What methods are used to prevent preterm delivery?
Research supported by the NICHD found that treating high-risk pregnant women (those who have previously had a spontaneous preterm baby) with a certain type of progesterone reduces the risk of another preterm delivery. The treatment worked among all ethnic groups in the study and improved outcomes for the babies. Efforts to find out whether the treatment works for other at-risk women, such as those having twins and triplets, are ongoing. Bed rest and medications that relax the muscles in the uterus are also commonly used to try to stop preterm labor. Researchers have found that other methods of stopping preterm labor are not as effective as once thought. For instance, NICHD-supported researchers have found that home uterine monitors are not effective for predicting or preventing preterm labor. In addition, NICHD-funded research found that screening women who don’t show any symptoms of infection, but who have bacterial vaginosis, and treating them with antibiotics did not prevent preterm
