Results: Preterm labor is a multifactorial problem. The
current treatment options are symptomatic, rather than
causally directed. Preventive treatment with progesterone
can lower the rate of preterm birth in high-risk groups by
more than 30%. Transporting the pregnant women to an
appropriately qualified perinatal care center and induction
of fetal lung maturation lowers perinatal mortality. A va -
riety of tocolytic drugs with different mechanisms of action
(betamimetics, oxytocin antagonists, calcium-channel
blockers, NO donors, and inhibitors of prostaglandin synthesis)
can be used for individualized tocolytic treatment.
Premature rupture of the membranes is an indication for
antibiotics.