Hormone Could Prevent Preterm Births

Petrini and colleagues examined birth data from 2002 to understand better the potential impact of treating all eligible women with 17P. They estimated that 10,000 of the 30,000 premature births that occurred among the eligible women could have been prevented if they had been on 17P.

While that represents just a 2% decrease in the overall preterm delivery rate, Petrini tells WebMD that it is a significant first step in preventing the potentially devastating pregnancy outcome.

"A 2% reduction sounds small, but 10,000 births is significant," Petrini tells WebMD. "We are very optimistic about this intervention and hope that the research will continue."

Nancy Green, MD, who is medical director of the March of Dimes, says 17P may prove beneficial for other groups of high-risk women, such as those who are giving birth to twins or triplets or first-time moms with other risk factors. But she added that since there appear to be many causes for preterm delivery, no single treatment is likely to work for everyone.

"The question is, will 17P prevent all premature births or is it a drop in the bucket?" she tells WebMD. "It is becoming clear that the answer is somewhere in the middle. It is not a cure nor is it only a drop in the bucket."

SOURCES: Petrini, J. Obstetrics and Gynecology, February 2005; vol 105. Joann R. Petrini, PhD, MPH, director, Perinatal Data Center, March of Dimes. Nancy Green, MD, medical director, March of Dimes. Richard H. Schwartz, MD, vice chairman of obstetrics and gynecology, Maimonides Medical Center, New York; past president, American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Nancy S. Green, MD. WebMD Medical News: "Hormone Prevents Pre-term Births."