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The objective of this study was to compare the safety and efficacy of atosiban and ritodrine in the treatment of threatened preterm labour (TPL) and to analyse the predictive factors of preterm delivery. We retrospectively sampled data on 380 women hospitalised for TPL (24-35 weeks' gestation), in our clinic between 2004 and 2007. All were subjected to tocolysis with ritodrine and/or atosiban. Data were analysed using R (version 2.12.1), considering p < 0.05 as significant. We had 69 women treated with atosiban, 242 treated with ritodrine and 69 treated with ritodrine changed for atosiban, if adverse effects occurred. In the multivariate logistic regression, the use of atosiban vs ritodrine does not play any role in delaying delivery after 48 h or 7 days, whereas the cervical change at the digital examination, high contractions pre/post-therapy ratio, pPROM, cervical length and fibronectin result as predictive factors for both delivery before 48 h or 7 days. Maternal adverse drug effects were significantly more frequent in patients treated with ritodrine, and one single case of pulmonary oedema was observed. We found fewer side-effects in the atosiban than in the ritodrine group and no difference in efficacy. Moreover, the most predictive factors for preterm delivery were fibronectin test, pPROM, digital vaginal examination and uterine contraction persistence. We believe that predictive capacity of these tests could give the opportunity for targeting therapy and limiting drug side-effects and cost.

Objective: to explore the potential of 3D Power Doppler Angiography (3D PDA) to evaluate the cerebral circulation in normal and growth restricted fetuses (IUGR).Study design: in a pilot study, we enrolled 51 appropriate for gestational age (AGA) pregnancies and 17 singleton pregnancies presenting IUGR, all between 22 and 38 weeks of gestation. Using 3D power Doppler ultrasound, a volume acquisition of the fetal brain was performed. Two regions of interest (ROI) were defined within the fetal brain. Zone 1 is anterior to the cavum septi pellucidi (CSP). Zone 2 is defined by a rectangle obtained tracing a contour between the temporal bones as wide as the CSP, corresponding to the area of the middle cerebral artery. The Flow Index (FI), the Vascularization Index (VI), the Vascularization and Flow Index (VFI) were determined in both areas in both IUGR and AGA fetuses by a single operator. IUGR fetuses were divided into three groups: Group 1, with normal pulsatility index (PI) of umbilical artery (UA), middle cerebral artery (MCA) and ductus venosus (DV); Group 2, IUGR fetuses with abnormal UA PI, normal MCA PI, normal DV PI; in Group 3, IUGR fetuses with abnormal UA PI, MCA PI and DV PI.Results: FI and VFI values of zone 1 were increased in Group 1.Values of VFI in zone 2 were increased in Group 2.Conclusions: Our findings are in line with recent studies in growth-restricted fetuses suggesting that the anterior cerebral artery shows Doppler signs of vasodilatation before these are observed in the MCA, demonstrating the “frontal brain sparing effect”.

3D-PDA was not found better than 2D ultrasound at distinguishing benign from malignant disease in women with AUB and an endometrial thickness greater than 4.5mm.