Obstetrics & Gynecology Track the topics, authors and articles important to you
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Obstetrics & Gynecology 2001;97:301-304
© 2001 by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by SHELTON, S. D.
Right arrow Articles by HERBERT, W. N. P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by SHELTON, S. D.
Right arrow Articles by HERBERT, W. N. P.

ORIGINAL RESEARCH

Repeated Fetal Betamethasone Treatment and Birth Weight and Head Circumference

STUART D. SHELTON, MD, KIM A. BOGGESS, MD, AMY P. MURTHA, MD, AMY O. GROFF, MD and WILLIAM N. P. HERBERT, MD

From the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.

Address reprint requests to: Stuart D. Shelton, MD Darnall Loop Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Darnall Army Community Hospital Ft. Hood, TX 76544-5063 E-mail: stuart.shelton{at}amedd.army.mil

Objective: To assess the effect of repeated courses of betamethasone on birth weight and head circumference.

Methods: We conducted a historical cohort study of inpatients receiving betamethasone therapy over 5 years. We compared birth weights and head circumferences of infants whose mothers received one course of betamethasone with those of infants whose mothers received multiple courses. Multiple regression analysis was used to adjust for potential confounding variables. Sufficient power (80%) existed to detect a 20% difference between the groups ({alpha} = 0.05).

Results: Mean birth weights (±SD) were 1717 ± 707 g in the single-course group (n = 107) and 1783 ± 647 g in the multiple-course group (n = 45) (P = .59, Student t-test). Mean head circumference was 28.2 ± 3.6 cm in the single-course group and 29.2 ± 2.9 cm in the multiple-course group (P = .15, Student t-test). In regression analysis, birth weights (1757 g and 1752 g) and head circumferences (28.5 cm and 29.0 cm) did not differ significantly different between the single-course and multiple-course groups.

Conclusion: Multiple courses of betamethasone do not reduce birth weight or head circumference in neonates compared with single-course therapy.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Reproductive SciencesHome page
T. J. M. Moss, I. Nitsos, R. Harding, and J. P. Newnham
Differential Effects of Maternal and Fetal Betamethasone Injections in Late-Gestation Fetal Sheep
Reproductive Sciences, December 1, 2003; 10(8): 474 - 479.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Obstet GynecolHome page
M. B. Bracken, E. W. Triche, K. Belanger, A. Saftlas, W. S. Beckett, and B. P. Leaderer
Asthma Symptoms, Severity, and Drug Therapy: A Prospective Study of Effects on 2205 Pregnancies
Obstet. Gynecol., October 1, 2003; 102(4): 739 - 752.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Obstet GynecolHome page
J. A. Thorp, P. G. Jones, E. Knox, and R. H. Clark
Does Antenatal Corticosteroid Therapy Affect Birth Weight and Head Circumference?
Obstet. Gynecol., January 1, 2002; 99(1): 101 - 108.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2001 by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.