Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 11, 2026

Fecal Glucocorticoid Analysis: Non-invasive Adrenal Monitoring in Equids
Published on: April 25, 2016
The effects of repeat doses of antenatal corticosteroids on maternal adrenal function
D S McKenna1, G M Wittber, H N Nagaraja
1Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to determine whether repeated doses of maternal corticosteroids suppress the maternal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.
Study Design:
The low-dose corticotropin stimulation test (1.0 microg intravenously) was administered a median of 3 days after the last betamethasone dose to 18 pregnant women who had received at least 2 weekly courses of antenatal betamethasone and to 6 control subjects matched for gestational age who had not received antenatal corticosteroids.
Results:
The mean basal cortisol level was significantly depressed among women who had received betamethasone with respect to control subjects (1.9 +/- 1.5 vs 26.5 +/- 6.2 microg/dL; P <.001). The maternal cortisol level after corticotropin stimulation was significantly lower in all women who had received betamethasone (P <. 001). The mean time to attainment of peak cortisol level was significantly longer among women who had received betamethasone than among control subjects (37 +/- 6.8 vs 27.4 +/- 1.6 minutes; P <.001).
Conclusions:
Repeated courses of betamethasone lead to barely detectable maternal basal cortisol levels and secondary adrenal insufficiency.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Factors Affecting Drug Response: Overview
Teratogenicity
Desensitization and Tachyphylaxis
Several...
Antiasthma Drugs: Inhaled Corticosteroids and Glucocorticoids
ICS work through a multifaceted mechanism of action. They suppress the inflammatory response caused by the proliferation of TH cells. They also reduce the transcription of the IL-2 gene, which is involved in the...
Cushing Syndrome I: Introduction
Cushing Syndrome II: Pathophysiology

