Is there a benefit of Antenatal Corticosteroid when given < 48 hours before delivery?

Antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) are part of the standard care for women at risk premature birth to reduce adverse neonatal outcome. Neonatal benefits optimized when ACS administered 2-7 days before delivery. Less is known about a shorter administration-to-birth interval less than 48 hours. We assessed association between short Corticosteroid Administration-to-Birth Interval and A retrospective cohort single tertiary center from 2010- 2020. included all singleton preterm live-born neonates born 24 0/7 33 6/7 weeks gestation were initiated an course Betamethasone. Exclusion criteria intra-uterine fetal death, unknown timing administration ACS, more one ACS. consisted Betamethasone (intramuscularly, two doses 12 mg hours apart). divided first following 1st four time intervals compared each those administration. The primary outcome was composite outcome, including mortality or any major morbidity. total 200 gave receiving betamethasone injection, 172 within (48-168 hours) Composite higher initial injection (55.45% vs. 29.07%, OR 3.45 95% CI [2.02-5.89], p.value< 0.0001). However, There no difference in outcomes 12-48 after days. That also true adjusting confounders. 12-24 Administration may be sufficient reducing same morbidities as > It raise question regarding utility second dose ACS.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT)