According to report of Canadian scientists, giving nitro-glycerin to women in preterm labor makes it possible to prolong their pregnancy and improves the health of their babies.
The research proved that the improvement in newborns’ health was the most significant in those who were born very prematurely (24 weeks to 28 weeks).
Premature delivery is the most important cause of death and disability of newborns all over the world. According to the scientists at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, this is the first research to recognize a medication that stops preterm labor and also improves infant outcomes. They said that nitro-glycerin wreaks fewer side effects than other medicines.
These findings were published in the January issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. The five-year research involved 153 women that were recruited at the time they went into preterm labor.
Caring for premature babies and their medical complications can be expensive both for families and societies. Based on their results, the investigators said that "treatment with nitro-glycerin may lead to major cost savings and longer-term health benefits for these babies."
The research was financed by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
