Premature birth, or birth that happens too early, before 37 weeks of pregnancy, can lead to longer hospital stays for newborns, and can contribute to an increase in health problems over babies who are born at full term. Since it’s not always entirely clear why premature birth happens, it isn’t always something healthcare providers can work to prevent, but there are a few conditions which can make premature birth much more likely, and a few medications that can cut down on the risk if they are prescribed during pregnancy.
Three of the biggest indicators that a pregnant person may be at risk for a premature delivery are a previous premature birth, a short cervix, and a pregnancy carrying twins or multiples. If you have a short cervix, the hormone progesterone may be an important part of the line of defense.
Some research suggested that progesterone treatment was helpful for those with a history of prior preterm birth, and that getting weekly progesterone injections would lower the risk of preterm labor. However, the PROLONG study published in 2020 found that weekly progesterone injections did not have a significant benefit for those with a history of preterm birth. Because the evidence is mixed, if you have a history of preterm birth, talk through the possible benefits and risks of progesterone treatment with your healthcare provider.
Progesterone is not recommended if you’re having twins or multiples and are at risk for preterm birth.
Talk to your doctor if you’re concerned about your risk for preterm delivery and they can advise on possible prevention strategies.
Sources
- Vincenzo Berghella. “Cervical insufficiency.” UpToDate. Wolters Kluwer, December 5 2017. Retrieved December 19 2017. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/cervical-insufficiency.
- Mary L. Gavin. “When do pregnant women need progesterone shots?” KidsHealth. The Nemours Foundation, November 2016. Retrieved December 19 2017. http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/progesterone-shot.html.
- M.S. To, J. Miletin, J. Semberova, S. Daly. “Is routine tranvaginal cervical length measurement cost-effective in a population where the risk of spontaneous preterm birth is low?” Acta Obstetrica Gynecologica Scandinavica. 95(12): December 2016. Retrieved December 19 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27623283.
- “Progesterone treatment to help prevent preterm birth.” March of Dimes. March of Dimes, August 2014. Retrieved December 19 2017.
- M.S. To, et al. “Cervical assessment at the routine 23-week scan: standardizing techniques.” Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology. 17(3): 217-9. March 2001. Retrieved December 19 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11309170.
- https://www.marchofdimes.org/complications/progesterone-treatment-to-help-prevent-premature-birth.aspx.
- Cerner Multum. “Progesterone vaginal.” University of Michigan. Regents of the University of Michigan, March 13 2015. Retrieved December 19 2017. http://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/d00550t1.
