Table of Contents
What is a tocolytic effect?
Tocolysis is an obstetrical procedure carried out with the use of medications with the purpose of delaying the delivery of a fetus in women presenting preterm contractions. These medications are administered with the hope of decreasing fetal morbidity and mortality.
What are contraindications of tocolytics?
Contraindications to tocolytics Pregnant woman has severe pregnancy-induced hypertension, severe eclampsia/preeclampsia, active vaginal bleeding, placental abruption, a cardiac disease, or another condition which indicates that the pregnancy should not continue.
How long can you give tocolytics for?
If used, oral tocolytic therapy should be continued until 35 to 37 weeks of gestation.
For what side effects must the nurse assess after administering magnesium sulfate for tocolysis of preterm labor?
Because of the smooth muscle relaxant effect of magnesium sulfate, nurses should assess the patient for hypotension by checking blood pressure and heart rate every 15 minutes when therapy is initiated and then every hour for the duration of the therapy.
When are tocolytic drugs used?
Tocolytic medications for preterm labor aren’t used before 24 weeks of pregnancy. In certain situations, your doctor may use it when you are at 23 weeks of pregnancy. Many doctors stop giving tocolytics after a woman has reached her 34th week of pregnancy, but some doctors begin tocolytics as late as 36 weeks.
What tocolytic drugs are commonly used?
Answer. The most common tocolytic agents used for the treatment of preterm labor are magnesium sulfate (MgSO4), indomethacin, and nifedipine.
What tocolytic drugs are commonly used and what is their purpose?
Drugs that prevent preterm labor and immature birth by suppressing uterine contractions (TOCOLYSIS). Agents used to delay premature uterine activity include magnesium sulfate, beta-mimetics, oxytocin antagonists, calcium channel inhibitors, and adrenergic beta-receptor agonists.
When should tocolytics be given?
Why are tocolytics contraindicated in Pprom?
Prophylactic tocolysis with PPROM was associated with increased overall latency, without additional benefits for maternal/neonatal outcomes. For patients with PPROM before 34 weeks, there was a significantly increased risk of chorioamnionitis in women who received tocolysis.
What are the side effects of magnesium sulfate?
Side effects of magnesium sulfate injection include:
- heart disturbances,
- breathing difficulties,
- poor reflexes,
- confusion,
- weakness,
- flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly feeling),
- sweating,
- lowered blood pressure,
What are examples of tocolytics?
What meds are tocolytics?
Several different classes of drugs are used for tocolysis, including:
- Betamimetics (such as terbutaline)
- Magnesium sulfate.
- Prostaglandin inhibitors (like indomethacin, ketorolac)
- Calcium channel blockers (such as nifedipine)
- Nitrates (like nitroglycerine)
- Oxytocin receptor blockers (such as atosiban)
What are the side effects of tocolytic drugs during pregnancy?
Tocolytic Agents. Maternal side effects with these tocolytics include postpartum hemorrhage and gastrointestinal effects (Creasy, 1994 ). Prolonged use is associated with headaches, dizziness, depression, psychosis, as well as oligohydramnios which is thought to be a result of decreased urine output by the fetus.
What is a tocolytic?
Tocolytics are given when delivery would result in premature birth. Tocolytics have been shown to improve infant morbidity and mortality rates. Tocolytics therapy buys time for the administration of betamethasone, a glucocorticoid drug which greatly accelerate fetal lung maturity, but takes one to two days to work.
What are the contraindications for Tocolytic therapy?
G. Contraindications for Tocolytic Therapy. All the tocolytic agents are associated with serious side effects to both the mother and fetus. Tocolytic therapy is contraindicated for prolonging pregnancy in cases of chorioamnionitis, fetal death, or severe pregnancy induced hypertension (Wilkins and Creasy, 1990).
Can tocolytics be used to delay birth?
The suppression of contractions is often only partial and tocolytics can only be relied on to delay birth for several days. Depending on the tocolytic used the mother or fetus may require monitoring, as for instance blood pressure monitoring when nifedipine is used as it reduces blood pressure.