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Fourteen pregnancies were achieved with tamoxifen therapy in 12 women who failed to conceive with clomiphene citrate. There were no side-effects and fewer treatment cycles were required than with clomiphene citrate treatment. Ovulation and cervical score with tamoxifen therapy were significantly higher (p less than 0.005).

The results of combined ritodrine and indomethacine treatment (RI) in premature labor contractions were compared with ritodrine alone (R). One hundred and twenty patients with threatened premature labor in weeks 26-34 were studied. Sixty RI women received 100 mg ritodrine in infusion followed by 60 mg daily orally until 35 weeks and indomethacine 200 mg on the first day of treatment only. The R group included 60 women with identical tocolysis indices, age of pregnancy and anamnestic parameters who received ritodrine only. The mean prolongation index (PI) was 18.2 in the RI group, against 11.5 in the R patients (P less than 0.05). The mean prolongation of pregnancy was 5.6 weeks in the first and 3.6 in the control group (P less than 0.05). Birthweight and Apgar scores were similar in the two groups. In order to examine the possible early closure of the ductus arteriosus due to the indomethacin therapy, echocardiograms were done on all newborn in the RI group: the pre-ejection period and right ventricular ejection time ratio was 0.19-0.26 after delivery and 0.17-0.22 1 month later, which excludes pulmonary diastolic hypertension due to premature closure of the duct. The combined RI treatment is more effective that R alone and does not give rise to any complications in the mother or the fetus.

Cultures from the cervical milieu were taken from 24 antibiotic-treated patients (group A) and from 25 patients with no antibiotic treatment (group B). Both groups had undergone cerclage and were compared to 30 randomly chosen pregnant patients without cerclage (group C). Positive cultures were obtained in 70.8% and 48% before cerclage and in 66.7% and 68% after cerclage in groups A and B, respectively. These were not significantly different from group C (56.7%). Escherichia coli was found in over 75% of positive cultures. The rate of premature deliveries and premature rupture of the membranes were significantly higher in the cerclage groups. Maternal morbidity was significantly higher in group A compared to B and C. Our data suggest that bacterial colonization of the cervix and the vagina is not influenced by cerclage and antibiotics. It is concluded that cervical cerclage is associated with increased morbidity, therefore it is indicated only for definite anatomic and/or functional defects.