ABSTRACT
Three decades ago, the inhibition of preterm labor was applicable to only a minority of women1. With the advent of preterm birth prevention programs, however, which emphasize patient and provider education, identify patients at risk, facilitate early diagnosis and provide for aggressive and expeditious therapy, increasing numbers of patients are now considered to be candidates for tocolytic management. Tocolysis is used to prolong pregnancy in the hope of avoiding or ameliorating the sequelae of preterm delivery. Delaying delivery allows time for the administration of steroids and (in utero) transfer of the mother, thereby enabling preterm infants to be delivered in obstetric units experienced in the care of high-risk pregnancies as well as having supportive neonatal intensive-care facilities. At early gestational ages, even a modest (48-to 72-h) prolongation of pregnancy can be greatly beneficial to the fetus and improve neonatal outcomes2.
