Effect of Betamethason on Maternal Hemodynamic Changes in Preterm Labor

Corticosteroids have been used for pregnant women for fetal lung maturation but there are many controversies about their effects and side-effects, the aim of this study was to determine the effects of betamethasone on the hemodynamic changes (heart rate and blood pressure) in pregnant women. This clinical trial study performed on 100 pregnant women at risk of preterm delivery between 24-34 weeks of gestation in Yahyanejad hospital in Babol (2006). Betamethasone was injected 12 mg (2 doses with 12 hours interval, IM) and systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and heart rate were measured before injection (2 times with 5 minute interval) and after first and second dose injection (after each dose 2 times with 2 hours interval). The data were analyzed by SPSS soft ware and compared. The mean age of our patients was 24.2 4.7 years (16–40 years). The mean gestational age of our patients was 32.4 2.6 weeks. The mean average of maternal heart rate after first dose of betamethasone administration (85.2 8.2) was significantly higher than before treatment (84 8.2) (p= 0.033). But there was no significantly difference between the mean average of maternal systolic and diastolic blood pressure before and after each dose administration. Our results show that betamethasone dont have any significant effect on systolic and diastolic blood pressure changes in pregnant women but it may increase the mean of maternal heart rate after first dose of injection that this change is transient. Betamethasone has no significant effect on the hemodynamic changes in mother.