title: Use or overuse of antenatal corticosteroids for suspected preterm birth.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the ratio of women who received antenatal steroid for suspected preterm birth (PTB) to those who actually deliver before 34 weeks of gestation at a tertiary care center.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective study. Data was collected from November 2008 to February 2009 on women who presented with suspected PTB had received corticosteroids (between 26 weeks and 33 weeks-6 days of gestation).
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than two-thirds of the women who received antenatal corticosteroids for suspected PTB actually delivered after 34 weeks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ratio of women who received complete dose of steroids for suspected PTB compared to the number of patients who actually deliver prematurely is high raising doubts about the methods employed to diagnose PTB.
authors.affiliation: Weill Cornell Medical College , WCMC-Q, Doha , Qatar and.
authors.forename: Rahima
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sanya
authors.forename: Eman
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Al Naggar
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gasim
authors.forename: Badreldeen Ibrahim
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Ahmed
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods*; D063487:Prescription Drug Misuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids
keywords: Antenatal corticosteroids; preterm labor; vaginal ultrasound