Increased matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 proteolytic activity is associated with term birth, preterm birth and premature rupture of membranes. However, most studies show no changes with MMP-2, which binds tightly to cell and matrix proteins. We hypothesized better protein extraction would reveal new MMP patterns. Human amnion and chorion were collected from 25 patients at preterm or term, ext...

Preterm birth means the birth before thirty seven week of pregnancy that causes a lot of complications for the baby. Variety factors are suggested to be involved in disease. In this study, we decided to evaluate haptoglobin (Hp) phenotypes association with clinical features of patients suffered from premature delivery to understand better the possible correlation of genetic and clinical feature...

Background Patients with arrested preterm labor (PTL) are at increased risk for recurrence of preterm birth (PTB). Maintenance tocolysis after arrest of acute PTL is of questionable value. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of 200 mg vaginal progesterone in order to prevent PTB in women with episodes of threatened PTL. MaterialsAndMethods This is a randomized double blind ...

OBJECTIVE More than 70% of women presenting with threatened preterm labor do not progress to active labor and delivery. The aim of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that in women with threatened preterm labor, sonographic measurement of cervical length helps distinguish between true and false labor. METHODS We examined 216 women with singleton pregnancies presenting with regular an...

BACKGROUND Vaginal bleeding is a common complication during pregnancy, which is observed in about 1/4 of pregnancies and in half of cases can lead to abortion. If vaginal bleeding happens during pregnancy some adverse pregnancy outcomes, including perinatal mortality and morbidity, low birth weight and preterm delivery will be increased. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to determine the re...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the levels of βhCG cervicovaginal secretions and preterm delivery. A cross-sectional analysis was used and cerevicovaginal secretion specimens were obtained from women in their 24th-36th weeks (every 6 days) of pregnancy who presented the pregnancy clinic with preterm labor manifestations. Frozen samples (at -20°C) were assayed ...

Myometrial contractions of labor result from an increase in myometrial activation and stimulation. Activation develops through the expression of contraction associated proteins (CAPs), including oxytocin receptors (OTR), connexin-43 (Cx-43), and prostaglandin F2 alpha, receptors (FP). Stimulation involves increases in contractile agonists including prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and prostaglandin F2 a...

BACKGROUND We evaluated the efficacy and safety of ketorolac (Toradol). METHODS In this prospective trial, 88 women in confirmed preterm labor at < or =32 weeks' gestation were randomized to receive magnesium sulfate given as an initial 6 g intravenous bolus followed by continuous infusion therapy (2 to 6 g/hr) or intramuscularly administered ketorolac (60 mg loading dose) followed by 30 mg e...