Response of immature baboon fetal lung to intra-amniotic betamethasone

Intra-amniotic betamethasone (6 mg.) given to six immature fetal baboons, at four and again at three days prior to delivery by cesarean section, between 147 and 158 days' gestation (term = 180 days), significantly increased the amniotic fluid lecithin/sphingomyelin (L/S) ratio. At delivery, treated animal lungs were more mature in that they had a significantly increased deflation stability and significantly decreased minimum surface tension in minced lung when compared to five control animals. Changes in maximum air distensibility lagged behind changes in deflation stability. The major molecular species of pulmonary phosphatidylcholine were analyzed by gas liquid chromatography as the diacylglycerol derivatives. The proportions of 14:0/16:0, 16:0/16:0, and 16:0/18:0, were significantly increased over control proportions while unsaturated species tended to decrease in animals exposed to intra-amniotic betamethasone. The immature fetal baboon pulmonary system responded to intra-amniotic betamethasone with a synchronous increase in the L/S ratio, improved pulmonary stability, and a more mature pulmonary lecithin composition, but did not demonstrate a synchronous increase in tissue distensibility.