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The Active Management of Pre‐term Labour and Its Effects on Fetal Outcome
Author(s) -
Baillie P.,
Malan A. F.,
Saunders M. C.,
Davey D. A.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.734
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1479-828X
pISSN - 0004-8666
DOI - 10.1111/j.1479-828x.1976.tb02363.x
Subject(s) - betamethasone , medicine , hyaline , fetus , obstetrics , anesthesia , pregnancy , pathology , biology , genetics
Summary: The results of a controlled trial using β‐adrenergic drugs and betamethasone in the management of pre‐term labour are described. In an 11‐month period, 514 patients were admitted in pre‐term labour and 146 of these were included in the study. The reasons for non‐treatment of the remainder were chiefly the pressure of maternal contraindications, the diagnosis of “stress” in the fetus, and delay in the commencement of active treatment. In patients treated before 37 weeks, there were significantly fewer perinatal deaths than in control patients. There was no difference, however, between patients given β‐adrenergic therapy plus betamethasone and those given β‐adrenergic therapy alone. In patients in whom labour had been delayed for more than 72 hours, there were no deaths due to apnoea or hyaline membrane disease.