[Cardiac status of the newborn infant following prolonged induction of labor by fenoterol].

516 newborn children were subjected to thorough cardiac and neurological investigation after long-term tocolysis with fenoterol with and without supplementary medication with verapamil. No symptoms of myocardial damage caused by the drug appeared either in the electrocardiogram nor by means of testing for laboratory chemical parameters such as KC-MB, Serum Myoglobin and CB-K. Except for premature children, no significant neurological characteristics were found either. Due to the low quantity of fenoterol passing through the placenta and because of the minimum accumulation of fenoterol in fetal tissues especially in the fetal myocardium, tocolysis does not seem to have any significantly dangerous fetal effects, so long as control parameters are strictly adhered to. The therapeutic objective that is attempted, namely the prevention of labour, thus justifies the use of the betasympathomimetic fenoterol.