[Controlled study on the prevention of respiratory distress syndrome with betamethasone in pregnancy and ACTH and cortisol levels in the premature newborn infant].

The influence of maternal corticosteroid administration was studied on the ACTH and cortisol concentrations in neonatal blood of 24 premature infants whose mothers received betamethasone for prevention of RDS, compared with 11 untreated subjects. Cord blood was taken at birth and from venous sample in 5th day. All samples were analyzed for ACTH and Cortisol by radioimmunoassay. No statistically significant differences between these groups were noted. Additional analysis of ACTH and Cortisol levels in 9 RDS premature infants versus 26 control ones failed to demonstrate any deficiency of corticosteroids in newborn infants with RDS. The findings provide a justification for the prepartum treatment of respiratory distress syndrome with glucocorticoids because this dose of betamethasone does not expose the newborn to potentially harmful effects.