A Comparative Study Between Intravenous Magnesium Sulphate and Intravenous Isoxsuprine for Arrest of Preterm Labour

Abstract

Introduction: Wide use of medical management of preterm labour has been obstructed due to low success rate of arrest of labour. This is aggravated by higher incidence of serious side effect of the available tocolytic agents, especially beta-mimetic tocolytics. With this background, the present study was carried out to compare the efficacy and maternal side effect of magnesium sulphate and Isoxsuprine in the arrest of preterm labour Methodology: This was a comparative prospective interventional study conducted among pregnant women coming to department of obstetrics and gynaecology with 28 to 37 weeks of gestation. Patients were divided in to two groups - Group 1 receiving Isoxsuprine and Group 2 receiving Magnesium Sulphate. Base line profile and outcome were compared between the two study groups. Results: Magnesium sulphate was more effective in arresting labour compared to Isoxsuprine (p<0.05). Tachycardia and hypotension were observed more frequently in group1 (Isoxsuprine) compared to group 2 (MgSO4). In cases having <1 cm dilatation and or less than 25% effacement MgSO4 was significantly more effective that Isoxsuprine for tocolysis. Conclusion: Magnesium sulphate is a more effective tocolytic agent than Isoxsuprine. Magnesium sulphate produce lesser maternal and foetal side effects like hypotension, palpitation, tachycardia as compared to Isoxsuprine.

Keywords

• Magnesium Sulphate
• Isoxsuprine
• preterm labour
• tocolysis
• Effacement
• cervical dilatation