Prevention of Preterm Delivery: Nifedipine or Magnesium Sulfate
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Objective: to establish the efficacy and safety of nifedipine and magnesium sulfate in arresting preterm labor.
Method: seventy-four patients with singleton pregnancies at 23-36 weeks in preterm labor, were selected randomly to receive either oral nifedipine or intravenous magnesium sulfate.
Results: both drugs had similar tocolytic efficacy and side effects while nifedipine was faster than magnesium sulfate in arresting uterine contractions (4.8 +/- 4.23 vs. 2.98 +/- 3.03 h) P = 0.04.
Conclusion: this data suggests that oral nifedipine with the same efficacy, side effects and faster action could be a suitable and more convenient alternative to intravenous magnesium sulfate in arresting preterm labor.
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