14 DAY TRIAL // Alfred Nobel died disappointed by the destructive effects of his invention, dynamite, based on the chemical compound nitroglycerin.
But nitroglycerin was found recently to bring also beneficial effects for the human kind.
A new research at Queen's Perinatal Research Unit at Kingston General Hospital revealed that administering nitroglycerin to women who enter labor early leads to important improvements to their babies' health, as it impedes the birth of very premature babies (at 24 to 28 weeks). No current drug was found effective in stopping pre-term labor with a better outcome for the baby.
The five-year, randomized check involved 153 women selected at the time they went into pre-term labor. Employing nitroglycerin patches for pregnant women prolonged their pregnancy and what's new, the babies were born healthy, with less side effects than those induced by other drugs. "Our team is very excited about these findings," says Dr. Dr. Graeme Smith (Obstetrics and Gynaecology), an expert in high-risk obstetrics. "It is estimated that it costs the Canadian health system almost $2 billion a year to take care of premature babies and their medical complications. Given the immeasurable societal and family costs associated with pre-term birth and having a sick baby or child, treatment with nitroglycerin may result in major cost saving and longer-term health benefits for these babies."
"The incidence of pre-term birth - the leading cause of death and disability of newborn babies worldwide - continues to rise," he notes.
In Canada, about 7.5 % of all babies are born prematurely (before 37 weeks) and 1 to 2 % are severe cases, before 34 weeks. "It is this later group that is most concerning as these babies are at the highest risk of immediate and long-term medical complications," says Dr. Smith. "Dr. Smith's trial results have provided us new information on one possible solution to reduce the adverse effects of pre-term labour," said Dr. Michael Kramer, Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health. "This result is very promising and it provides reassurance for expecting mothers and their families."