Effect of antenatal glucocorticoid therapy on arterial and venous blood flow velocity waveforms in severely growth-restricted fetuses.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of antenatal glucocorticoid (betamethasone) therapy on blood flow velocity waveform patterns in the umbilical artery (UA), middle cerebral artery (MCA) and ductus venosus (DV) in severely intrauterine growth-restricted (IUGR) fetuses.


METHODS
Fifty-five severely IUGR fetuses at 24-34 weeks of gestation were included in the study. The effect of antenatal glucocorticoid administration on Doppler findings in the UA, MCA and DV was studied using two statistical approaches, namely paired sample analysis and multilevel analysis.


RESULTS
There were no effects of betamethasone on the pulsatility index (PI) of the vessels studied. The only changes noticed during the 14 days of observation were a gradual decrease of PI in the MCA, an increase in the UA-PI/MCA-PI ratio and an increase in the DV-PI. These changes with time may be explained by a progressive and gradual deterioration of the fetal condition.


CONCLUSIONS
Antenatal glucocorticoids (betamethasone) do not affect fetal Doppler waveform patterns of the UA, MCA and DV in severely IUGR fetuses.
Wijnberger
L D E
LD
Department of Obstetrics, Neonatology and Gynecology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. l.wijnberger@hetnet.nl
Bilardo
C M
CM
Hecher
K
K
Stigter
R H
RH
Visser
G H A
GH
D001623:Betamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018617:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Pulsed; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D014469:Umbilical Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D001623:Betamethasone