Bolus Administration of Zidovudine During Pregnancy

Abstract

This paper does not directly address the question of bolus tocolytic therapy. It examines the relative advantages of continuous intravenous infusion vs bolus oral administration of zidovudine (ZDV), previously known as azidothymidine (AZT) in the treatment of the HIV-infected woman during pregnancy. In an attempt to evaluate these two modes of therapy without risk to the mother and the intrauterine patient, we have studied the placental transfer and metabolism of the drug using an in vitro perfusion technique. Schneider and Proegler have used in vitro perfusion to compare bolus and continuous administration of beta-adrenergic antagonists (5).