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Effect of oral N‐acetyl cysteine on recurrent preterm labor following treatment for bacterial vaginosis
Author(s) -
Shahin Ahmed Y.,
Hassanin Ibrahim M.A.,
Ismail Alaa M.,
Kruessel Jan S.,
Hirchenhain Jens
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
international journal of gynecology and obstetrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.895
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1879-3479
pISSN - 0020-7292
DOI - 10.1016/j.ijgo.2008.08.026
Subject(s) - bacterial vaginosis , medicine , placebo , metronidazole , pregnancy , obstetrics , randomized controlled trial , gestational age , discontinuation , premature birth , gestation , gynecology , antibiotics , genetics , alternative medicine , pathology , microbiology and biotechnology , biology
Objective To evaluate the effect of N‐acetyl cysteine (NAC) on gestational age at delivery in women with previous preterm labor and bacterial vaginosis. Methods A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial with 280 women between 16 and 18 weeks of pregnancy who had 1 previous preterm birth and had just been successfully treated for bacterial vaginosis with metronidazole for 1 week. The women were randomized to receive 0.6 g of NAC per day plus 17‐hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17‐OHPC) or placebo plus 17‐OHPC until 36 completed weeks of pregnancy or active labor. A vaginal swab was taken during labor. Results Reaching 36 weeks of pregnancy was more frequent ( P < 0.05) and gestational age at delivery was significantly higher in the NAC than in the placebo group (37.4 weeks ± 0.4 weeks vs 34.1 weeks ± 1.2 weeks, P < 0.05). The discontinuation rate was 11.4% in the NAC group. Conclusions Oral NAC was found to reduce the recurrence of preterm birth in patients with bacterial vaginosis.