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Updated: Aug 22, 2026

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

Prenatal and postnatal steroid therapy and child neurodevelopment

Smadar Friedman1, Eric S Shinwell

  • 1Department of Neonatology, Kaplan Medical Center, PO Box 1, Rehovot 76100, Israel. smadar_e@clalit.org.il

Clinics in Perinatology
|August 25, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Perinatal steroid therapy may harm developing brains in preterm infants. Guidelines recommend limited steroid use to balance lung disease reduction with neurodevelopmental safety.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal care
  • Neurodevelopmental research
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Accumulating evidence suggests potential neurotoxic effects of perinatal steroid therapy on immature brains.
  • The developing fetal and preterm infant brain is particularly vulnerable to exogenous substances.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current recommendations and evidence regarding the optimal use of steroids in preterm infants.
  • To minimize lung disease while preventing adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current clinical guidelines and scientific literature.
  • Analysis of the risks and benefits of prenatal and postnatal steroid administration.

Main Results:

  • National Institutes of Health (NIH) guidelines recommend a single course of prenatal steroids for imminent preterm delivery.
  • American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines advocate limiting postnatal steroid therapy to specific cases after the first week of life.

Conclusions:

  • Careful consideration and limitation of steroid therapy are crucial in high-risk neonates.
  • Balancing the benefits for lung disease with potential neurodevelopmental risks is paramount.

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