Effect of Maternal Dxamethasone Administration on Fetal Doppler Indices

Abstract

Summary orticosteroids reduce the occurrence of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and other complications following preterm birth, such as intraventricular hemorrhage, necrotizing enterocolitis and neonatal death. The benefits of betamethasone treatment have been questioned in severely growth-restricted fetuses (van Stralen et al., 2009). Evaluation of fetal wellbeing with Doppler waveform studies after maternal corticosteroid administration is therefore important. Knowledge of fetal haemodynamic effects of exogenous corticosteroids is limited. Little is known about the impact of antenatal corticosteroid therapy on Doppler waveforms in fetal arteries (Wallace & Baker, 1999). The aim of this study was to investigate the possible effects of antenatal dexamethasone administration on umbilical artery, middle cerebral artery, aortic artery and ductus arteriosus flow velocity waveforms indices in suspected preterm labour. Results of the current study showed that age of the study group ranged between 18- 36 years with mean 25.29 ± 5.91 SD, with gestational age ranging from 28 – 34 with mean 31.20 ± 1.91 SD. There was no statistically significant difference between measures after day 2 of dexamethasone admensteration as C  Summary 87 regard RI & PI of umbilical artery, middle cerebral artery, ductus venosus and aorta. There was a highly significant difference after 4 days of dexamethasone admensteration as regard RI of middle cerebral artery, significant difference as regard PI of MCA, and all other parameters were non- significant. Comparison between day 2 and day 4 regarding to studied parameters show highly significant difference as regard RI of MCA.