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Subject Area

Ophthalmology

Article Type

Original Study

Abstract

Objective The aim was to compare the efficacy and safety of nifedipine and progesterone for maintenance tocolysis after arrested preterm labor and their perinatal outcomes. Background Preterm birth (before 37 completed weeks of gestation) is a 'major cause of death' and a significant cause of long-term loss of human potential. Maintenance tocolysis is continued tocolysis after arrested preterm labor to prevent the recurrence of preterm labor pains. Patients and methods A prospective randomized comparative clinical study was carried out on 66 pregnant women who had preterm labor (six cases lost to follow-up) and attended the Obstetrics and Gynecology Outpatient Clinic at Menoufia Teaching Hospital during the period from March to August 2017. Detailed history, laboratory investigations, obstetric, and ultrasound follow-up study were performed. Results There was no significant difference (P > 0.5) between nifedipine and progesterone groups regarding maternal age and gestational age on admission (weeks), mode of delivery, and neonatal birth weight. However, there was a statistically significant difference (P ≤ 0.05) regarding mean blood pressure before and after treatment in nifedipine group. Moreover, there were less occurrences of neonatal respiratory distress and neonatal ICU admission in the nifedipine group. Additionally, onset of labor between 24 and 34 and between 34 and 37 weeks was significantly less frequent in progesterone group than in nifedipine group. Conclusion We found a superiority of progesterone over nifedipine for maintenance tocolysis. We would only comment that progesterone looks like a promising drug in this regard, and further large studies are required to establish this fact.

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