الفهرس 
PRETERM BIRTH (PTB)Only 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
P
reterm labor is defined as regular uterine contractions with cervical changes at gestational age < 37 weeks. Preterm labor is responsible for 40% to 50% of preterm births.
Preterm births account for 70% of neonatal deaths and up to 75% of neonatal morbidity and contribute to long-term neurocognitive deficits, pulmonary dysfunction and ophthalmologic disorders.
There are four direct causes for preterm births: spontaneous unexplained preterm labor, idiopathic premature rupture of membranes (PROM), iatrogenic preterm labor and multiple pregnancies. Forty to 45 percent are due to spontaneous preterm labor and 30 to 35 percent follow preterm membrane rupture.
Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is a very essential hormone in calcium homeostasis. It has a very short half-life of 5 min and is influenced by subtle changes in serum calcium levels. Calcium requirement increases during pregnancy.
Parathyroid hormone regulates feto-placental mineral homeostasis and skeletal development and stimulates placental calcium transfer.
Myometrial activity is directly related to cytoplasmic free calcium, and reduced calcium concentrations inhibit contractions. Calcium-channel blockers act to inhibit, by various mechanisms, calcium entry through cell membrane channels. Although they were developed to treat hypertension, their ability to arrest preterm labor has been established.
In This study we aimed to explore the possible association between PTH, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus & albumin levels and preterm labor. Thus, it might be used as a predictor to help prophylaxis, early diagnosis or add another diagnostic tool for preterm labor and further management.
This study was a case control study conducted in Ain Shams University Maternity Hospital. One hundred pregnant women were recruited from the outpatient clinic and labor ward assessed for eligibility and were enrolled in this study and classified into two groups. Cases group: 50 women who were having established preterm labor and Controls group: 50 matched pregnant women with gestational age (28-36 weeks).
During this study and after history taking and examination, a venous blood samples were withdrawn about (3ml) once from every patient within one hour from inclusion into the study to measure serum parathyroid hormone, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and albumin levels.
Data was collected and recorded in a case report form (Age, parity, previous preterm births/ miscarriage, gestational age, measured levels of serum PTH, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus & albumin). Statistical analysis was done to get results
Our results revealed that no statistically significant difference between the two studied groups regarding the laboratory data and the use of parathyroid hormone, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium or albumin as a diagnostic tool will have poor indicative values to rely on.
CONCLUSION
I
n conclusion, we found that there is no obvious association between parathyroid hormone and preterm labor
RECOMMENDATIONS
T
he use of parathyroid hormone as a predictor tool will be with poor value and is unlikely to be needed.