A method of treating protracted labor in a pregnant woman comprises administering to a pregnant woman an effective amount of a depolymerised low molecular weight heparin treated with periodate to eradicate antithrombin III binding affinities, thereby exhibiting an anticoagulant activity of 10 BP units/mg or less and an average molecular weight not higher than 10000 Da to prime or curatively treat the cervix and myometrium and for treatment of slow progress of labor. A method for prophylactic priming or curative treatment of the cervix and the myometrium for establishing effective labor in a pregnant woman comprises administering to a pregnant woman an effective amount of a depolymerised low molecular weight heparin as described to prophylactically prime or curatively treat the cervix and myometrium and for establishing effective labor in the pregnant woman.
