Treatment of premature labor with subcutaneous terbutaline

Terbutaline was administered subcutaneously to treat premature labor for several years. As ritodrine has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for this purpose, the authors considered it necessary to determine the efficacy of their terbutaline protocol. The hospital records were reviewed for all patients treated for premature labor with subcutaneous and oral terbutaline sulfate during a recent 4-month period. The regimen was highly effective in prolonging pregnancy for the 44 patients with intact fetal membranes, 88.6% of whom delivered 72 hours or more after start of therapy and 79.5% of whom had delivery delayed by 1 week or more. These results are comparable with those reported for intravenous administration of terbutaline or ritodrine hydrochloride. Efficacy was much less among the 19 patients in whom terbutaline was used to delay delivery after labor with premature rupture of the membranes. Of this group, 52.6% had delivery delayed to 72 hours or more, but only 10.5% had a delay of 1 week or more. Maternal side effects and neonatal complications were minimal. Successful tocolysis with beta2-sympathomimetic drugs appears to be possible without the need for intravenous therapy and at lower doses than customarily used.