PREDICTION AND MANAGEMENT OF PRETERM LABOUR

Abstract

Preterm labour is a common obstetric problem; it is any birth that occurs before 37 menstrual weeks of gestation regardless of the birth weight. It is clear that preterm birth & LBW are not equivalent terms.

Prematurity is a major cause of perinatal death and long term handicap. Despite that the incidence of preterm labour has not changed over many years, neonatology has been advanced, and the survival of babies has improved, but handicaps continue to occur in babies born at very early gestational ages. The majority of problems facing preterm neonates are mainly due to organ immaturity and their severity is inversely proportional to gestational ages.

The exact cause of a spontaneous preterm birth remains unclear, and there are many factors, which can cause a woman to have a premature delivery including her socioeconomic state, her lifestyle, weight, height, and behavior. Maternal past history of induced abortions, uterine abnormalities, previous preterm birth, the racial factor and fetal sex may also play a role.

Factors in the current pregnancy are discussed like bleeding; pre­ eclampsia,and cervical incompetence.Intra-amniotic infection and its role .in the aetiology and pathogenesis of preterm labour is discussed in details.There is evidence that endogenous host products {PGE2 and leukotrienes} are secreted in response to infection and are considered to have the principal effect in initiating preterm labour.