Antenatal glucocorticoid administration and neonatal glycemia

In the group of preterm newborns born after a single dose of Celestone chronodose given to the mothers (in order to avoid RDS syndrome) mean glycemia values at the 4th and the 12th hour after birth were not very different from the values observed in preterm newborns whose mothers were not treated with any glucocorticoid. Mean glycemia levels were significantly higher in those newborns who were fed early (within 4 h after birth) and intensively as compared with the babies traditionally not fed within the first 12 h after birth. The suggestions may be drawn out that: (1) A single dose of Celestone chronodose given to the mother 12 h prior to parturition does not influence the glycemia in the newborns. (2) The early introduction of intensive feeding (e.g. according to the scheme proposed by Boehm and Beyreiss) seems to be a good possibility for diminishing the risk of the incidence of hypoglycemia in the newborns.