{"id":110719,"date":"2019-12-20T04:38:12","date_gmt":"2019-12-20T09:38:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.oviahealth.com\/guide\/110719\/hub-progesterone\/"},"modified":"2025-09-29T16:53:57","modified_gmt":"2025-09-29T20:53:57","slug":"hub-progesterone","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.oviahealth.com\/guide\/110719\/hub-progesterone\/","title":{"rendered":"How effective is progesterone for preventing preterm birth?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Preterm birth can be dangerous for newborns and their mothers, and not all preterm births are alike \u2013 the earlier they are, the greater the risk. This is why medications and treatment designed to avoid preterm birth aim to prolong pregnancy until as close to full term as possible, whether that means adding three days to the length of a pregnancy, or three weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who might progesterone be a good fit for?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Studies show that vaginal progesterone treatments may help reduce the risk of preterm birth for those with a short cervix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What if you have a history of preterm birth?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Those who have had spontaneous preterm deliveries of single babies in the past are especially at risk for preterm delivery. Some research suggested that progesterone treatment was helpful for those with a history of prior preterm birth, and that getting weekly progesterone injections would lower the risk of preterm labor. However, the PROLONG study published in 2020<\/a> found that weekly progesterone injections did not<\/em> have a significant benefit for those with a history of preterm birth. Therefore weekly progesterone injections are no longer recommended as a medication to prevent preterm birth. Vaginal progesterone is recommended for those with a short cervix as defined by less than 2.5cm, in people with and without a history of preterm birth. Vaginal progesterone is not recommended for people with a history of preterm birth as a solo risk factor.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How does it work?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Progesterone works by relaxing the uterus thus preventing the contractions that kickstart labor and helps maintain a stable cervical length. This means that even in cases where progesterone treatments don\u2019t prevent preterm labor, they may delay labor significantly, giving babies longer to develop in the womb. Babies who are considered to be \u201clate preterm\u201d \u2013 babies born between 34 and 36 weeks gestation \u2013 have a lower risk of health complications, and the closer to term a pregnancy gets, there is even less risk of complications for the baby <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Progesterone isn\u2019t an effective treatment for those carrying twins or multiples, and may not be right for those who have personal histories of certain health conditions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Read more<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n