Treatment of premature labor contractions with combined ritodrine and indomethacine

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The results of combined ritodrine and indomethacin treatment (RI) in premature labor contractions were compared with ritodrine alone (R). Patients (120) with threatened premature labor in weeks 26-34 were studied. Sixty RI women received 100 mg ritodrine in infusion followed by 60 mg daily orally until 35 wk and indomethacin 200 mg on the 1st day of treatment only. The R group included 60 women with identical tocolytic indices, age of pregnancy and anamnestic parameters who received ritodrine only. The mean prolongation index (PI) was 18.2 in the RI group, against 11.5 in the R patients (P < 0.05). The mean prolongation of pregnancy was 5.6 wk in the first and 3.6 in the control group (P < 0.05). Birthweight and Apgar scores were similar in the 2 groups. To examine the possible early closure of the ductus arteriosus due to the indomethacin therapy echocardiograms were done on all newborns in the RI group: the pre-ejection period and right ventricular ejection time ratio were 0.19-0.26 after delivery and 0.17-0.22 1 mo. later, which excludes pulmonary diastolic hypertension due to premature closure of the duct. The combined RI treatment is more effective that R alone and does not give rise to any complications in the mother or the fetus.