Effect of amoxicillin sulbactam in threatened preterm labour with intact membranes: a randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To determine whether treatment with amoxicillin-sulbactam in women with threatened idiopathic preterm labour will prolong the gestation and reduce preterm birth rates in a Latin-American population.

Methods: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial was conducted in 96 women who were hospitalized for preterm labour between 24 and 34 weeks of gestation at the Pereira Rossell Hospital, in Montevideo, Uruguay. The primary outcome measure was prematurity. The sample size was calculated a priori based on the hospital database. Statistical analyses were performed using the t-test, chi square, weighted mean difference (WMD) and relative risk (RR) with their confidence intervals (95% CI). Analysis by intention-to-treat.

Results: Out of 47 patients assigned for antibiotics, 43 completed the treatment. There were no significant statistical differences between antibiotics and placebo group in prematurity (RR:1.04, 95% CI: 0.59, 1.84), prolongation of pregnancy (WMD:0.23, 95% CI: -0.96, 1.42) and other perinatal outcomes.

Conclusion: Antibiotics did not prove to have benefits in improving perinatal outcomes in this Latin American population.