Considerations for taking tocolytic medications
The factors your doctor or nurse-midwife will consider before offering tocolytic treatment for preterm labor include:1
- Your due date. If you are close to your due date, delaying the birth may not be necessary. (Most health professionals will not consider using a tocolytic after 34 weeks of pregnancy.)
- How far you have progressed in labor.
- Whether you have an infection in your uterus. If you do have a uterine infection, tocolytics should not be used.
- Whether your amniotic sac has broken (premature rupture of membranes, or PROM).
- Your health. If you have high blood pressure or heart or kidney problems, tocolytic medications may be dangerous.
- The health of your fetus. Tocolytics are not used if a fetus is in distress or has died before birth.
- Your fetus's lungs. A tocolytic may hold off the birth long enough for steroid medicine to help your fetus's lungs develop.
| Author: | Kathe Gallagher, MSW | Last Updated: January 19, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Joy Melnikow, MD, MPH - Family Medicine Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine William Gilbert, MD - Perinatology | |
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