The objectives of this study were to compare effectiveness and safety of oral terbutaline and no terbutaline for maintenance therapy after threatened preterm labor and to identify factors for predicting preterm delivery of patients after threatened preterm labor. The study was carried out retrospectively and prospectively (Historical Cohort study). Data were collected from Pattani Hospital during January 2007 to February 2008. Continuous data were analyzed by using student unpaired t test. Categorical data were analyzed by using Chi-Square test or Fisher’s Exact test. A significant level was established at alpha [is less than or equal to] 0.05 Ninety-one patients were included in this study. Forty-six patients received oral terbutaline for maintenance therapy after threatened preterm labor (study group) and 45 patients (control group) did not. No significant difference was found between groups with respect to term delivery(76.09% vs 66.67%, P=0.320), recurrent preterm labor (26.09% vs 31.11%, P=0.596), time gained (31.33+ -16.92 vs 28.11+ -14.96 days, P=0.340) and neonatal outcome such as birth weight, evaluation of newborn condition (APGAR score), respiratory distress syndromes, nursery admission (P= 0.651, 1.000, 1.000 and 0.674). With regard to survival analysis, Kaplan-Meier Method was used to analyze survival probability and Log-rank test was used to compare survival between the terbutaline and no terbutaline groups. Result demonstrated that there was no statistically significant between patients in the terbutaline and no terbutaline groups(P=0.340). Adverse effects during oral terbutaline treatment were tachycardia (2.17%), palpitation (4.35%) and fetal tachycardia (2.17%). Only recurrent preterm labor had a significant independent effect on preterm delivery from univariate logistic regression analysis (Odds ratio = 378.00, 95% confidence interval: 50.37-2836.87).
