title: Progestogens for preterm birth prevention: a systematic review and meta-analysis by drug route.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Progestogen has been investigated as a preventive intervention among women with increased preterm birth risk. Our objective was to systematically review the effectiveness of intramuscular (IM), vaginal, and oral progestogens for preterm birth and neonatal death prevention.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included articles published from January 1966 to January 2013 and found 27 randomized trials with data for Bayesian meta-analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Across all studies, only vaginal and oral routes were effective at reducing preterm births (IM risk ratio [RR] 0.95, 95 % Bayesian credible interval [BCI]: 0.88-1.03; vaginal RR 0.87, 95 % BCI: 0.80-0.94; oral RR 0.64, 95 % BCI: 0.49-0.85). However, when analyses were limited to only single births all routes were effective at reducing preterm birth (IM RR 0.77, 95 % BCI: 0.69-0.87; vaginal RR 0.80, 95 % BCI: 0.69-0.91; oral RR 0.66, 95 % BCI: 0.47-0.84). Only IM progestogen was effective at reducing neonatal deaths (IM RR 0.78, 95 % BCI: 0.56-0.99; vaginal RR 0.75, 95 % BCI: 0.45-1.09; oral RR 0.72, 95 % BCI: 0.09-1.74). Vaginal progestogen was effective in reducing neonatal deaths when limited to singletons births.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All progestogen routes reduce preterm births but not neonatal deaths. Future studies are needed that directly compare progestogen delivery routes.
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center, Institute for Medicine and Public Health, 2525 West End Ave., Suite 600 6th Floor, Nashville, TN 37203, USA. digna.r.velez.edwards@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: Digna R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Velez Edwards
authors.forename: Frances E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Likis
authors.forename: Jeffrey C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Andrews
authors.forename: Alison L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Woodworth
authors.forename: Rebecca N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Jerome
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Fonnesbeck
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nikki McKoy
authors.forename: Katherine E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Hartmann
mesh_terms: D000282:Administration, Intravaginal; D000284:Administration, Oral; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D016239:MEDLINE; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011372:Progestins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D011372:Progestins