Steroids for mothers could save premature babies.The National Institutes of Health has announced that about 7,000 babies a year and at least $157 million could be saved by injecting steroids into women giving birth prematurely. A panel of experts states in a new report that all women at 24 to 34 weeks of pregnancy who show signs of a threatened premature birth premature birth Birth less than 37 weeks after conception. Infants born as early as 23–24 weeks may survive but many face lifelong disabilities (e.g., cerebral palsy, blindness, deafness). should get two shots of corticosteroids Corticosteroids Definition Corticosteroids are group of natural and synthetic analogues of the hormones secreted by the hypothalamic-anterior pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis, more commonly referred to as the pituitary gland. to strengthen their babies' chances of survival. Corticosteroid corticosteroid /cor·ti·co·ster·oid/ (-ster´oid) any of the steroids elaborated by the adrenal cortex (excluding the sex hormones) or any synthetic equivalents; divided into two major groups, the glucocorticoids and therapy for mothers has not been widely used because of concern about side effects Side effects Effects of a proposed project on other parts of the firm. , but an analysis shows the drug is less risky than the fatal complications of premature birth. The panel said it found no convincing evidence that the corticosteroids harmed either mother or child. About 100,000 premature babies are born annually in the United States and about a third of them die. The most lethal complications are respiratory distress Respiratory distress A condition in which patients with lung disease are not able to get enough oxygen. Mentioned in: Lung Cancer, Non-Small Cell and bleeding in the brain. Using the corticosteroid therapy will save about half the threatened premature infants with these conditions, the panel said. Corticosteroids used in the procedure are synthetic forms of a hormone normally produced by the adrenal gland adrenal gland (ədrēn`əl) or suprarenal gland (s  prərēn`əl), endocrine gland (see endocrine system) about 2 in. (5. . When injected into a
birthing mother, the hormone is carried to the fetus where it
accelerates development of the blood vessels Blood vesselsTubular channels for blood transport, of which there are three principal types: arteries, capillaries, and veins. Only the larger arteries and veins in the body bear distinct names. and lungs. The panel recommends that two corticosteroid injections be given to women who are in weeks 24 to 34 of pregnancy, and who arrive at a hospital experiencing premature labor or are at risk of doing so. Benefits to the fetus start less than 24 hours after the shots and last about seven days. Most women experiencing premature labor deliver within 24 to 48 hours. The treatment could reduce the time a premature baby spends in an intensive-care unit nursery of a hospital by about a third. With such units costing $1,500-$3,000 per day. the financial savings could be dramatic. The corticosteroid shots cost about $ 10. Premature babies who would most benefit from the treatment are those born after only 24 to 28 weeks of gestation. About half of such babies die, and 80-90% experience respiratory complications. |
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