Effects of antenatal betamethasone on human fetal branch pulmonary artery flow velocity waveforms.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of antenatal betamethasone on fetal branch pulmonary artery flow velocity waveforms.


METHODS
Betamethasone 12 mg i.m. in 2 injections 24 h apart was given to 25 pregnant women at risk of preterm delivery. Pulsatility (PI) and resistance (RI) indexes were measured at the proximal, middle and distal segments of the fetal pulmonary artery before and repeatedly 1, 2 and 7 days after the first dose. ANOVA for repeated measures and the general linear model were used to statistically analyze the results.


RESULTS
Blood flow resistance decreased after betamethasone treatment at both the middle (p = 0.001 and p = 0.02 for RI and PI, respectively) and the proximal (p = 0.03 for RI) segments returning to basal values after 7 days.


CONCLUSIONS
Antenatal betamethasone decreases fetal branch pulmonary artery vascular resistance.
Bartha
José L
JL
Division of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Puerta del Mar, Cádiz, Spain.
Largo-Heinrich
Marta
M
Machado
María J
MJ
González-Bugatto
Fernando
F
Hervías-Vivancos
Blas
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001623:Betamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods*; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods
D001623:Betamethasone