The influence of long term beta-mimetic drug administration during pregnancy on blood loss postpartum

Abstract Early blood loss after delivery was measured in all prematurely ending singleton pregnancies (amenorrhea 29–38 wk) during which the patients had been treated with betamimetics (ritodrine or fenoterol) for the prevention of premature labor, during a 4 yr study period (1975–1978) ( n = 129). For comparison, postpartum blood loss was measured in the same way in all other (not treated) patients who delivered with the same gestational ages during the first 2 yr of the investigation ( n = 176). Only vaginal deliveries were included and some patient categories were excluded. Placental weight and episiotomy status were found to effect the amount of early postpartum blood loss at a significant level. Blood loss after delivery was found not to be increased by chronic beta-mimetic treatment, even when this treatment ended less than 24 h before delivery. Moreover, when the treatment—delivery interval exceeded 24 h, the average amount of blood loss by treated patients was less than that of the untreated patients in some comparison categories. No difference in the amount of blood loss was found according to the specific drug that had been used.