Studies of cervical sonography, fetal fibronectin, and uterine contraction monitoring during pregnancy have improved our understanding of how preterm labor occurs, but their use in practice remains uncertain. This article reviews the use of these tests to improve the accuracy of diagnosis of preterm labor and to estimate the likelihood of preterm birth in women with historical risk factors. Bec...

OBJECTIVE This study aims to assess the success rate of inhibiting preterm uterine contraction with tocolytic agents to delay delivery for at least 48 hours and risk factors of failure inhibition. MATERIALS AND METHODS Between January 2013 and July 2014, medical records of all singleton pregnant women between 24 0/7 and 33 6/7 weeks of gestation with the diagnosis of preterm labor (with cervi...

Exposure to organochlorine pesticides, including DDT, has previously been associated with premature birth. Using an improved protocol to characterize dose and time dependent responses, the present report extends a preliminary finding by this laboratory that o,p'-DDT directly stimulates uterine contractility. Contraction frequency was determined in longitudinal uterine strips from pregnant rats ...

The mechanisms used to coordinate uterine contractions are not known. We develop a new model based on the proposal that there is a maximum distance to which action potentials can propagate in the uterine wall. This establishes "regions", where one action potential burst can rapidly recruit all the tissue. Regions are recruited into an organ-level contraction via a stretch-initiated contraction ...

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To evaluate the correlation between maternal fatigue and uterine contraction pattern at the beginning of the active phase of labour. BACKGROUND Fatigue is one of the most common complaints in pregnant women that often continues until delivery. Maternal fatigue prolongs the labour process and increases the rate of cesarian section. Studies on the pattern of uterine contract...

Preterm birth is associated with the majority of all death and chronic disability related to pregnancy, birth and the neonatal period. The costs to families and to the health care system are enormous. Current approaches to prevent or arrest preterm labour have been unsuccessful. This failure is largely based on our poor understanding of the regulation of the timing and maintenance of parturitio...

Ion channels are interesting molecules since they mediate not only uterine contraction but also uterine relaxation. We have examined the expression, function, and correlation between the large conductance calcium-activated potassium (BKCa) channel, beta2 adrenoceptor (AR), and long-lasting (L) type calcium (Ca2+) channel. These are the main channels and receptor that are involved in the uterine...

Fire Ha Kong recipe in a concentration range of 1040 μl/ml was used to test in an in vitro uterine contraction inhibition. Contraction frequencies and amplitudes of the normal uterine of estrogen-primed non-pregnant rats were monitored. A decline in the frequencies of uterine contractions of 43.8 93.6% was detected. Addition of Fire Ha Kong at the final concentrations of 20-40 μl/ml inhibited t...

Preterm delivery is currently a global concern of maternal and child health, which directly affects infants’ early morbidity, even death in several severe cases. Therefore, it particularly important to effectively monitor the uterine contraction perinatal pregnant women, make effective prediction timely treatment for possibility preterm delivery. Electromyography (EHG) signal, an measurement pr...

Abstract Background: Insufficient uterine activity or hypotonic uterine contraction is a common reason and the cause of abnormal labor progress that can be corrected with oxytocin. Realizing this fact that undue prolongation of labor may contribute to prenatal morbidity has resulted in using oxytocin infusion in different kinds of ineffective uterine contractions. Materials and methods: In th...