الفهرس 
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Abstract
Preterm birth is defined by the World Health Organization as birth prior to 37 completed weeks of gestation (WHO; 2011).
The exact mechanism of the onset of both term and preterm labor in humans is a complex interaction of many different hormonal pathways, culminating in co-ordinated uterine contractile activity, mediated by the production of prostaglandins (Challis et al., 2002).
Progesterone has an essential role in maintaining pregnancy. Primarily through establishing uterine quiescence, this is achieved through suppression of the calcium-calmodulin-myosin light chain
kinase system, reducing calcium flux and altering the resting potential of smooth muscle (Lopez et al., 2003).
Calcium channel blockers are responsible for the majority of the observed calcium current in the human myometrium. The Ca2+ channels are complex proteins composed of five distinct subunits (α1, α2, β, δ and γ) encoded by multiple genes (Wray et al., 2003).
The current study was carried out to compare between vaginal progesterone and CCBs in prevention of preterm birth in women with short cervix
150 pregnant women with short cervix were grouped into 3 groups:
A. 50 patients received placebo in the form of tonics.
B. 50 patients received CCB in the form of epilat retard 20mg twice daily.
C. 50 patients received vaginal progesterone.