Factors associated with the development of neonatal hypoglycemia after antenatal corticosteroid administration: It's all about timing

To determine the factors associated with neonatal hypoglycemia among neonates exposed to antenatal corticosteroid (ACS).

A retrospective study conducted during 2017-2019 at a tertiary-care center including all neonates delivered between 24 and 34 weeks of gestation after ACS administration. The primary outcome was neonatal hypoglycemia (<40 mg/dl).

Overall, 362 early preterm neonates, including 205 singletons and 157 twins, were exposed to ACS before delivery and constituted the study group. Of them, 275 (76.0%) were exposed to a single ACS course and 87 (24.0%) to an additional rescue ACS course. Neonatal hypoglycemia occurred in 84 (23.2%) neonates. The incidence of neonatal hypoglycemia was significantly higher in those delivered between 24 and 48 h after ACS administration compared with those delivered outside this time interval (10/25, 40.0% vs 74/337, 21.9%; P = 0.049). In multivariate analysis, after adjusting for neonatal birth weight and gestational age, delivery within 24-48 h after ACS administration was the only independent risk factor associated with neonatal hypoglycemia (adjusted odds ratio 2.41, 95% confidence interval 1.03-5.68; P = 0.044).

Neonatal hypoglycemia occurred in over one-fifth of those exposed to ACS, and was independently associated with delivery between 24 and 48 h after ACS administration.