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Should the sex of the fetus be considered when administering antenatal corticosteroids to preterm fetuses?
- Source :
-
Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology Research . Oct2024, Vol. 50 Issue 10, p1830-1834. 5p. - Publication Year :
- 2024
-
Abstract
- Aim: We aimed to determine whether the effect of antenatal corticosteroids (ANS) differs in male and female fetuses without anomalies born before 32 weeks in terms of mortality and short‐term morbidity. Methods: This single‐center retrospective study included infants born before 32 weeks' gestation and admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2020. Results: The study included 210 infants with a median gestational age of 28.6 weeks (24–31.6), a birth weight of 1065 g (445–2165), and an ANS use rate of 80%. Compared to female fetuses exposed to ANS, male fetuses exposed to ANS had a lower mortality rate (23% and 11%, respectively, p = 0.038), but there were no differences in intraventricular hemorrhage, retinopathy of prematurity, necrotizing enterocolitis, respiratory distress syndrome, and APGAR scores of 1st and 5th but an increased rate of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (moderate/severe) (p = 0.008). In addition, the mortality rate was similar in exposed and unexposed female fetuses (p = 0.850). Enzyme activities and steroid levels in the placenta might be different in male and female fetuses, which could explain the results of ANS administration. Conclusions: In our study, we have shown that ANS has no effect on mortality in female fetuses younger than 32 weeks. Future studies may focus on adjusting the administration of ANS based on fetal sex, altering the dose or taking fetal sex into account when performing ANS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *ADRENOCORTICAL hormones
*INFANT mortality
*DELIVERY (Obstetrics)
*PREMATURE infant diseases
*SEX distribution
*NEONATAL intensive care units
*BRONCHOPULMONARY dysplasia
*RETROSPECTIVE studies
*NEONATAL intensive care
*ENZYMES
*PRENATAL care
*NEONATAL necrotizing enterocolitis
*GESTATIONAL age
*MEDICAL records
*ACQUISITION of data
*APGAR score
*RESPIRATORY distress syndrome
*BIRTH weight
*RETROLENTAL fibroplasia
*CEREBRAL hemorrhage
*FETUS
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 13418076
- Volume :
- 50
- Issue :
- 10
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology Research
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 180110641
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1111/jog.16062