DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2016.v04i09.054

Pages: 3436-3439

Infants born as a result of premature labour suffer significant morbidity and mortality. Prematurity and its prevention continue to be a major challenge for the obstetrican. Since neonatal intensive care is the most expensive health care service present in the health care delivery system and neonatal morbidity still remains high, so the obstetrican faces the challenge of affecting the delivery in a way so as to optimize the status of fetus-infant at birth. Isoxsuprine is one of the most commonly used drugs to arrest preterm labour. This study was done to assess the effect of cervical dilatation on prolongation of pregnancy. 50 pregnant patients with gestational age 28-37 weeks with cervical dilatation not more than 3cm and cervical effacement not more than 50 % with intact membranes with regular uterine contractions with a frequency of 2 or more per 10 minutes lasting for at least 30 seconds were put on isoxsuprine. Isoxsuprine was successful in attaining tocolysis in majority of the patients. There was an inverse relationship between cervical dilatation and success of tocolysis. Time from admission for initial preterm labour episode to delivery was inversely related to initial cervical dilatation. Increasing cervical dilatation reduces the mean time gained.