How Effective Is Nifedipine?
Nifedipine can reduce the number and frequency of contractions, though, this effect and how long it lasts varies from woman to woman. Like all tocolytic medications, however, calcium channel blockers do not consistently prevent or delay preterm delivery for a significant period of time. Even so, studies have shown that calcium channel blockers can delay delivery for at least several days (depending, of course, on how far dilated a woman’s cervix is when the medication is started.) This isn’t a lot of time, but it can make a big difference for the fetus if the mother is given steroids along with calcium channel blockers. After 48 hours, steroids improve a baby’s lung function and reduce his or her risk of dying by 40%.
