[Threatened preterm labour: assessment of its management at the Dakar University Teaching Hospital]

The objective is to specify epidemiological profile of pre term labour birth and evaluate the efficiency of the tocolysis protocol of Dakar University Teaching Hospital. It's a retrospective study which included 155 cases of spontaneous premature birth registered from January 1st 2000 to December 31 2002 in obstetrician clinic. The incidence is 15 per 1000 childbirth. The epidemiological profiles on a pauciparous woman (mean age: 25 years), of low economic and social level (90%), admitted with a bad antenatal follow-up and a pathology associated with pregnancy dominated by arterial hypertension (25%). The mean age of gestation is 30 weeks; severe forms are prevalent and tocolysis score of Baumgarten is equal or higher than 4 in 71.6%. The three principal etiologists are toxaemia, premature rupture of membranes and infections. An association Salbutamol-Phloroglucinol is carried out in 28 cases (18%) or with Phloroglucinol in 25 cases (16.1%). In summary, 138 patients (89%) were finally confined by low way after 5 hours a median time. Perinatal mortality was 347.2 per 1000; it's related to the large premature ones particularly having a weight of birth less than or equal to 1300 grams (78%). The threats of pre term labour are often diagnosed tardily. The access to the tocolysis in emergency is limited and it's effectiveness practises very weak. Use of calcic inhibitors and the systematisation of corticotherapy should improve the forecast of prematurity.