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Updated: Aug 17, 2026
Fetal Echocardiography and Pulsed-wave Doppler Ultrasound in a Rabbit Model of Intrauterine Growth Restriction
Published on: June 29, 2013
Antenatal corticosteroid therapy: a comparative study of dexamethasone and betamethasone effects on fetal Doppler
Remigiusz Urban1, Adam Lemancewicz, Jerzy Przepieść
1Department of Perinatology, Medical Academy of Bialystok, University Hospital, Sklodowska-Curie 24a, 15-276 Bialystok, Poland. urbanrem@amb.edu.pl
Objective:
To compare the effects of antenatal administration of dexamethasone and betamethasone, used in two different regimens, on fetal Doppler flow velocities.
Study Design:
Sixty-seven women at risk for preterm delivery received course of corticosteroids by means of a computer-generated randomization table. The Doppler examination of the pulsatility index (PI) of the umbilical artery (UA), the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and the middle cerebral artery/umbilical artery PI ratio (MCA PI/UA PI) were performed before treatment, 24 and 72 h after the first dose of corticosteroids. The SAS system was used to perform statistical analysis.
Results:
No significant change was observed in UA PI through dexamethasone therapy. In MCA there was a significant decrease in PI at 72 h (2+/-0.43 before and 1.68+/-0.31 after, p=0.0001). Similarly a significant decrease in MCA PI/UA PI ratio was noted (2.09+/-0.51 before and 1.83+/-0.4 after, p=0.0137). No significant changes were observed in UA PI, MCA PI and MCA PI/UA PI ratio during betamethasone treatment.
Conclusions:
Our results indicate significant decrease in fetal middle cerebral artery impedance at 72 h after maternal administration of the first dose of dexamethasone. Effects of dexamethasone on fetal brain warrants further research.
