BIOCHEMICAL MARKERS FOR SCREENING OF WOMEN AT RISK -oF PRE'TERM LABOR : AN OVERVIEW

Abstract

Preterm labor, defined as delivery before 37 completed weeks of gestation occurs in 5%-10% of all pregnancies. It remains the leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality in developed countries. Hence, early identification of women in progressive preterm labor is mandatory for proper management and optimal fetal surveillance.

The detection of women at risk of preterm delivery traditionally has based on clinical indicators including history of preterm birth, symptomand clinical examination, but this indicators have been shown to have limited value in the prediction of preterm labor as 50% of women who presented with symptoms of preterm labor were proved to be not in actual labor. .•