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Comparative Effectiveness Review
Number 35

Effective Health Care Program

Terbutaline Pump for the Prevention of

Preterm Birth

Executive Summary

Background
Effective Health Care Program
Preterm birth is defined as delivery before
The Effective Health Care Program
the completion of the 37th week of
was initiated in 2005 to provide valid
gestation, and it affects 13 percent of live
evidence about the comparative
1
births in the United States. According to
effectiveness of different medical
the 2010 National Vital Statistics report,
interventions. The object is to help
there were 542,893 preterm births in the
consumers, health care providers, and
United States in 2006. Rates of preterm
2
others in making informed choices
birth result in a significant disease burden
among treatment alternatives. Through
to the health care system. Although overall
its Comparative Effectiveness Reviews,
rates of neonatal mortality continue to
the program supports systematic
decline, infants born too early are at risk
appraisals of existing scientific
for long-term morbidity. 3
evidence regarding treatments for
Tocolytics are drugs used to delay or high-priority health conditions. It also
inhibit contractions during the labor promotes and generates new scientific
process. Several tocolytics are available to evidence by identifying gaps in
prevent preterm birth. These agents may be existing scientific evidence and
administered as primary therapy to control supporting new research. The program
acute episodes of preterm labor or as puts special emphasis on translating
maintenance therapy to prevent subsequent findings into a variety of useful
episodes. Maintenance tocolysis is usually formats for different stakeholders,
provided for prolonged periods beyond 48 including consumers.
to 72 hours after arrest of acute preterm
The full report and this summary are
labor to inhibit the process of parturition
available at www.effectivehealthcare.
until full term. While several studies have
ahrq.gov/reports/final.cfm.
examined these agents for the control of
acute episodes of preterm labor, the
evidence to support their safety and The ß-agonist agent, terbutaline sulfate, has
efficacy as maintenance therapy is limited. been used orally and subcutaneously as

maintenance tocolytic therapy in women
following acute treatment and arrest of

Effective
Health Care