Cohort study finds newborn respiratory complications less common when mothers of babies with fetal lung immaturity at 34–37 weeks’ gestation given antenatal steroids
- 1Perinatal Institute and Division of Neonatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
- 2Center for Prevention of Preterm Birth, Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
- 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
- Correspondence to: Dr Beena D Kamath-Rayne
Perinatal Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, MLC 7009, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA; beena.kamath-rayne{at}cchmc.org
Commentary on: Yinon Y, Haas J, Mazaki-Tovi S, et al. Should patients with documented fetal lung immaturity after 34 weeks of gestation be treated with steroids? Am J Obstet Gynecol 2012;207:222.e1–4.
Implications for practice and research
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Infants whose mothers were treated with antenatal corticosteroids (ANS) after documented fetal lung immaturity at >34 weeks’ gestation had a lower rate of composite respiratory morbidity.
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There was no statistically significant difference in the rate of special care unit admission.
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The study supports prolonging pregnancy as long as possible without incurring undue risk to the mother as the most beneficial approach to avoid prematurity-related newborn complications.
Context
Late preterm infants are the fast-growing proportion of preterm infants in the USA, and these infants are at risk for a variety of prematurity-related morbidities, including respiratory and feeding difficulties and neonatal …
