Effects of nationwide adjustment of tocolysis protocol in the Netherlands on neonatal outcomes in women with threatened preterm birth and delivery at 30-32 weeks of gestation: A cohort study.

Objective: In 2019 the Dutch national prevention of preterm birth (PTB) protocol was adjusted to withhold tocolysis for threatened PTB above 30 weeks of gestation due to insufficient evidence regarding its effectiveness on improving perinatal outcomes. The aim of this study is to evaluate neonatal outcomes of children born in the Netherlands between 30 and 32 weeks of gestation before and after the national protocol change.

Study Design: We performed a nationwide retrospective cohort study comparing outcomes of births in the years 2018 (tocolysis) and 2020 (no tocolysis).