Preterm labour in twin pregnancies: can it be prevented by hospital admission?
Women attending a twin pregnancy antenatal clinic underwent cervical palpation to calculate a cervical score by subtracting dilatation from length. Those with a score of -2 or less at or before 34 weeks are at especially high risk of preterm labour. A total of 139 such women were randomly allocated either to receive bed-rest in hospital or to continue conventional outpatient management. No beneficial effect of bed-rest could be identified in prolonging twin pregnancy or improving fetal outcome.
Crowther
C A
CA
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Harare Central Hospital, Zimbabwe.
Neilson
J P
JP
Verkuyl
D A
DA
Bannerman
C
C
Ashurst
H M
HM
D001510:Bed Rest; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple; D011897:Random Allocation; D014427:Twins