| published 10-08-2007
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Women with a short cervix at mid-gestation are known to be at high risk for premature delivery. The authors randomized 250 women with short cervix (less than 15 mm) to receive placebo or progesterone treatment from the 24th through the 33rd week of gestation. The progesterone was given as "200-mg capsules of micronized progesterone (Utrogestan, Besins International Belgium)" vaginally each night.
Women treated with progesterone had a statistically significant 44% reduction in premature delivery (before 34 weeks). Thirty-six percent of the placebo-treated women, but only 21% of the ones in the progesterone group, delivered prematurely. This translates to 15 premature deliveries avoided for 100 women treated.
Only 1.6% of the 24,620 women screened fell into the short-cervix group, so this treatment is not something that would apply to everyone, but it certainly appears very promising for this high-risk group.
Progesterone and the Risk of Preterm Birth among Women with a Short Cervix. NEJM 2007; 357: 462-9.
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