OBJECTIVE To determine the best management for women with premature rupture of membranes at term. METHODS In 2008, 579 women admitted to Peking University First Hospital for premature rupture of membranes (PROM) at term were allocated to one of 3 groups. Group 1 (n=292) consisted of those whose labor began spontaneously within 12 hours of PROM; group 2 (n=234), of those whose labor did not begin within 12 hours of PROM and were induced with oxytocin; and group 3 (n=53), of those who accepted a cesarean delivery immediately after PROM was diagnosed. The χ(2) test was used to compare the rates of intrauterine and neonatal infection in these 3 groups. RESULTS Compared with the intrauterine and neonatal infection rates for group 1 (3.4% and 13.7%) and group 3 (1.9% and 3.8%), the corresponding rates were higher for group 2 (10.7% and 21.8%) (P<0.05). In group 2, 76.5% of the women began labor within 24 hours of induction and 92.7% of these within 12 hours. CONCLUSIONS In women at term, induction should be performed immediately after PROM is diagnosed, as it is likely to fail when labor does not begin within 12 hours of oxytocin administration.