Effect of antenatal betamethasone treatment on stress physiology in healthy neonates

Introduction: There is evidence that antenatal corticosteroid treatment of women at risk for premature delivery may have a lasting impact on the functioning of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in the infant. We analyzed postnatal stress regulation in healthy neonates that received antenatal betamethasone treatment. Methods: Salivary cortisol and cortisone production in 15 healthy neonates born >34 weeks of gestation with antenatal betamethasone (2 doses of 12mg i.v., 24h apart) treatment was analyzed. Baseline levels and stress response following the heel-prick test as stressful event were compared w…