(Table III). Seven out of 51 babies in the nifedipine group died
and four out of the 49 babies in the progesterone group died.
There was no significant difference in the neonatal mortality
between the two groups ( p 0.402). The most common cause
of neonatal mortality in the nifedipine group was extreme prematurity
with associated complications (42.9%), whereas it was
hyaline membrane disease in the progesterone group. Th ere
was no significant difference in the cause of neonatal mortality
between the two groups. The mean duration of neonatal intensive
care unit stay in the nifedipine group was 12 days and it was
5 days in the progesterone group ( p 0.32).
There was significant difference in the occurrence of tachycardia,
headache and hypotension between the two groups,
nifedipine being significantly more associated with side-effects
compared with progesterone (Table IV).