What drug is given to pregnant women in preterm labor?

Appeared in: NHM MP Staff Nurse-2019

Explanation

In threatened preterm labor, the priority is to improve fetal viability if birth is imminent.
Corticosteroids (like Betamethasone or Dexamethasone) are administered to the mother to accelerate fetal lung maturity.
This action stimulates the production of surfactant in the fetal lungs, which is essential for preventing respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in the premature infant.
Studies show this intervention significantly reduces the incidence of RDS, intraventricular hemorrhage, and neonatal mortality.

Option A: Metronidazole is an antibiotic. It does not stop preterm labor or promote fetal lung maturity.
Option B: Vitamin K is administered to the newborn after birth, not to the mother during labor.
Option D: Oxytocin is a uterine stimulant; it causes or strengthens labor contractions. Its use is contraindicated when trying to stop or manage preterm labor.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Pharmacological management of preterm labor to improve fetal outcomes helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
A key nursing role is the timely administration of the corticosteroid course as ordered, as the full benefit requires a 48-hour window before delivery.
Nurses must monitor the mother for potential side effects like hyperglycemia and the fetus for changes in heart rate patterns.
Tocolytic drugs (like nifedipine or indomethacin) may be given concurrently to suppress contractions and allow time for the corticosteroids to work.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the clinical scenario: a pregnant woman in preterm labor.
Understand the primary goals of management: to delay delivery if possible, and to improve fetal outcomes if delivery is unavoidable.
Evaluate each drug option based on its known mechanism of action in pregnancy.
Inj Corticosteroid: Known to accelerate fetal lung maturity.
Tab metronidazole: An antibiotic for infection.
Inj Vitamin K: For the newborn after birth.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Pharmacological management of preterm labor to improve fetal outcomes.
Stem keywords: drug, pregnant women, preterm labor
Lead-in keywords: What
Clinical cues: Age/sex group narrows the expected diagnosis, intervention, or normal reference range.

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E6 Pharmacology Nursing Lilley 11e Part 2 p. 242-244

E6 Midwifery Obstetrics and Gynecology Nursing Sandeep Kaur pp. 14-19, 6-11

Practise the full NHM MP Staff Nurse-2019

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.