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PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF PREMATURE LABOUR BY DRUGS: REVIEW OF CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIALS
Author(s) -
Hemminki Elina,
Starfield Barbara
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
bjog: an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.157
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1471-0528
pISSN - 1470-0328
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1978.tb14906.x
Subject(s) - clinical trial , medicine , placebo , drug , intensive care medicine , drug trial , randomized controlled trial , pharmacology , alternative medicine , pathology
Summary This review sought evidence from 18 controlled clinical trials about the benefits of drugs (hormones, ethanol or β‐sympathomimetic agents) used to prevent premature birth. Of the 16 trials comparing drug with placebo, 13 were judged to be methodologically adequate. In eight trials, drugs were given prophylactically and in five they were given therapeutically. Two of the therapeutic trials found the drug more effective than placebo in postponing delivery. However, only one therapeutic trial and one prophylactic trial found the drug to affect favourably the outcome for the infant. The side effects of the drugs were not systematically studied. Additional clinical trials are needed to justify the use of drugs to inhibit labour.