Oral plus vaginal alpha-lipoic acid in women at risk for preterm delivery

Objective: The etiology of preterm labor is multifactorial. An inflammatory response is always involved with the activation of NF-kB that determines synthesis and release of inflammatory molecules, implicated in fetal membrane activation, cervical modifications, abdominal pain and spontaneous uterine contractions. There is a close relationship between preterm birth and cervical shortening in the second quarter of pregnancy. We evaluated the benefits of alpha-lipoic acid administration on women considered at risk of preterm delivery due to the presence of symptoms (pelvic pain and uterine contractions) or reduced cervical length. Patients and Methods: This prospective observational study was…