Prevention of prematurity in twin pregnancy by orally administered terbutaline.

The intention of this study was to evaluate whether perorally administrated terbutaline given prophylactically could reduce prematurity in twin pregnancy. In a double-blind study, 50 women with twin pregnancies were given either placebo (25) or terbutaline (25). Six in the terbutaline group and 15 in the placebo group went into preterm labor which required intravenous infusion of terbutaline. The difference is statistically significant (p = 0.010). The total number of days in hospital due to preterm labor was 115 in the terbutaline group and 256 in the placebo group. There is a slight difference in prematurity (delivery week less than 37th week) - the placebo group gave birth somewhat earlier - but this difference is not statistically significant. When evaluating this, it has to be considered that 15 of the 25 in the placebo group received parenteral treatment with terbutaline because of preterm labor. Birth weights of the twins in relation to gestational age seemed to be the same in the two groups.