Hormone treatment safe in high-risk pregnancy

Progesterone treatment during the second and third trimesters to prevent preterm birth in high-risk pregnancy is safe for the fetus. High levels of progesterone are produced by the placenta, which helps maintain the pregnancy. A drop in the levels of this hormone is thought to be one of the steps that stimulate the onset of labour. Treatment with 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate has been shown to reduce the rate of repeat preterm births at less than 37, 35, and 32 weeks of pregnancy, but it remains unclear whether such treatment is safe for the fetus. To investigate the effects further, researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham studied the developmental and other health outcomes of 194 children who were exposed as fetuses to 17-alpha-hydroxyprogesterone in the second and third trimesters. The results were compared with those for 84 unexposed children. There was no evidence that the use of the hormone impaired development, and there was no link with congenital malformations. Overall, the study provides reassurance that 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate is safe for the fetus when administered in the second and third trimesters.