Drugs Used to Stop Preterm Labor May Harm Infants

All too often, a woman goes into labor too early for her baby to allow her baby to survive. Many women are given drugs to stop premature labor. In a recent press release, researchers announced that they have determined that using drugs to stop premature labor may cause intestinal issues and brain damage in the babies they were trying to protect.

There's nothing quite as frightening as premature labor, for both mother and physician. Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center have analyzed data from multiple studies and determined that using drugs may not be healthy for the infant. They determined that these drugs are related to intestinal issues and brain damage.

The question that has been raised is balancing the need for these drugs to stop premature labor when compared to the risks that these drugs pose. If an infant is born too early, the infant may not be able to breathe on it's own and could have a host of other medical problems.

Yet, this research determined that the drugs used to stop labor can cause the infant to have intestinal issues or brain damage. While researchers know that this drug does impact the blood flow, additional studies are needed to more accurately evaluate what effects the drug has on the baby.

It is common to give the mother two different drugs. A tocolytic drug is used to stop labor, and a steroid is used to help the infant's lungs develop quicker. A few days after administering these drugs, the tocolytic drug is stopped, and birth generally follows shortly thereafter.

The tocolytic agent affects the blood flow and necrotizing. Necrotizing entercolitis is a condition that causes the intestinal tissues to die. While it can be treated with antibiotics, it may require surgery and has the potential to cause death.

"It's important for us to realize that these drugs are not benign. None of the drugs we have to stop labor work all that well, and we're stuck between a rock - a premature baby who could benefit from more time in the womb - and a hard place - a baby who may develop problems because of drugs such as indomethacin that may provide extra time in the womb. We need to use the drug only on those who need it most." Said Christopher Glantz, M.D., M.P.H., professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

The study has been published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Source:
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-11/uorm-cdf110107.php