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Published on: November 20, 2015
Neonatal hypoglycemia after initiation of late preterm antenatal corticosteroids
Kristen R Uquillas1, Richard H Lee2, Smeeta Sardesai3
1Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Kristen.Uquillas@med.usc.edu.
Objective:
To compare the frequency and severity of neonatal hypoglycemia in pregnancies treated with and without late preterm antenatal corticosteroids.
Study Design:
We conducted a retrospective cohort study of late preterm deliveries at LAC + USC (2015-2018). Neonatal outcomes were compared between pregnancies treated with and without corticosteroids.
Results:
93 pregnancies (39.9%) received corticosteroids and 140 (60.1%) did not. Neonates born to women given corticosteroids were more likely to be hypoglycemic (47.3 vs. 29.3%, ORadj 2.25, padj = 0.01). The mean initial glucose (45.6 mg/dL vs. 51.9 mg/dL, p = 0.01) and glucose nadir (39.1 mg/dL vs. 45.4 mg/dL, p < 0.001) were significantly lower if the neonates received corticosteroids. Neonates admitted to the NICU solely for hypoglycemia were more likely to be born to women treated with corticosteroids (ORadj 4.71, padj = 0.01).
Conclusion:
Administration of late preterm corticosteroids was associated with an increased incidence and severity of neonatal hypoglycemia.
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