Effect of oral nifedipine or combined with sildenafil citrate for management of threatened preterm labour randomized trial

Abstract

In developing countries, preterm birth is a leading cause of neonatal and infant illness and mortality. In southern India, there is an increase in preterm delivery and the prevalence is about 5-8%. It is related with severe suffering for both women and babies as well as long-term disabilities; hence interventions to prevent preterm birth are critical. The threatened preterm labor can be postponed by using “tocolytic” therapy in order to transfer the patient to a center with a neonatal intensive care unit or administer corticosteroids. It helps in the prevention or treatment of respiratory morbidity. To assess the efficacy of nifedipine combined with sildenafil citrate and nifedipine alone in threatened preterm labor and also to determine the maternal and perinatal outcome. The final analysis comprised a total of 60 subjects. There were 30 people in Group A (Nifedipine) and 30 people in Group B (Sildenafil +Nifedipine). The mean age of the participants was identified as 21.07 ± 3.31 years and 22.87 ± 3.15 years in group A and B respectively. The cause of preterm was identified as idiopathic in the majority of the women in group A with 83.33 and in group B with 70% and 16.67%. Maternal side effects in group A were tachycardia, palpitations, nausea, and vomiting with 26.67%, 3.33%, and 16.67%, while in group B, tachycardia, facial flushing, palpitations, and headache were identified with 10%, 6.67%, 10%, 6.67%. Respiratory distress syndrome, Neonatal intensive care unit admission, perinatal death, alive and healthy neonates were identified with 16.67%, 23.33%, 20%, and 53.33% in group A, whereas it was identified with 23.33%, 36.67%, 3.33%, and 56.67% respectively. The rate of success was higher with group B (93.3%) as compared in group A (50%). : The combination of sildenafil citrate and nifedipine is more effective than nifedipine alone in avoiding approaching preterm labor.