Progesterone for preventing premature birth: practice patterns of board-certified maternal-fetal medicine specialists in the United States.

摘要

OBJECTIVE: To determine the current prescription of progesterone to prevent preterm birth (PTB) among board-certified maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) specialists in the United States. STUDY DESIGN: A survey of the board-certified MFM specialists in the United States examining their prescription of and attitudes regarding progesterone to prevent PTB 6 months following publication of a National Institute for Child Health and Human Development trial. RESULTS: Of 1,264 questionnaires sent, 526 were returned (response rate, 42%). After exclusions, 522 surveys remained. One hundred ninety-eight (38%) respondents prescribed progesterone, and 324 (62%) did not. Most nonprescribers were awaiting more data and were more concerned than prescribers about long-term effects (p < 0.0001). Twenty percent of prescribers prescribed progesterone for women with current signs or symptoms of preterm labor. CONCLUSION: As a result of recent evidence, over one third of MFM specialists surveyed have begun prescribing progesterone to prevent PTB. Of these specialists, 20% are using it for indications other than a prior PTB.