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Evidence summaries

Hydration for Treatment of Preterm Labour

Hydration as a treatment for preterm labour is probably not effective for preterm delivery. Level of evidence: "C"

A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 2 studies with a total of 228 women with preterm labour and intact membranes, which compared intravenous hydration with bed rest alone. Risk of preterm delivery, before 37 weeks, (RR 1.09 ,95% CI 0.71 to1.68), before 34 weeks (RR 0.72, 95% CI 0.20 to 2.56) or before 32 weeks (RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.29 to 1.97), was similar between groups. Admission to neonatal intensive care unit occurred with similar frequency in both groups (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.46 to 2.16).

Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by sparse data and indirectness of evidence. The number of participants is too small to assess the impact on substantive outcomes such as perinatal morbidity and mortality.

    References

    • Stan C, Boulvain M, Hirsbrunner-Amagbaly P, Pfister R. Hydration for treatment of preterm labour. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2002;(2):CD003096 [Review content assessed as up-to-date: 3 October2013]. [PubMed]

Primary/Secondary Keywords