Management of preterm labor: Clinical practice guideline and recommendation by the WAPM-World Association of Perinatal Medicine and the PMF-Perinatal Medicine Foundation

Abstract

This practice guideline follows the mission of the World Association of Perinatal Medicine in collaboration with the Perinatal Medicine Foundation, bringing together groups and individuals throughout the world, with the goal of improving the management of preterm labor. In fact, this document provides further guidance for healthcare practitioners on the appropriate use of examinations with the aim to improve the accuracy in diagnosing preterm labor and allow timely and appropriate administration of tocolytics, antenatal corticosteroids and magnesium sulphate and avoid unnecessary or excessive interventions. Therefore, it is not intended to establish a legal standard of care. This document is based on consensus among perinatal experts throughout the world in the light of scientific literature and serves as a guideline for use in clinical practice.

Keywords: Biochemical markers; Cervical length; Corticosteroids; Diagnosis; Fibronectin; Magnesium sulfate; Management; Preterm labor; Tocolysis.