Caroline Fryar, Tingting Liu, Neill Bates, Dmitry Tumin, Kelly Bear, Rachel Taylor, James L Whiteside
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: In response to an accumulation of evidence supporting antenatal steroid administration at 22 weeks gestation with planned neonatal resuscitation, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), alongside the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine, published a clinical practice advisory recommending consideration of antenatal steroids at 22 weeks gestation in September of 2021.
Objective: To determine if the 2021 ACOG Practice Advisory was associated with an increase in the use of antenatal corticosteroids among infants born at 22 weeks gestation.
Study design: Our retrospective, secondary analysis used data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Vital Statistics System from 2017-2023. The primary outcome was antenatal steroid use as recorded on the birth certificate, and our main exposure was the birth year which was dichotomized as after practice guideline implementation (2022-2023) vs before (2017-2020). Chi-squared and rank-sum tests were used, respectively, to compare gestational age before vs after guideline implementation. A multivariable regression using a difference-in-difference specification model was used to determine antenatal steroid use among 22-, and 24-25-week births, and a separate multivariable model was included using live births at 23 weeks as a sensitivity analysis.
Results: After applying our exclusion criteria, a total of 11,203 live births in the United States at 22-25 weeks gestation between 2017-2020 and 2022-2023 were available for analysis. Our bivariate analysis indicated an increased use of antenatal steroids in live births at 22 weeks gestation from 48% (178/368) before, to 61% (216/356) after the ACOG guideline implementation (p = 0.001). However, steroid administration did not change at 23 weeks (p = 0.385) with only a slight increase from 63% to 66% at 24-25 weeks (p = 0.033) in our bivariate analysis. Our multivariable analysis found similar patterns with 65% higher odds of steroid use in births at 22 weeks (p = 0.001) with no significant change at 24-25 weeks birth (p = 0.061). Similar results were found in our sensitivity analysis at 22-week births (p = 0.001), but no significant association was identified at 23 weeks (p = 0.710).
Conclusion: The recommendation by ACOG to consider antenatal corticosteroid administration in preterm deliveries at 22 weeks gestation has led to an increase in this clinical practice. This significant association highlights the value and influence of clinical practice guidelines among clinicians.
期刊介绍:
The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (AJOG) is a highly esteemed publication with two companion titles. One of these is the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Maternal-Fetal Medicine (AJOG MFM), which is dedicated to the latest research in the field of maternal-fetal medicine, specifically concerning high-risk pregnancies. The journal encompasses a wide range of topics, including:
Maternal Complications: It addresses significant studies that have the potential to change clinical practice regarding complications faced by pregnant women.
Fetal Complications: The journal covers prenatal diagnosis, ultrasound, and genetic issues related to the fetus, providing insights into the management and care of fetal health.
Prenatal Care: It discusses the best practices in prenatal care to ensure the health and well-being of both the mother and the unborn child.
Intrapartum Care: It provides guidance on the care provided during the childbirth process, which is critical for the safety of both mother and baby.
Postpartum Issues: The journal also tackles issues that arise after childbirth, focusing on the postpartum period and its implications for maternal health. AJOG MFM serves as a reliable forum for peer-reviewed research, with a preference for randomized trials and meta-analyses. The goal is to equip researchers and clinicians with the most current information and evidence-based strategies to effectively manage high-risk pregnancies and to provide the best possible care for mothers and their unborn children.