The majority of pregnancies with threatened premature labour are normal and the mother is sensitive to the physiological ‘Braxton-hicks’ contractions of late pregnancy. Once labour has been confirmed and the cervix is dilating, intravenous medication may be given to delay it. The medication reduces the contractions but side effects necessitate close monitoring of mother and baby in hospital.
The drugs usually delay the labour for 24-48 hours and may be used if the pregnancy is less than 35 weeks. The mother is given a cortisone (dexamethazone) injection in an attempt to stimulate the development of the fetal lung to improve postnatal breathing.