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A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting
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A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting

Published on: January 12, 2018

Progesterone for preterm birth prevention

Carla E Ransom1, Amy P Murtha

  • 1Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Erwin Road, Durham, NC 27705, USA. carla.ransom@duke.edu

Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics of North America
|February 29, 2012
PubMed

Preterm birth—delivery before 37 weeks of gestation—is the second leading cause of infant mortality in the United States after congenital malformations. Spontaneous preterm birth, due to either preterm labor or preterm premature membrane rupture, encompasses approximately 75% of all preterm births, almost 400,000 births per year. Since the 1960s, different formulations of progesterone have been investigated for preterm birth prevention. This article addresses the use of progesterone for the prevention of preterm birth, including selection of candidates for progesterone, pharmacokinetics, dosing, and formulations. This article aims to provide a practical guide for using progesterone in clinical practice.

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