Neonatal and maternal infectious morbidity between single and multiple courses of antenatal betamethasone treatment in patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes

Hwang, Ho Myong; Jang, In Seck; Jeong, Young Ju; Cho, Sung Nam

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to compare the neonatal and maternal infectious morbidity between single and multiple courses of antenatal betamethasone treatment in patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes.
METHODS
One hundred seventy patients who delivered neonates between 28 and 34 weeks' gestation after preterm premature rupture of membranes from January 1992 to July 2000 were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were divided into 3 groups on the basis of the following betamethasone exposures: (1) none (control subjects), (2) betamethasone 4 mg IM, IV simultaneously and then 4 mg IV q 8 hours for 24 hours (single course) and (3) weekly administration after initial single course (multiple courses). All included patients received prophylactic antibiotics for group B streptococci. The statistical analyses were done using x2 test, Fisher's exact test and one way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the confounding effect of the multiple variables those were considered as risk factors for neonatal sepsis.
RESULTS
This study included 67 patients in the control group, 60 patients in the single course group, and 43 patients in the multiple courses group. The latency (p=.0001) was significantly longer in the patients exposed to multiple course than the patients in the control group and those in the single course group. No significant difference was demonstrated in the incidence of neonatal sepsis (p=.881) and postpartum endometritis (p=.619) among the three groups. Neonatal sepsis was significantly associated with clinical chorioamnionitis (p=.022).
CONCLUSION
According to our data, multiple courses of antenatal betamethasone treatment in patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes was not associated with the increased incidence of neonatal sepsis and postpartum endometritis.