Tocolytic medication
Tocolytics are medications that are used to slow or stop the contractions of a woman's uterus during pregnancy. They are typically given to women who is in preterm labor in an attempt to delay birth for 1 to 2 days.
This delay may be needed for a variety of medical reasons, such as:
- To allow time for a fetus's lungs to mature after corticosteroid treatment.
- To prevent labor until specialized care is obtained that either the mother or fetus is expected to need.
- To relax the mother's uterine muscles before trying to turn a breech fetus to the head-down position (external cephalic version).
- To decrease the stress on a baby who has a low heart rate or other problem.
Examples of tocolytics include ritodrine, terbutaline, magnesium sulfate, nifedipine, and indomethacin.
| Author | Jeannette Curtis |
| Author | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman, MATC |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Last Updated | May 25, 2007 |
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Last Updated:
May 25, 2007
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