Comparison of oral Dydrogesterone and 17-α hydroxyprogesterone caprate in the prevention of preterm birth.

BACKGROUND: Preterm birth (PTB) remains a significant problem in obstetric care. Progesterone supplements are believed to reduce the rate of preterm labor, but formulation, type of administration, and dosage varies in different studies. This study was performed to compare oral Dydrogesterone with intramuscular 17α-hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17α-OHPC) administration in prevention of PTB. METHODS: In this randomized clinical trial, we studied 150 women with singleton pregnancy in 28Th-34Th Gestational week, who had received tocolytic treatment for preterm labor. Participants were divided to receive 30 mg oral Dydrogesterone daily, 250 mg intramuscular 17α-OHPC weekly, or no intervention (control group). All treatments were continued until 37Th Week or delivery, whichever occurred earlier. Obstetric outcomes, including latency period, gestational age at delivery, birth weight, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission, and neonatal mortality were recorded. All patients were monitored biweekly until delivery. RESULTS: Baseline gestational age was not significantly different between groups. Latency period was significantly longer in the progesterone group compared with Dydrogesterone and control groups (41.06 ± 17.29 vs. 29.44 ± 15.6 and 22.20 ± 4.51 days, respectively; P < 0.001). The progesterone group showed significantly better results compared with the other two groups, in terms of gestational age at delivery, birth weight, and Apgar score (P < 0.001). None of the participants showed severe complications, stillbirth, or gestational diabetes. CONCLUSION: Progesterone caproate can strongly prolong the latency period and improve neonatal outcomes and therefore, is superior to oral Dydrogesterone in the prevention of PTB.

Adenomyomas of the Uterine Cervix in the First-Trimester of Pregnancy: A Case Report.

Cervical adenomyomas of endocervical type (endocervical adenomyomas) are very rare benign lesions. Here we report the case of a 33-year-old woman who referred to the Perinatology Clinic of Ommolbanin Hospital (Mashhad, Iran) in September 2017. The patient was 8 weeks pregnant and complained of spotting and feeling a mass protruding from her vagina for 2 months. Physical examination revealed the presence of three masses of approximately 10 cm in the vagina, which were treated surgically. Histopathological examination of the excised specimen showed the presence of glands lined by a single layer of endocervical-type mucinous epithelium with smooth muscle fibers. Clinicians should be aware of such lesions in order to differentiate them from other malignancies and to individualize treatment.