Effects of the Time Interval between Antenatal Corticosteroid Exposure and Delivery on Neonatal Outcome of Premature Infants

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare neonatal outcomes of premature infants whose mothers had received antenatal corticosteroids more than or less than seven days prior to delivery. Methods: This study included 100 women at 24th to 34th weeks of pregnancy. They were all at risk of preterm labor and required glucocorticoid therapy. The infants were divided into two groups based on the time interval between glucocorticoid therapy and labor. The first group were newborns whose mothers had received glucocorticoid less than seven days before delivery. The second group comprised infants whose mothers had received glucocorticoid more than seven days prior to delivery. Neonatal outcomes including respiratory distress syndrome, duration of respiratory support, the need for surfactant administration, and duration of oxygen therapy were compared between groups. Findings: There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding the need for mechanical ventilation (P = 1.00), continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy (P = 0.62), CPAP therapy for more than 24 hours (P = 0.48), surfactant administration (P = 0.35) and the administered doses of surfactant (P = 0.27), duration of oxygen therapy (P = 0.17), frequency of necrotizing enterocolitis (P = 0.24), sepsis (P = 0.44), and death (P = 1.00). Conclusion: Our findings revealed that the time interval between exposure to antenatal corticosteroids and delivery does not affect neonatal outcomes. Therefore, only one course of glucocorticoids has to be prescribed for pregnant women who are at risk of preterm delivery. Keywords: Corticosteroid, Surfactant, Respiratory distress syndrome, Preterm infant, Preterm delivery