[Treatment of preterm delivery with calcium channel blockers--Nifedipine].

Aim: To assess the feasibility of the calcium antagonist Nifedipine as an oral tocolytic for the treatment of preterm labor.

Methods: Thirty-seven pregnant women in preterm labor participated in a prospective longitudinal study. Inclusion criteria were: gestational age between 24 and 32 weeks gestation; uterine contractions in 30 min interval; lack of cervical dilatation and lack of contraindications for tocolysis. In all cases the calcium antagonist Nifedipine was used in dosage 4 x 10 mg per os. The clinical response to tocolysis, gestational age at delivery and potential side effects were analyzed.

Results: Forty-one pregnant women participated in the study. Two were lost for follow up and another two cases were excluded because myoma uteri was diagnosed. Thirty-seven pregnancies were finally analyzed. In five of them maternal contractions persisted despite of treatment which necessitated parenteral tocolysis. In two of these five cases the pregnancy was terminated (1--spontalneous abortion in 26 w.g., 1--preterm delivery at 32 w.g.). The other 32 pregnancies were delivered at term without any side effects attributed the treatment.

Conclusion: Nifedipine is an effective oral tocolytic and a rational alternative to other tocolytic agents in the management of preterm labour.