Good communication and the use of a neuroprotective drug are key to improving the care of pregnant women at risk of premature labour, according to official guidelines published today in England.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence says its guidelines will help improve outcomes for premature babies, who make up about 10% of births.
It calls for improved information and support for women identified as being at risk of preterm labour and for women having a planned preterm birth.
And it sets out when intravenous magnesium sulfate should be used for neuroprotection of the baby.
The guidance also sets out when progesterone should be used to manage preterm labour and when it is safe to clamp the umbilical cord.
Professor Alan Cameron, vice-president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: “Using the latest evidence, this new NICE guideline offers a comprehensive picture for healthcare professionals on the best way to diagnose and provide treatment for women who present with signs and symptoms of preterm labour."
Guideline committee chair Professor Jane Norman, professor of maternal and foetal health at Edinburgh University, said: "This new NICE guideline describes the strategies that have been shown to be effective in reducing adverse outcomes, and which should be offered to all pregnant women at risk of preterm birth."
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