Prophylactic antenatal corticosteroid before elective cesarean delivery at or near term: a retrospective study

Background: While the role of antenatal steroids administration to mother is proved in reducing neonatal morbidity and mortality in preterm gestation secondary to respiratory distress and hyaline membrane disease its role in patients undergoing elective cesarean deliveries at or near term appears to be controversial.Methods: This was a retrospective observational study in which women who have undergone elective cesarean delivery between 34-37 weeks of gestation were included. Those women who received two intramuscular injections of 12 mg betamethasone 24 h apart were included in group S whereas the women who didn’t receive such injections were included in group B. Outcome measures were incidence of transient tachypnea of the newborn, hyaline membrane disease and NICU admissions due to respiratory distress.Results: Neonates in the treatment group had a statistically significant lower overall incidence of transient tachypnea of newborn, respiratory distress syndrome and NICU admissions. The incidence of transient tachypnea of newborn and respiratory distress in Group S was 5% and 8.33% respectively where as TTN and respiratory distress was seen in 18.33% and 28.33% neonates in the group N. The over NICU admission rates, due to respiratory distress in group S and Group N were found to be 8.33% and 28.33% respectively.Conclusions: Antenatal administration of corticosteroids to women at or near term (34-37 weeks) is found to have a beneficial effect in reducing neonatal morbidity and NICU admissions secondary to respiratory distress in women undergoing elective CS