الفهرس 
IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The need for a safe, effective and early marker for prediction of preterm labor before delivery is imminent is urgent nowadays because the previously used tocolytics are not effective and there is concern about their side effects.
Nitric oxide is a potent endogenous smooth muscle relaxant, decreased its synthesis in the uterus is associated with initiation of labor in animals NO acts via elevation of cGMP which induces uterine quiescense invitro.
NO is an unstable free radical that breaks down in presence of oxygen and water to nitrite and nitrate whithin 6 to 1 0 seconds. Plasma and urinary nitrate can be quantitated after reduction to nitrite and subsequent measurement of nitrite by Griess reagent.
The aim of this study was to evaluate whether patients with preterm labor but intact fetal membranes had significantly higher concentrations when compared with a group of control subjects of similar gestational ages.
The study included 40 pregnant women with their gestasional age ranges from 28 to 36 weeks and they were categorized into two groups.