The effect of multidose antenatal betamethasone on maternal and infant outcomes.
OBJECTIVE
This study was undertaken to determine whether prolonged betamethasone therapy is, as has been suggested, associated with adverse maternal or neonatal outcomes.


METHODS
A secondary multivariate analysis of a randomized controlled trial was performed to determine whether duration of betamethasone therapy was associated with adverse maternal or neonatal outcomes.


RESULTS
There were 414 fetuses whose mothers were randomly assigned to trial groups. Final models included only valid cases without missing or averaged data (N = 367 to N = 412, depending on the model). Three or more sets of weekly betamethasone injections were given in 21.3% of cases and > or =4 sets were given in 12.3% of cases. Prolonged antenatal betamethasone therapy was not associated with increases in incidences of antenatal fever, chorioamnionitis, reduced birth weight, suppressed neonatal adrenal function, neonatal sepsis, or neonatal death. It was associated with larger birth weights (P <.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Prolonged antenatal betamethasone therapy was not associated with higher risks of antenatal maternal fever, chorioamnionitis, reduced birth weight, neonatal adrenal suppression, neonatal sepsis, and neonatal death.
Thorp
J A
JA
St Luke's Perinatal Center, St Luke's Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri, USA.
Jones
A M
AM
Hunt
C
C
Clark
R
R
D000309:Adrenal Insufficiency / Q000453:epidemiology; D001623:Betamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002821:Chorioamnionitis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000139:chemically induced; D005865:Gestational Age; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature; D010919:Placebos; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D018805:Sepsis / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D010919:Placebos; D001623:Betamethasone