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Children who were exposed to antenatal corticosteroids and had birth weights ⩽1500 g did not have adverse growth, cognitive, or lung function outcomes at age 14 years

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QUESTION: Are children who were exposed to antenatal corticosteroids and had birth weights ⩽1500 g at increased risk of adverse growth, cognitive, and lung function outcomes at age 14 years?

Design

Cohort study.

Setting

A hospital in Melbourne, Australia.

Participants

154 consecutive infants (mean gestational age 29.4 wks, 53% boys) with birth weights ⩽1500 g who survived to age 14 years, corrected for prematurity. 130 children (84%) were assessed at age 14 years.

Assessment of risk factors

78 mothers (51%) had received 1 course of antenatal corticosteroids (betamethasone) to accelerate fetal lung maturation, and 76 (49%) had not received any antenatal corticosteroids.

Main outcome measures

Height, weight, and head circumference (z scores for appropriate age and sex, relative to the British …

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Footnotes

  • Source of funding: in part, the Royal Women's Hospital Research Foundation.

  • For correspondence: Dr L W Doyle, Division of Newborn Services, Royal Women's Hospital, 132 Grattan Street, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia.