Joshua P Vogel1, João Paulo Souza2, A Metin Gülmezoglu3, Rintaro Mori4, Pisake Lumbiganon5, Zahida Qureshi6, Guillermo Carroli7, Malinee Laopaiboon8, Bukola Fawole9, Togoobaatar Ganchimeg4, Jun Zhang10, Maria Regina Torloni11, Meghan Bohren12, Marleen Temmerman3. 1. School of Population Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia; UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, Department of Reproductive Health and Research, WHO, Geneva, Switzerland. Electronic address: vogeljo@who.int. 2. UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, Department of Reproductive Health and Research, WHO, Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Social Medicine, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. 3. UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, Department of Reproductive Health and Research, WHO, Geneva, Switzerland. 4. Department of Health Policy, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan. 5. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand. 6. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, College of Health Science, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya. 7. Centro Rosarino de Estudios Perinatales, Rosario, Argentina. 8. Department of Biostatistics and Demography, Faculty of Public Health, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand. 9. University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. 10. Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China. 11. Department of Obstetrics, São Paulo Federal University, São Paulo, Brazil; Brazilian Cochrane Centre, São Paulo, Brazil. 12. UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, Department of Reproductive Health and Research, WHO, Geneva, Switzerland; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Despite the global burden of morbidity and mortality associated with preterm birth, little evidence is available for use of antenatal corticosteroids and tocolytic drugs in preterm births in low-income and middle-income countries. We analysed data from the WHO Multicountry Survey on Maternal and Newborn Health (WHOMCS) to assess coverage for these interventions in preterm deliveries. METHODS: WHOMCS is a facility-based, cross-sectional survey database of birth outcomes in 359 facilities in 29 countries, with data collected prospectively from May 1, 2010, to Dec 31, 2011. For this analysis, we included deliveries after 22 weeks' gestation and we excluded births that occurred outside a facility or quicker than 3 h after arrival. We calculated use of antenatal corticosteroids in women who gave birth between 26 and 34 weeks' gestation, when antenatal corticosteroids are known to be most beneficial. We also calculated use in women at 22-25 weeks' and 34-36 weeks' gestation. We assessed tocolytic drug use, with and without antenatal corticosteroids, in spontaneous, uncomplicated preterm deliveries at 26-34 weeks' gestation. FINDINGS: Of 303,842 recorded deliveries after 22 weeks' gestation, 17,705 (6%) were preterm. 3900 (52%) of 7547 women who gave birth at 26-34 weeks' gestation, 94 (19%) of 497 women who gave birth at 22-25 weeks' gestation, and 2276 (24%) of 9661 women who gave birth at 35-36 weeks' gestation received antenatal corticosteroids. Rates of antenatal corticosteroid use varied between countries (median 54%, range 16-91%; IQR 30-68%). Of 4677 women who were potentially eligible for tocolysis drugs, 1276 (27%) were treated with bed rest or hydration and 2248 (48%) received no treatment. β-agonists alone (n=346, 7%) were the most frequently used tocolytic drug. Only 848 (18%) of potentially eligible women received both a tocolytic drug and antenatal corticosteroids. INTERPRETATION: Use of interventions was generally poor, despite evidence for their benefit for newborn babies. A substantial proportion of antenatal corticosteroid use occurred at gestational ages at which benefit is controversial, and use of less effective or potentially harmful tocolytic drugs was common. Implementation research and contextualised health policies are needed to improve drug availability and increase compliance with best obstetric practice. FUNDING: UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP); WHO; USAID; Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan; Gynuity Health Projects.
BACKGROUND: Despite the global burden of morbidity and mortality associated with preterm birth, little evidence is available for use of antenatal corticosteroids and tocolytic drugs in preterm births in low-income and middle-income countries. We analysed data from the WHO Multicountry Survey on Maternal and Newborn Health (WHOMCS) to assess coverage for these interventions in preterm deliveries. METHODS: WHOMCS is a facility-based, cross-sectional survey database of birth outcomes in 359 facilities in 29 countries, with data collected prospectively from May 1, 2010, to Dec 31, 2011. For this analysis, we included deliveries after 22 weeks' gestation and we excluded births that occurred outside a facility or quicker than 3 h after arrival. We calculated use of antenatal corticosteroids in women who gave birth between 26 and 34 weeks' gestation, when antenatal corticosteroids are known to be most beneficial. We also calculated use in women at 22-25 weeks' and 34-36 weeks' gestation. We assessed tocolytic drug use, with and without antenatal corticosteroids, in spontaneous, uncomplicated preterm deliveries at 26-34 weeks' gestation. FINDINGS: Of 303,842 recorded deliveries after 22 weeks' gestation, 17,705 (6%) were preterm. 3900 (52%) of 7547 women who gave birth at 26-34 weeks' gestation, 94 (19%) of 497 women who gave birth at 22-25 weeks' gestation, and 2276 (24%) of 9661 women who gave birth at 35-36 weeks' gestation received antenatal corticosteroids. Rates of antenatal corticosteroid use varied between countries (median 54%, range 16-91%; IQR 30-68%). Of 4677 women who were potentially eligible for tocolysis drugs, 1276 (27%) were treated with bed rest or hydration and 2248 (48%) received no treatment. β-agonists alone (n=346, 7%) were the most frequently used tocolytic drug. Only 848 (18%) of potentially eligible women received both a tocolytic drug and antenatal corticosteroids. INTERPRETATION: Use of interventions was generally poor, despite evidence for their benefit for newborn babies. A substantial proportion of antenatal corticosteroid use occurred at gestational ages at which benefit is controversial, and use of less effective or potentially harmful tocolytic drugs was common. Implementation research and contextualised health policies are needed to improve drug availability and increase compliance with best obstetric practice. FUNDING: UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP); WHO; USAID; Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan; Gynuity Health Projects.
Authors: Grace Liu; Joel Segrè; A Gülmezoglu; Matthews Mathai; Jeffrey M Smith; Jorge Hermida; Aline Simen-Kapeu; Pierre Barker; Mercy Jere; Edward Moses; Sarah G Moxon; Kim E Dickson; Joy E Lawn; Fernando Althabe Journal: BMC Pregnancy Childbirth Date: 2015-09-11 Impact factor: 3.007
Authors: Renato T Souza; Jose G Cecatti; Renato Passini; Ricardo P Tedesco; Giuliane J Lajos; Marcelo L Nomura; Patricia M Rehder; Tabata Z Dias; Samira M Haddad; Rodolfo C Pacagnella; Maria L Costa Journal: PLoS One Date: 2016-02-05 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Elizabeth M McClure; Robert L Goldenberg; Alan H Jobe; Menachem Miodovnik; Marion Koso-Thomas; Pierre Buekens; Jose Belizan; Fernando Althabe Journal: Reprod Health Date: 2016-05-24 Impact factor: 3.223