Indomethacin for Slowing Preterm Labor
Why It Is Used
Indomethacin is used only:
- For short-term treatment of preterm labor.
- Before 31 to 32 weeks of pregnancy.
Indomethacin can be used to treat preterm labor when:
- Labor needs to be delayed for 24 to 48 hours
to:
- Let Reference corticosteroids Opens New Window given to the mother help fetal lungs mature.
- Provide time to move a mother to a hospital that provides neonatal intensive care, if her local hospital does not.
- Regular contractions of the uterus have thinned the Reference cervix Opens New Window less than 80% and opened it less than 4 cm, and the mother's Reference amniotic sac Opens New Window has not broken.
- Beta-sympathetic medicines (such as terbutaline) have not stopped uterine contractions.
- Treatment with other tocolytic medicines was stopped because of side effects.
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: January 10, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | Reference Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine
Reference William Gilbert, MD - Maternal and Fetal Medicine |
|
© 1995-2011, Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Reference Terms of Use. Reference How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
