Terbutaline for pre-term labor

Source: Effect of Terbutaline on a Fetus

One of my couples was recently seen at a local hospital for painful frequent contractions (at 35 weeks), which turned out not be causing dilation upon examination. The doctor wanted to start her on terbutaline, but did not lay out other options. The couple quickly looked up some info on their phone and contacted their experienced doula for advise. As this couple had learned about husbands advocating for their wives, they asked, "Is this medically necessary? Do we have to do this? Would it be ok to wait, especially since no drug has been proven safe for the baby in utero?" The doctor was very defensive about many drugs being "proven safe," but replied that it would be ok to wait and see what happened. Fortunately, even though this mom was well hydrated, the IV fluids seemed to help space out the contractions, although they did not go away entirely. This precious couple was so relieved that a.) the situation was not so much a major health threat, as a suggestion of the doctor's standard practice, and b.) that they had come to realize in class that sometimes a treatment or intervention is presented as the obvious and only choice, but this may not be the case. In the end, they are looking at the situation positively by seeing how well they were able to work as a team in preparation for when Baby does make its debut.

Interestingly, the drug that the doctor wanted to prescribe (and is commonly prescribed for preterm labor) is actually an asthma drug, used as an "off-label" use for preterm labor. In 2011, the FDA made the manufacturer print on the box that essentially states that it is not safe to use for this purpose due to the potential for serious internal heart problems or death. You may be interested to look up more information about terbutaline and talk to your doctor about this controversial issue. Finally, be encouraged to take care of yourself as absolutely BEST that you can just as we learn in The Bradley Method, with proper nutrition, staying hydrated, getting plenty rest, practicing relaxation, and reducing stress, to try to avoid pre-term labor.