Association of Antenatal Corticosteroid use with Hypoglycaemia and Hyperbilirubinemia in Preterm Neonates Admitted in a Tertiary Hospital of Kolkata: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract

                                     Abstract
Background: Timely use of antenatal corticosteroids in a mother of preterm labour decreases the rates of
perinatal death, respiratory distress syndrome, intra-ventricular hemorrhage, necrotizing enterocolitis in
the new borns. However it is reported to have a causative role in neonatal hypoglycemia and hyperbilirubinemia.
So the present study attempts to determine the association between the use of antenatal corticosteroids with
hypoglycaemiaand hyperbilirubinemia in newborns with less than 35 weeks of gestational age.
Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted during a time period of 24 months from January 2020
to December 2021 in a tertiary care hospital of Kolkata on 99 preterm neonates of less than 35 weeks of gestational
age. Antenatal history of corticosteroid use, neonatal glucose level and bilirubin level were measured among
others. Data were analyzed using MS-EXCEL.
Results: Majority of neonates’ mothers (71.7%) had received antenatal corticosteroids. Only 4.0% of the cases had
hypoglycaemia at birth. But there was no cases of hypoglycaemia at 12 hour and 24 hour after birth. In 58.6% of
the cases bilirubin level was in the phototherapy range and double surface photo therapy was required. In 14.1%
of the cases double volume exchange transfusion was required.
Conclusion: Antenatal corticosteroid administration is not associated with neonatal hypoglycaemia but it is
significantly related to neonatal hyperbilirubinemia.