Celebrex shows benefits in preemies

ROCHESTER, N.Y., May 17 (UPI) -- Celecoxib (Celebrex) prevents the brains of premature babies from bleeding after birth, say doctors at the University of Rochester in New York.

Babies born between 24 and 32 weeks that weigh less than 3.5 pounds have a 20 percent risk of a type of brain bleeding called germinal matrix hemorrhages.

When celecoxib was given to female rabbits -- whose brains develop much like those of human beings -- for two days before their offspring were prematurely delivered, the incidence of moderate to severe matrix hemorrhages fell from 90 to 45 percent.

Since celecoxib is considered safe for pregnant women, the researchers said the hope their work can be translated into clinical treatment in the near future.

A report on the research appears in the April issue of Nature Medicine.