Controlled trial of hydration and bed rest versus bed rest alone in the evaluation of preterm uterine contractions.
Patients who are seen with uterine contractions but without documented change in cervical dilation or effacement are often treated with intravenous hydration before the initiation of intravenous tocolytic therapy. This is done with the intention of stopping uterine activity in patients with false preterm labor. A prospective randomized study was conducted to evaluate the effect of hydration on preterm uterine contractions in patients without proved preterm labor. A total of 28 patients were treated with bed rest and an intravenous bolus and subsequent continuous infusion of 5% dextrose in lactated Ringer's solution. A control group of 20 patients were treated with bed rest alone. Uterine activity and arrest of uterine contractions were compared between the two groups. Contractions stopped in 54% of the patients treated with hydration, whereas contractions stopped in 40% of the patients in the control group. This difference was not statistically significant. As a crossover study, those in the control group with contractions that continued after the initial observation period were subsequently treated with intravenous fluids. Only one patient in this group stopped contracting. Of all patients whose contractions with either therapy, 18% eventually were delivered of preterm infants. This included 20% of the hydration group and 14% of the control group. The use of hydration as a pretherapy indicator to differentiate true preterm labor from false preterm labor could not be supported by this study. In addition, patients whose contractions stopped with either hydration or bed rest are at increased risk of subsequent preterm delivery.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California at Irvine, Orange 92668.
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Pircon
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Strassner
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Kirz
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Towers
D001510:Bed Rest; D005260:Female; D005440:Fluid Therapy; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000628:therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation