Effect of antenatal tocolysis on neonatal outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

Detail adverse neonatal effects in pregnancies treated with indomethacin (I), magnesium sulfate (M) or nifedipine (N).

METHODS

Women in acute preterm labor with cervical dilatation 1-6 cm were randomized to receive one of three first-line tocolytic drugs.

RESULTS

There were 317 neonates (I = 103, M = 95, N = 119) whose mothers were treated with tocolytic therapy. There was no difference in gestational age at randomization (average 28.6 weeks' gestation) or at delivery (31.6 weeks' gestation, p = 0.551), birth weight (p = 0.871) or ventilator days (p = 0.089) between the three groups. Neonatal morbidity was not different between the three groups; respiratory distress syndrome (p = 0.086), patent ductus arteriosus (p = 0.592), sepsis (p = 0.590), necrotizing enterocolitis (p = 0.770), intraventricular hemorrhage (p = 0.669) and periventricular leukomalacia (p = 0.124).

CONCLUSIONS

There were no statistically significant differences between the three tocolytics as far as composite neonatal morbidity or mortality was concerned.