Preterm Labor

If your contractions are causing changes in your cervix, or if you have signs of infection or Reference preterm premature rupture of membranes (pPROM), you may be given medicines to help delay delivery.

Delaying labor even for a short time can allow you to be:

• Moved to a medical center that has a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
• Given medicine to speed up lung development, which takes at least 48 hours to fully benefit the baby's lungs. Even 24 hours provides some benefit.

Medication choices

• Reference Antibiotics, to prevent or treat infection.
• Reference Antenatal corticosteroids, to help prepare the fetus's lungs for preterm birth.
• Reference Tocolytic medicines Opens New Window, to stop preterm labor. Examples include:
  • Reference Terbutaline.
  • Reference Indomethacin.
  • Reference Nifedipine.
  • Reference Magnesium sulfate. In the United States, this medicine is used less commonly than in the past.

Certain tocolytic medicines can be dangerous when a fetus is showing signs of distress or for women with certain health conditions (such as heart problems, severe preeclampsia, or poorly controlled diabetes or high blood pressure).

© 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.