, Antibiotics
  • chorioamnionitis
03

In context

Preterm Premature Rupture of the Membranes

75 studies on the registry are indexed under Preterm Premature Rupture of the Membranes; 17 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 3,900 is above the median of 95 across 49 interventional studies indexed under Preterm Premature Rupture of the Membranes.

Browse Preterm Premature Rupture of the Membranes studies →

Lead sponsor

University of Melbourne is the lead sponsor of 86 studies on the registry; 22 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
Child (0–17), Adult (18–64), Older adult (65+)
Sexes eligible
Female
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Eligibility criteria

PLATFORM ELIGIBILITY

Participants must meet all core PLATIPUS platform inclusion criteria:

  • Considered to be at risk of birth before 37 weeks gestation (spontaneous and provider-initiated)
  • Receiving pregnancy care at a participating site (hospital) at the time of eligibility assessment and
  • Meet eligibility criteria for one or more platform domains.

Participants will be excluded from participation if they meet any core PLATIPUS platform exclusion criteria:

  • Inability to consent for themselves
  • Perinatal death is deemed to be imminent and inevitable during the next 24 hours (at time of screening).

Pregnant women and people who meet ALL of the core platform inclusion criteria and none of the exclusion criteria will be considered for PROMOAT-specific eligibility.

PROMOAT-SPECIFIC ELIGIBILITY

Platform-eligible participants must meet all PROMOAT-specific inclusion criteria:

  1. Women with singleton or multiple pregnancies complicated by preterm prelabour rupture of membranes (PPROM) \< 37+0 weeks' gestation as determined by the treating clinician and standard criteria:

    • Maternal history consistent with loss of fluid per vagina
    • Evidence of a pool of fluid in the vagina on sterile speculum examination
    • +/- positive testing for IGFBP-1 (Actim PROM) or PAMG-1 (Amnisure) AND
  2. Are eligible for at least two treatment arms within the domain
  3. The fetus/fetuses are alive at randomisation
  4. The pregnancy is continuing and active neonatal management is planned.

Participants will be excluded from participation if they meet core PLATIPUS platform exclusion criteria:

  • Inability to consent for themselves OR
  • Perinatal death is deemed to be imminent and inevitable during the next 24 hours (at time of screening).

Participants will be excluded from participation if they meet any PROMOAT-specific exclusion criteria:

  1. Antibiotic treatment for > 24 hours administered with the aim of preventing infection from PPROM
  2. Suspected maternal or fetal infection (chorioamnionitis)
  3. Maternal or fetal indication for immediate birth
  4. Established preterm labour (cervical dilatation ≥ 3cm AND regular contractions)
  5. No appropriate antibiotic available within domain intervention arms due to allergy, , drug interactions, drug availability, or previous history of antibiotic-resistant infection/s
  6. Women with a previous infant affected by GBS sepsis
  7. Major congenital fetal anomaly.

Platform-eligible participants who meet all PROMOAT-specific inclusion criteria and none of the PROMOAT-specific exclusion criteria will be eligible to participate in PROMOAT.

Terms in these criteria, in plain language(1)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Contraindication

A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.

05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Quadruple (Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
3,900 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Erythromycin 250mg + placebo

    Erythromycin 250mg, four times a day, for 7 days. Oral preparation only. Placebo tablets instead of penicillin for blinding purposes.

    Drug: Erythromycin 250mg + placebo

  • Active comparator
    Azithromycin 500mg + placebo

    Azithromycin 500mg daily for 7 days. Oral preparation only. Placebo tablets instead of penicillin for blinding purposes.

    Drug: Azithromycin 500mg + placebo

  • Active comparator
    Erythromycin 250mg and Amoxicillin 500mg

    Erythromycin 250mg, four times a day AND Amoxicillin 500mg three times a day, for 7 days. Oral preparations only.

    Drug: Erythromycin 250mg and Amoxicillin 500mg

Interventions

  • DrugErythromycin 250mg + placebo

    Antibiotic.

  • DrugAzithromycin 500mg + placebo

    Antibiotic.

  • DrugErythromycin 250mg and Amoxicillin 500mg

    Drug page: Erythromycin

    Antibiotics.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Number of participants who progress by at least one level higher on the PLATIPUS Ordinal Outcome Scale [PLATIPUS Core Primary Outcome]

    The PLATIPUS-Ordinal Outcome Scale ranks the most severe core short-term infant health outcome in the specified time frame. Levels 1-15: 1= Well, liveborn infant; 2= Neonatal unit admission for \<48 hours; 3= Neonatal unit admission for \>/= 48 hours; 4= Non-invasive respiratory support or oxygen therapy for ≥ 4 hours \& \< 5 days; 5= Non-invasive respiratory support or oxygen therapy \>/= 5 days; 6= Mechanical ventilation via endotracheal tube for ≥ 4 hours \& \<7 days; 7= Mechanical ventilation via endotracheal tube for \>/=7 days; 8= Moderate respiratory morbidity; 9=Necrotising enterocolitis AND/OR Sepsis; 10= Severe Respiratory Morbidity; 11= Major Surgery; 12= Brain Injury; 13= TWO of severe respiratory morbidity OR major surgery OR brain injury; 14= Severe respiratory morbidity \& major surgery \& brain injury; 15 = Death.

    Time frame: At any time prior to 42 weeks' postmenstrual age or first discharge home from hospital (whichever is earlier).]

Secondary outcomes

  1. Time (randomisation) to birth

    Number of days from randomisation to birth.

    Time frame: From randomisation to birth

  2. Estimated antepartum/intrapartum/postpartum (< 24 hours) blood loss

    Estimated antepartum/intrapartum/postpartum (\<24 hours of birth) blood loss.

    Time frame: Less than 24 hours of birth.

  3. Rate of clinical chorioamnionitis

    Clinical chorioamnionitis Clinical suspicion of intra-amniotic infection such as: maternal fever (\>/= 38C AND 2 of maternal tachycardia (\> 100 beats/min), fetal tachycardia 26,27(\> 160 beats/min), uterine tenderness, purulent/malodorous amniotic fluid, maternal leukocytosis (white blood cell count \>/= 15,000/mm3) AND Antibiotics commenced for treatment for clinically suspected chorioamnionitis.

    Time frame: To birth.

  4. Rate of histological chorioamnionitis/funisitis

    Histological chorioamnionitis/funisitis • Presence of inflammation in the placenta, chorion, umbilical cord and/or amnion with or without fetal inflammatory response defined according to staging of maternal (MIR) or fetal inflammatory response (FIR).

    Time frame: To birth

  5. Rate of puerperal infection

    Puerperal infection Infection of the maternal genital tract, urinary tract and wound infection from birth to day 42 postpartum AND Antibiotic treatment commenced

    Time frame: From birth to day 42 postpartum

  6. Rate of early onset neonatal sepsis

    Isolation of a bacterial or fungal organism from at least one of blood or CSF culture or by PCR sampled within 48 hours of birth AND after consideration of clinical and laboratory evidence, a decision is made to give the infant antibiotics with therapeutic intent against this organism for \>5 days

    Time frame: Within 48 hours of birth.

  7. Duration of neonatal antibiotic use commenced within 48 hours of birth.

    Duration of neonatal antibiotic treatment commenced within 48 hours of birth.

    Time frame: Within 48 hours of birth.

  8. Number of days of maternal antibiotic prescription after birth to day 42 postpartum

    Estimated cumulative days of maternal antibiotic use from birth to day 42 postpartum

    Time frame: From birth to Day 42 postpartum

Other outcomes

  1. Core Secondary Outcome 1: Number of maternal deaths within 42 days postpartum

    Number of mother (or birth parent) deaths within 42 days of birth.

    Time frame: From birth to 42 days postpartum

  2. Core Secondary Outcome 2: Rate of severe maternal morbidity

    Maternal or pregnant person morbidity is defined as: unplanned ICU admission, sepsis, eclampsia, amniotic fluid embolism, pregnancy-related hysterectomy, severe primary postpartum haemorrhage, uterine rupture, cardiac arrest, mechanical ventilation (not for birth), stroke.

    Time frame: From platform entry to 42 days postpartum

  3. Core Secondary Outcome 3: Duration of hospitalisation

    Duration of maternal or pregnant person hospitalisation, in days, after platform entry

    Time frame: From date of platform entry to date of first discharge home from hospital (birth admission).

  4. Core Secondary Outcome 4: Rate of readmission to hospital

    Rate of readmission to hospital, after first discharge home from hospital, within 42 days postpartum.

    Time frame: From first discharge home from hospital (birth admission) to 42 days postpartum.

  5. Core Secondary Outcome 5: Rate of mode of birth

    Rates of vaginal birth vs assisted vaginal birth vs caesarean birth.

    Time frame: At birth

  6. Core Secondary Outcome 6: Infant gestational age at birth.

    Calculated infant gestation age based on estimated date of delivery and date of birth.

    Time frame: From estimated date of delivery to date of birth.

  7. Core Secondary Outcome 7: Infant birth weight z-score.

    Z-score generated from infant weight at birth and gestational age at birth.

    Time frame: At birth

07

Study locations

No study locations are listed for this record.

08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Yes — Data sharing will align with PLATIPUS (NCT06461429) policy. Version 1, Apr-2024 Once data unblinding no longer compromises the integrity of the trial, a de-identified data set collected for the analysis of domains within PLATIPUS will be made available. Conditions All domains in which the participant is co-enrolled are closed to recruitment* (*Where one or more domains in which a participant is co-enrolled are not yet closed to recruitment, the participant's data may be provided, without the treatment code, to prevent unblinding in unfinished domains). Primary domain conclusions/analyses have been published, AND The 2-year follow-up of participants within the domain/s of interest is/are complete. Supporting materials (Core Protocol, Domain-Specific Appendices, Data Dictionaries and Domain-Specific Statistical Analysis Plans) will be available. Contact: University of Melbourne - info@platipustrial.org.

Supporting information: Study protocol, Statistical analysis plan

Time frame: This is estimated to be approximately six months following the completion of the two-year follow-up of domain participants.

Access criteria: To be determined. Access requests will be subject to review by trial subcommittees. The Trial Steering Committee will approve or disapprove requests. A Data Transfer Agreement and Authorship Agreement signed by relevant parties and evidence of ethical approval will be required.

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reached

Start is estimated for Sep 2025; primary completion for Dec 2029, 51 months later.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Feb 18, 2025
First posted
Apr 2, 2025
StartEst.
Sep 2025
Primary completionEst.
Dec 2029
CompletionEst.
Dec 2050
Last update
Apr 2, 2025
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Apr 2, 2025, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06906757
Lead sponsor
University of Melbourne
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Apr 2, 2025
Start date
Sep 2025 (estimated)
Primary completion
Dec 2029 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 2050 (estimated)
Last update
Apr 2, 2025

Study contacts

Clare Whitehead, MBChB, PhD
Contact
clarew@unimelb.edu.au
00610383452000
Kelly Fredell
Contact
info@platipustrial.org
0061432975273
Clare Whitehead, MBChB, PhD
principal investigator · University of Melbourne and Royal Women's Hospital (Melbourne)

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Feb 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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Studies of the drug tested here: Erythromycin

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