PRETERM DELIVERY FROM 34 TO 37 WEEKS OF GESTATION - IS RESPIRATORY-DISTRESS SYNDROME A PROBLEM

Our purpose was to evaluate the necessity of using tocolytic agents fo r preterm labor and the benefit of conservative management for preterm premature rupture of membranes from 34 to 37 weeks' gestation. All pa tients who had accurate obstetric dates and were delivered between 34 and 37 weeks' gestation with no other medical or obstetric problems we re retrospectively evaluated for inclusion in the study. The rates of respiratory distress syndrome and other neonatal outcomes were evaluat ed. A total of 416 patients met criteria for admission into the study. During the thirty-fourth week of pregnancy the incidence of respirato ry distress syndrome was 14.9% (p < 0.05). Other neonatal complication s were also more frequent in deliveries occurring during the thirty-fo urth week of pregnancy than in those occurring in the thirty-fifth or thirty-sixth week. Fetal lung maturity studies should be considered an d delivery possibly delayed through the thirty-fourth week of gestatio n to decrease neonatal morbidity in our population.