To Evaluate Changes in Blood Glucose Following Antenatal Corticosteroid Therapy in Preterm Antenatal Women of Gestational Age 28-34 Weeks

Abstract

Premature birth is the largest unsolved problem in obstetrics today and the single most significant cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Routine use of corticosteroids can cause metabolic alterations in the mother, short term and long term effect in the fetus. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the blood sugar changes for a period of six days following antenatal corticosteroid administration and to study the immediate changes in the mother and the fetus. We found out that there was a statistically significant change (P<0.001) in blood sugar values when compared with the prebetamethasone values.