RETRACTED: Antenatal corticosteroid administration before elective caesarean section at term to prevent neonatal respiratory morbidity: a randomized controlled trial

Dexamethasone for the prevention of neonatal respiratory morbidity before elective cesarean section at term

“…20 Keeping with our results, a recent study in 2016 by Gyamfi-Bannerman and colleagues confirmed that administration of betamethasone to women at 34-36 weeks gestation significantly reduced the rate of TTN and surfactant use. 21 The main strength of the current study was the use of dexamethasone which is inexpensive, has no major side effects or complications, and has proven benefits.…”

“…20 They found that the NICU admission rate was significantly lower in the dexamethasone group compared with the control group (3.1% versus 6.7%, respectively; p=0.003). These results are in accord with the current study as the rate of NICU admission was 2.8% in the dexamethasone and 12.7% in control groups (p=0.003).…”

Antenatal corticosteroids beyond 34 weeks gestation: What do we do now?

“…13,14,44 However, there was no decrease in rates of RDS, nor in NICU admission overall, except in the Nada et al study. 13,14,44 Thus, in the term period, the greatest effect of ANCS is a decrease in rates of TTN, normally a self-limiting process. We must weigh this relatively small benefit with a lack of follow-up information for term infants exposed to ANCS, with a concern for longer term effects on academic performance in the ASTECS followup.…”

“…We must weigh this relatively small benefit with a lack of follow-up information for term infants exposed to ANCS, with a concern for longer term effects on academic performance in the ASTECS followup. 13,14,44,45 Even before the publication of the ALPS trial for ANCS use >34 weeks, there has been treatment creep of this practice outside of current practice recommendations. 10,29 While the ALPS trial supports improvements in respiratory morbidity after infants are exposed during late preterm gestation, it is important to note that there were no significant differences in rates of RDS nor NICU admission.…”

Maternal allergic asthma during pregnancy alters fetal lung and immune development in sheep: potential mechanisms for programming asthma and allergy

“…Mechanisms have been elucidated in sheep, where antenatal cortisol administration to the late gestation fetus increases numbers of type II alveolar cells as well as surfactant protein gene expression in the fetal lung (Flecknoe et al 2004). Use of antenatal corticosteroids is being trialled in other populations with increased risk of neonatal respiratory complications, such as in infants delivered at term by Caesarean section, with promising results (Nada et al 2016). The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommendations on Antenatal Corticosteroid Therapy for Fetal Maturation do not differentiate between asthmatic and non-asthmatic women (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 2017), and antenatal corticosteroids are not contraindicated in asthmatic women.…”