Preventing preterms

Mothers who have experienced one preterm baby delivery might avoid another thanks to a new injection that’s designed to prevent premature birth.

Food and Drug Administration in February approved hydroxyprogesterone caproate, which will be marketed as Makena by Hologic. According to FDA, during a clinical trial that included 463 pregnant women who had a history of a preterm birth, 37 percent of the women who had an injection of hydroxyprogesterone caproate delivered before 37 weeks, compared with 55 percent who didn’t get an injection. The medication is given once a week between the 16th and the 37th week of pregnancy.

KV Pharmaceuticals, which owns Hologic’s Makena, says the medication will cost $1,500 per injection. Each patient would require 15 to 20 injections.