Progesterone for Prevention of Preterm Birth

Abstract

Preterm birth is a major cause of perinatal mortality and morbidity. It is also the main directed cause of neonatal death globally (1) . Preterm birth is responsible for more than 80% of neonatal deaths and 50% of long term morbidity in the surviving infants (1-3) . Preterm birth rates have been rising over the past 3 decades. The worldwide incidence of preterm birth is 9.6 % with the highest rate occurs in the least developed regions (4) . The increase in assisted reproductive technologies, labor induction or elective cesarean section during preterm period may be responsible for these high rates (2) . Various risk factors are associated with preterm birth but only half of them can be identified (5) . Although there are many interventions to prevent or treat preterm births, none of them appears to be efficacious (6) . Recent evidences showed that progesterone supplementations are helpful to prevent preterm birth. This article pays attention to the role of progesterone for the prevention of preterm birth.