Atosiban versus nifedipine for the management of preterm labor: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Pascon Alessandro A, Fumes Ana Júlia AJ, Rüdinger Nícolas Hammad NH, da Costa Ricardo Filipe Alves RFA et al.
To compare the efficacy, maternal safety, and neonatal outcomes of atosiban versus nifedipine in the management of preterm labor, with particular attention to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission rates. PubMed, EBSCOHost, ClinicalTrials.gov and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP), and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were systematically searched up to May 25, 2025. No language restrictions were applied. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing atosiban and nifedipine in women with clinically diagnosed preterm labor were included, provided they reported at least one outcome related to pregnancy prolongation. Six RCTs comprising 1,070 patients met inclusion criteria. Two reviewers independently extracted data on efficacy, maternal adverse effects, and neonatal outcomes using a standardized form. Risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 (RoB 2) tool. Pooled analyses showed no significant difference between atosiban and nifedipine in delaying delivery for 48 hours (risk ratio [RR] 1.09; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.97-1.23) or 7 days (RR 1.04; 95% CI 0.89-1.22). Atosiban was associated with a significantly lower risk of maternal headache, hypotension, and tachycardia. Atosiban was associated with a non-statistically significant trend toward higher NICU admission (RR 1.36; 95% CI 0.97-1.94; p=0.079), an estimate derived from only two RCTs with substantial heterogeneity (I2=69.8%) and warranting cautious interpretation. No significant differences were observed for neonatal death, sepsis, or hemorrhagic disease. Atosiban and nifedipine offer comparable tocolytic efficacy. Atosiban carries a more favorable maternal safety profile but shows a non-significant trend toward higher NICU admission warranting confirmation in larger trials. Tocolytic selection should therefore be individualized, weighing maternal tolerability against this uncertain neonatal signal.Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO CRD420251065426.