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Hospitalization and Infant Outcomes among Women Exposed and Unexposed to Tocolysis

Journal of Perinatology volume 25, pages 258–264 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To examine whether infants exposed to tocolytics are at increased risk for selected adverse clinical and hospitalization outcomes.

STUDY DESIGN:

We conducted a population-based cohort study of women with preterm labor, in Washington State from 1989 to 2001 (N=79,679), using linked hospitalization records. Relative risks for infant outcomes were estimated using multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS:

Adjusted risk estimates for infants exposed to tocolysis were greater for respiratory distress (RR=1.5, 95% CI 1.4 to 1.6), intubation (RR=1.4, 95% CI 1.2 to 1.5), and bacterial infection (RR=1.6, 95% CI 1.4 to 1.8). Exposed infants were also more likely to have birth hospitalizations >2 days (RR=1.4, 95% CI 1.3 to 1.4), require transfer (RR=1.5, 95% CI 1.3 to 1.8), have increased hospital costs (RR=2.3, 95% CI 2.2 to 2.4), and require readmisssion within the first year of life (RR=1.2, 95% CI 1.1 to 1.3).

CONCLUSION:

Infants exposed to tocolytics appeared to have relatively poorer hospitalization and clinical outcomes; significant benefits were not observed.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Emergency Medicine, Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Brian Coleman MD, MSE

  2. Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Beth Mueller PhD

  3. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA

    Therese Grant PhD

Authors
  1. Brian Coleman MD, MSE
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  2. Therese Grant PhD
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  3. Beth Mueller PhD
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No financial support was provided to the authors for conducting this research.

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Coleman, B., Grant, T. & Mueller, B. Hospitalization and Infant Outcomes among Women Exposed and Unexposed to Tocolysis. J Perinatol 25, 258–264 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7211246

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