Doppler measurements in fetoplacental vessels after maternal betamethasone administration.
OBJECTIVE
To observe the influence of maternal betamethasone administration for fetal lung maturation on the arterial, venous and intracardiac blood flow of the fetus and the uterine arteries.


METHODS
Twenty-seven women with singleton pregnancies were examined before the first, and 30 min and 8, 24, 48 and 72 h after the second of two single doses of 8 mg of betamethasone. We recorded blood flow velocity waveforms of the umbilical artery (UA), the middle cerebral artery, the uterine arteries, the ductus venosus, the inferior vena cava and the right hepatic vein, the pulmonary trunk, the ductus arteriosus and the right and left intraventricular inflow of the heart.


RESULTS
The resistance index of the UA showed a significant transient decrease 30 min (p = 0.024) after the second betamethasone dose. The peak systolic velocity of the ductus arteriosus increased significantly 30 min after the 2nd dose (p = 0.009) and then returned to non-significant values. No significant change was observed in any of the other vessels.


CONCLUSIONS
Betamethasone causes short-term changes in fetal blood flow. However, this effect seems to be mild and reversible and does not appear to contraindicate the use of corticosteroids to promote fetal lung maturation.
Kähler
C
C
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany. ckaehler@med.uni-jena.de
Schleussner
E
E
Möller
A
A
Seewald
H-J
HJ
D001158:Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D001623:Betamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D004373:Ductus Arteriosus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005325:Fetal Organ Maturity; D005333:Fetus / Q000098:blood supply*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D010920:Placenta / Q000098:blood supply*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D001623:Betamethasone