A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) highlights the significant benefits of administering steroids to expectant mothers at risk of premature birth.The research found that preterm babies born after their mothers received a single dose of steroids had a 1% increase in survival and a 1% increase in survival without illness for every hour that passed between steroid administration and birth. These findings underscore the importance of timely steroid administration in improving neonatal outcomes, even when the full standard treatment course is not possible.

The study was conducted by Dr.Sanjay Chawla,M.D., a neonatologist at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan and faculty member at Central Michigan University (CMU) College of Medicine, in collaboration with researchers from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, which also funded the research. The objective was to determine whether steroids given within a shorter-than-usual window before a preterm birth could still provide substantial benefits for newborns.

Medical professionals typically administer steroids to pregnant women who are at risk of early delivery to help accelerate fetal lung development and reduce the risk of complications associated with premature birth. The standard regimen involves giving two to four doses within a 48-hour window to maximize benefits. However, in some cases, the full 48-hour period is not available due to unforeseen complications or the urgency of the delivery. This study set out to examine how even a single dose, given just a few hours before birth, might impact survival rates and overall health outcomes for preterm infants.

By analyzing medical records of 1,806 infants born between 22 and 27 weeks of gestation, researchers discovered that even when the full steroid treatment course could not be completed, every additional hour between steroid administration and birth improved survival outcomes. The study also found that antenatal steroids played a key role in reducing the risk of respiratory distress, intestinal complications such as necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and brain bleeding (intraventricular hemorrhage), all of which are significant concerns for premature infants.

Dr. Chawla emphasized the importance of timely steroid administration, stating that even a short window of exposure to a single dose of steroids can be life-saving for preterm infants. The data revealed that newborns as young as 22 weeks gestation benefited significantly from steroid administration, and the advantages continued to increase with each passing hour before birth.

These findings highlight the need for a proactive approach to steroid use in preterm labor cases, especially when time is limited. Given that preterm birth remains one of the leading causes of neonatal mortality and long-term health issues, this study reinforces the idea that every hour counts when managing pregnancies at risk of premature delivery.

The research also has potential implications for clinical guidelines, as it suggests that even in urgent cases where the full 48-hour steroid protocol cannot be followed, administering a single dose as early as possible may still provide significant benefits. The study’s findings may encourage healthcare providers to adopt a more flexible approach to steroid administration, ensuring that as many preterm infants as possible receive at least some level of protection before birth.

This study marks an important advancement in neonatal medicine and offers hope to both healthcare professionals and parents facing the challenges of high-risk pregnancies.The results reinforce the critical role of antenatal steroids in improving the survival and health outcomes of premature infants, even when administered in a shortened time frame.

Source: https://www.cmich.edu/news/details/study-led-by-cmu-college-of-medicine-faculty-member-shows-positive-effects-of-steroids-on-preterm-infant-development