The Role Of Maternal Serum Progesterone Levels In Predicting Preterm Labor

As preterm labor is one of the leading causes of neonatal mortality and morbidity, it is important to determine the pregnant women who are at high risk of preterm labor. In our study, we investigated the importance of maternal serum progesterone levels to predict preterm pregnancy. Two hundred eighty patients with singleton, alive pregnancy between 10-12 weeks were included in our study. We also evaluated serum maternal progesterone levels at 16-20 weeks and presence of vajinal bleeding was investigated. The gestational age was calutated according to the first day of the last menstrual period. Deliveries between 24-366/7 weeks were accepted as preterm delivery, deliveries after 37 weeks were recorded as term delivery. Of all pregnancies %10,4 (n=29) were preterm and % 89,6 (n=251) were term delivery. We did not find any correlation between preterm labor and maternal age, abortion history, smoking history and VKİ. We found correlation between history of vaginal bleeding and preterm labor. The mean of maternal serum progesterone levels between 10-12 weeks was 26.58 ng/ml in patients who had term delivery and 23.9ng/ml in patients who had preterm delivery. Twenty three ng/ml was accepted as the cut-off level, %15 of pregnancies with progesterone below this level were resulted with preterm delivery and above this level only %8 of pregnancies were resulted with preterm delivery. Progesterone level above 23 ng/ml %92 of pregnancies resulted with term delivery ,below this level %85 pregnancies resulted with term delivery. When we use cut off level 23 ng/ml to predict term birth it had 55% sensitivity, 62% specificity, negative predictive value was 92%. Pregnants whose progesterone levels were above 23 ng/ml preterm birth fail from 10,4% to 7%. As a result; if progesterone values between 12 and 14 weeks was above 23 ng/ml we found that pregnancies were resulted as term in 92% of patients. We need wide studies for maternal serum progesterone levels in early pregnancy to predict preterm labor.