SynthesisThe Cochrane database of systematic reviews2014
Progestational agents for treating threatened or established preterm labour.
Synthesis in The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 68 citations in OpenAlex.
- Tocolytics for delaying preterm birth: a network meta-analysis (0924).The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2022Pooled it
- The long-term effect of prenatal progesterone treatment on child development, behaviour and health: a systematic review.BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology · 2021Pooled it
- The use of progesterone during pregnancy to prevent preterm birth.Saudi medical journal · 2020Pooled it
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of progestogen use for maintenance tocolysis after preterm labor in women with intact membranes.International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics · 2016Pooled it
- Ethanol for preventing preterm birth in threatened preterm labor.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2015Pooled it
- Pessary or Progesterone to Prevent Preterm delivery in women with short cervical length: the Quadruple P randomised controlled trial.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2017Trial
- Tocolytic agents and the failure to improve neonatal outcomes.Pregnancy (Hoboken, N.J.) · 2026Article
- Cost-effectiveness of antenatal corticosteroids and tocolytic agents in the management of preterm birth: A systematic review.EClinicalMedicine · 2022Article
- Progesterone Gel and Placebo Prolonged Pregnancy More Effectively Than Intravenous Tocolysis Alone in Women with Preterm Labor.Gels (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
- Progesterone - Effective for Tocolysis and Maintenance Treatment After Arrested Preterm Labour?: Critical Analysis of the Evidence.Geburtshilfe und Frauenheilkunde · 2019Article
- Article
- Progesterone supplementation for HIV-positive pregnant women on protease inhibitor-based antiretroviral regimens (the ProSPAR study): a study protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial.Pilot and feasibility studies · 2016Article
Corrections and comments
- Update of
Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPrematurity is not only the leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality but is associated with long-term impairment. Studies of various tocolytic agents have shown mixed results with little effect in improving pregnancy duration and insufficient data to confirm a definite beneficial effect on neonatal morbidity or mortality. Progesterone is known to have an inhibitory effect on uterine contractility and is thought to play a key role in the maintenance of pregnancy until term.
objectivesTo determine if the use of progestational agents is effective as a form of treatment or co-treatment for women with threatened or established preterm labour with intact membranes. SEARCH
methodsWe searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (31 August 2013), CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library 2013, Issue 10), MEDLINE (1966 to August 31 2013) and Embase (1974 to 31 August 2013). We checked the reference lists of all included studies to identify any additional studies and communicated with authors and the pharmaceutical industry. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials that compared progestational agents, given either alone or in combination with other tocolytics, with a control group receiving another tocolytic, placebo or no treatment, for the treatment of preterm labour. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently extracted data and assessed trial quality. MAIN
resultsEight studies were included in this review, involving 563 women, but only seven studies, involving 538 women, contributed data for analyses. There are some data suggesting that the use of progestational agents results in a reduction of preterm deliveries at less than 37 weeks of gestation and an increase in birthweight. The use of a progestational agent may also reduce the frequency of uterine contractions, prolong pregnancy and attenuate the shortening of cervical length. However, the analysis was limited by the relatively small number of available studies. The power of the meta-analysis was also limited by the varying types, dosages and routes of administration of progesterone. AUTHORS'
conclusionsThere is insufficient evidence to advocate progestational agents as a tocolytic for women presenting with preterm labour.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.