Effect of Prophylactic Corticosteroid Therapy on Respiratory Morbidity in Infants Borne at Term by Elective Cesarean Section at Omdurman Maternity Hospital

Objectives: A study done in Omdurman Maternity Hospital (OMH) during 2013, to study the effect of corticosteroid administration two days before an elective caesarean section to reduce the respiratory morbidity in infants born. Methodology: It is a randomized control trial study comparing prophylactic antenatal corticosteroids with no treatment given before elective caesarean section C/S. Results: A total of 560 patients of 5421 who underwent elective caesarean section C/S in 2013, were randomly selected, 281 (50.2%) were treated by 12 mg dexamethasone, two doses 12 hours apart, and 279 (49.8%) were in the control group. 26 infants were admitted to nursery there were 8 new-borns from the treatment group, and 18 from control group, with regards to indication of admission; those who had Respiratory distress (RDS) in the control group were 6 (2.2%),and in the treatment group were 2(0.7%), Transient tachypnea of the newborn( TTN) in the control group were 12 (4.3%), in the treatment group were 6(2.2%), (P value 0.00), (RR: 0.6 for TTN & 0.25 for RDS). Stay in special babies care unit (SBCU)<24 hours were 6 (2.2%) in control group and 8 (2.8%) in the treatment group, stay>24 hours were 12 (4.3%) in the control group and zero in the treatment, (P value was 0.026). 3 (1.1%) needed assisted ventilation, one death found in the control group (0.4%). Conclusion: Giving dexamethasone, two before elective C/S had a significant reduction in the respiratory morbidity and decrease hospital study. It has no adverse effect and can be safely used.