Abstract
Antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) have been shown to reduce the risk of peripartal and neonatal mortality, as well as respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), and likely intracranial hemorrhage. The administration of ACS represents standard therapy in pregnant women at high risk of imminent preterm birth. The 2015 recommendations of the World Health Organization emphasize that ACS provide proven clinical benefits when administered under appropriate conditions but may also cause significant adverse effects if the indications and criteria are not fully met. The aim of this study was to present the course and outcome of pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in women who received ACS according to protocol. All pregnant women admitted with a diagnosis of threatened preterm birth during a six-month period were analyzed. A total of 141 pregnant women received ACS up to 34 weeks of gestation. The total number of preterm births during the same period according to the protocol of the maternity department was 193, of which 78 (40%) occurred before 34 weeks of gestation.The results showed that 52 (66.6%) women received ACS and delivered preterm, while in 24 (33.3%) women who delivered preterm ACS therapy had not been administered.