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Trabajo de parto prematuro

Last reviewed: 18 Aug 2025
Last updated: 19 Mar 2025

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • presencia de factores de riesgo
  • contracciones uterinas
  • rotura prematura de membranas pretérmino (RPMP) antes del trabajo de parto
  • dilatación avanzada del cuello uterino
  • longitud del cuello uterino <2 cm
Full details

Other diagnostic factors

  • aumento de la frecuencia cardíaca del feto o la materna
  • dolor abdominal inferior o de espalda inespecífico
  • fiebre
  • sangrado vaginal
Full details

Risk factors

  • trabajo de parto prematuro previo
  • lesión previa de cuello uterino
  • aborto inducido previo
  • infecciones maternas
  • embarazos multifetales
  • longitud del cuello uterino corta
  • prueba de fibronectina fetal positiva
  • rotura prematura de membranas pretérmino (RPMP) antes del trabajo de parto
  • anomalías fetales
  • tabaquismo
  • índice de masa corporal (IMC) <19 kg/m²
  • factores sociales y etnia
  • tratamiento de fertilidad
  • polihidramnios
  • violencia doméstica
  • higiene dental deficiente
  • cesárea de fase tardía
Full details

Diagnostic investigations

1st investigations to order

  • cardiotocografía sin estrés
  • tocografía
  • ultrasonido transvaginal del cuello uterino
  • exudado cérvico-vaginal para fibronectina fetal
  • hemograma completo (HC)
  • proteína C-reactiva
  • tira reactiva de orina
  • análisis microscópico de orina, cultivo y sensibilidad en orina
  • exudado vaginal alto/rectal
Full details

Investigations to consider

  • microscopia de fluido vaginal
  • análisis de sangre de Kleihauer
  • cribado toxicológico de orina
  • prueba de la proteína de unión al factor de crecimiento similar a la insulina-1 (IGFBP-1)
  • microglobulina alfa 1 placentaria (PAMG-1)
Full details

Treatment algorithm

ACUTE

amenaza de trabajo de parto prematuro (ATPP)

rotura prematura de membranas pretérmino (RPMP) antes del trabajo de parto

alto riesgo de parto inminente sin ruptura prematura de membranas pretérmino (RPMP)

Contributors

Authors

Andrew H. Shennan, MD, FRCOG

Professor of Obstetrics

King's College London

London

UK

Disclosures

AHS has given talks for Hologic, the manufacturer of fetal fibronectin, and has received funds to his institute for research. AHS is an author of several references cited in this topic.

Joanna C. Girling, MA, MRCP, FRCOG

Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology

West Middlesex University Hospital

London

UK

Disclosures

JCG declares that she has no competing interests.

Peer reviewers

Jo Trinder, MD

Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist

St Michael's Maternity Wing

Bristol Royal Infirmary

Bristol

UK

Disclosures

JT has accepted honoraria for speaking to groups of midwives and doctors about miscarriage management.

Kirsty Dundas, MBChB, DCH, FRCOG

Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist

Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh

Honorary Senior Lecturer

University of Edinburgh

Edinburgh

UK

Disclosures

KD declares that she has no competing interests.

Deidre Lyell, MD

Assistant Professor of Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Stanford University

Stanford

CA

Disclosures

DL declares that she has no competing interests.

Peer reviewer acknowledgements

BMJ Best Practice topics are updated on a rolling basis in line with developments in evidence and guidance. The peer reviewers listed here have reviewed the content at least once during the history of the topic.

Disclosures

Peer reviewer affiliations and disclosures pertain to the time of the review.

References

Our in-house evidence and editorial teams collaborate with international expert contributors and peer reviewers to ensure that we provide access to the most clinically relevant information possible.

Key articles

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Preterm labour and birth. Jun 2022 [internet publication].Full text

Shennan AH, Story L, Royal College of Obstetricians, Gynaecologists. Cervical cerclage: green-top guideline no. 75. BJOG. 2022 Jun;129(7):1178-210.Full text  Abstract

EPPPIC Group. Evaluating Progestogens for Preventing Preterm birth International Collaborative (EPPPIC): meta-analysis of individual participant data from randomised controlled trials. Lancet. 2021 Mar 27;397(10280):1183-94.Full text  Abstract

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Care of women presenting with suspected preterm prelabour rupture of membranes from 24+0 weeks of gestation. Green-top guideline no. 73. Jun 2019 [internet publication].Full text

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' Committee on Committee Opinion-Obstetrics. ACOG committee opinion no. 713: antenatal corticosteroid therapy for fetal maturation. Obstet Gynecol. 2017 Aug;130(2):e102-9.Full text  Abstract

Reference articles

A full list of sources referenced in this topic is available to users with access to all of BMJ Best Practice.
  • Differentials

    • Desprendimiento prematuro de placenta
    • Infección urinaria (IU)
    • Quiste de ovario
    More Differentials
  • Guidelines

    • Twin and triplet pregnancy
    • Cervical cerclage (Green-top guideline no. 75)
    More Guidelines
  • Patient information

    Trabajo de parto prematuro

    More Patient information
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