Preterm birth is the most important cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide and ranks among the top 10 of global causes of burden of disease. Since treatment of threatened preterm delivery has limited effectiveness, the focus is on primary and secondary prevention. Identification of risk indicators in early pregnancy provides the opportunity for preventive measures. To determine th...

Preterm labour continues to complicate a substantial number of pregnancies, and preterm delivery accounts for most early neonatal deaths not due to congenital abnormalities.' Ritodrine hydrochloride, a 13 sympathomimetic agent with predominant effects on 0 receptors such as those of the uterus,2 is effective in suppressing premature uterine contractions.2 We describe six pregnant women given ri...

BACKGROUND Being able to predict preterm birth is important, as it may allow a high-risk population to be selected for future interventional studies and help in understanding the pathways that lead to preterm birth. OBJECTIVE To investigate the accuracy of novel biomarkers to predict spontaneous preterm birth in women with singleton pregnancies and no symptoms of preterm labour. SEARCH STRA...

Whilst there is now considerable evidence that labour, both at term and preterm, is an inflammatory event associated with an immune cell influx into theutero-placental tissues (Thomson et al., 1999;Young et al., 2002; Osman et al., 2003; Gomez-Lopez et al., 2010; Rinaldi et al., 2011; Hamilton et al., 2012), the precise role that these immune cells play in the initiation of labour, either in th...

Infection is considered a possible trigger for preterm labour, supported by evidence showing the presence of bacteria in the placenta and placental membranes from preterm births. In this study, 16S rDNA pyrosequencing was used to identify bacteria in placental membranes. Caesarean sections and vaginal deliveries at term were found to harbour common genera. Mycoplasma hominis, Aerococcus christe...

Preterm birth is the leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide [1]. It contributes to 70% of neonatal mortality and approximately half of long-term neurodevelopmental disabilities [2]. The obstetrics precursors leading preterm birth are delivery for maternal or fetal indications, spontaneous preterm labour with intact membranes and preterm premature rupture of membranes (pPRO...

The study is a critical analysis of the decisions to induce labour or schedule cesareans in the practice of a third level referral centre, with as outcome criterion the reduction of fetal death. 783 women pregnant with twins were included from 1.1.1993 to 31.12.1998, in three groups: originally booked, referred for care during pregnancy, or transferred from another institution. The results show...

A 32-year-old woman with known stage-4 chronic kidney disease due to lupus nephritis presented with twin pregnancy after in vitro fertilization at a gestational age of 24 weeks + 3 days because of imminent preterm labour. Repeated ultrasound evaluations confirmed intrauterine growth restriction in both twins and polyhydramnios as the cause of imminent preterm labour. After initiation of haemodi...

BACKGROUND: Preterm prelabour rupture of the membranes (PPROM) is an important clinical problem and a dilemma for the gynaecologist. On the one hand, awaiting spontaneous labour increases the probability of infectious disease for both mother and child, whereas on the other hand induction of labour leads to preterm birth with an increase in neonatal morbidity (e.g., respiratory distress syndrome...

We report a case of uterine dehiscence during pregnancy. Uterine dehiscence and rupture are serious complications of pregnancy. This situation takes place especially in women that prior uterine operation(s). We represent a 30-year-old woman diagnosed uterine dehiscence at 22 gestation week. Uterine dehiscence treated surgically and then medical treatment was given to prevent preterm labour. At ...