Addressing the long-term risks of administering antenatal steroids.

Introduction: A single course of antenatal steroid (ANS) therapy is standard of care for women at risk of preterm birth, reducing the risk of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, neonatal morbidity and mortality. An unresolved challenge relates to the potential risk for adverse long-term effects, and how these risks might be balanced with therapeutic benefit.

Areas Covered: We outline key concepts in glucocorticoid signaling, pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, and clinical use before presenting data on the potential long-term harms of ANS therapy.