ABSTRACT
With the facilities currently available the outcome for babies delivered at 32-37 weeks’ gestation is extremely good and, for this reason, labour is normally allowed to proceed at this gestation. A diagnosis of pre-term labour is made if painful contractions are occurring more frequently than one every 10 min and the dilatation and/or effacement of the cervix alters between examinations 2 h apart. Women with a multiple pregnancy are at particular risk of cardiorespi-ratory complications as a result of the administration of beta-mimetics and steroids in the management of preterm labour. Women presenting with preterm, prelabour rupture of the membranes in the absence of contractions need to be seen as quickly as possible and a management plan agreed. Glceryl trinitrate has been shown in a multicentre study to reduce preterm delivery rate significantly compared to ritodrine or placebo1 with minimal fetal or maternal effects other than headache in 30% of women.
