0
0
A recent study conducted by Amsterdam University Medical Center (Amsterdam UMC) and published in the BMJ highlights the superior effectiveness of progesterone over cervical pessary in reducing the risk of severe preterm birth in pregnant women with a short cervix at approximately 20 weeks of pregnancy.
This research, aimed at mitigating preterm births and their related complications—such as infant mortality and long-term health issues—reinforces the urgency of addressing preterm birth, which affects approximately 13.5 million children globally each year.
The multicenter study, conducted across 25 centers in the Netherlands, randomly assigned participants to receive either progesterone or pessary treatment. The findings indicate that progesterone treatment significantly outperforms pessary treatment in lowering the incidence of extreme preterm birth. Researchers strongly advocate for routine cervical length measurement during the standard 20-week ultrasound scan and recommend that women with a cervix shorter than 25 mm be informed about the potential benefits of progesterone therapy.
Additionally, the study found no significant differences in complications resulting from preterm birth between the progesterone and pessary groups. Experts emphasize the crucial implications of these findings for healthcare systems, suggesting that they could play a major role in reducing preterm births and associated complications, which carry significant medical, emotional, and economic impacts.
Disclaimer: This article is based on research findings published in the BMJ. It is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Pregnant individuals should consult their healthcare providers before making any medical decisions.
(Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-03-progesterone-babies-preterm-birth-women.html)
