We sought to determine if antepartum
steroid treatment offers any clinical benefits to patients with premature
rupture of membranes. One hundred and forty-five maternal-neonatal pairs were studied. Forty-five maternal-neonatal pairs with premature, preterm
rupture of membranes received
steroids during 24-35 weeks' gestation. One hundred maternal-neonatal pairs received no antenatal
steroids. The 2 groups were identical with regard to gestational age at
rupture of membranes, gravity, parity, race, fetal gender, socioeconomic status, smoking, and preterm labour risk factors. Study of the data revealed that maternal
chorioamnionitis was less frequent in the
steroid group (p < 0.001).
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (
oxygen dependent at discharge at term gestational age) was less frequent in the
steroid group (p < 0.05). The remainder of the data revealed no statistically significant differences in preterm delivery rate,
necrotizing enterocolitis,
respiratory distress syndrome, intraventricular haemorrhage rate or severity of haemorrhage, hospital days, latency to delivery, or
ventilator days. Antepartum
steroid use in preterm
rupture of membranes appears to offer clinical benefit in premature infants by lessening the rate of
bronchopulmonary dysplasia in those infants receiving antepartum
steroids.