The effect of a short-term ritodrine treatment on the concentration of beta-adrenergic receptors in human myometrium.

The concentration of beta-adrenoceptors in human myometrium has been studied of women giving birth by elective cesarean section at term. Eight of the woman were treated with intravenous ritodrine two hours prior to the operation. In the control group seven women received physiological saline with the same infusion rate as ritodrine in the study group. The concentration of beta-receptors in the myometrium of the lower uterine segment was determined with radioligand binding assay. Ritodrine treatment decreased the available beta-receptors significantly.