The factors your doctor or nurse-midwife will consider before offering tocolytic treatment for preterm labor include:¹

• Your due date. If you are close to your due date, delaying the birth may not be necessary. (Most health professionals will not consider using a tocolytic after 34 weeks of pregnancy.)
• How far you have progressed in labor.
• Whether you have an infection in your uterus. If you do have a uterine infection, tocolytics should not be used.
• Whether your amniotic sac has broken (premature rupture of membranes, or PROM).
• Your health. If you have high blood pressure or heart or kidney problems, tocolytic medications may be dangerous.
• The health of your fetus. Tocolytics are not used if a fetus is in distress or has died before birth.
• Your fetus's lungs. A tocolytic may hold off the birth long enough for steroid medicine to help your fetus's lungs develop.