The Effect of Betamethasone on the Consequences of Late Preterm Pregnancy: A Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial

This study aimed to assess the effect of betamethasone on neonatal and maternal complications of late preterm labor.

The women at the gestational age of 34 weeks to 36 weeks and 6 days who referred to Shahid Motahari Hospital, Urmia, Iran for premature labor or had a maternal indication of pregnancy termination were selected for this study. The participants were classified into the case group receiving two doses of 12 mg intramuscular betamethasone every 24 h or the control group who did not receive betamethasone. The incidence of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), need for mechanical or noninvasive ventilation, days of stay in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) or Neonatal Ward, umbilical arterial blood gases, maternal hyperglycemia, and wound infection were evaluated.

A total of 200 pregnant women were enrolled with a mean age of 27.06±6.55 years. Out of 200 neonates, 52 cases had RDS of which 21 received betamethasone. The first-minute Apgar score was 6.96±0.75 in the control and 7.57±0.67 in the case groups (P<0.001). The incidence of RDS, need for surfactant administration, noninvasive ventilation, and days of stay at NICU or Neonatal Ward were significantly different between the study groups. However, because of the low number of cases (2 cases), we did not find a significant difference in the need for mechanical ventilation between the two groups (P=0.041). There was maternal hyperglycemia in 65% of women in the test group.

Administration of betamethasone in late premature pregnancies can be effective in the reduction of neonatal complications without any increase in maternal complications.