ABSTRACT
Objective: to determine the antenatal use of dexamethasone in preventing intraventricular haemorrhage [IVH] in preterm newborns
Setting and Study Design: descriptive case series study done in a prospective fashion at the Neonatal Unit [NNU] of the Department of Paediatrics in collaboration with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore
Patients and Methods: 210 women from the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, who gave bii1h to preterm babies from 0 1-05-2009 till 30-04- 2010 were included in this study; they received dexamethasone, 1/M, 6mg, in 4 doses, 12 hourly, antenatal. Deliveries were. Attended by trained pediatricians and new barns were followed up for any physical stress and birth asphyxia. The newborns were brought to ·NNU for postnatal care. Cranial ultrasonography [USG] was performed on these babies at 72 hours after delivery, at I week and then at 2 weeks of life. Outcome was recorded regarding presence or absence of IVH on cranial ultrasound at the end of 2 weeks
Results: the mean age of the mothers was 28.1+/- 4.3 years. The mean gestational age of the patients was 33.6+/-1.6 weeks. In 191 [91%] neonates IVH was not present while IVH was present amongst 19 [9%] neonates. There were 6 [3%] patients of IVH Grade I, 10 [5%] patients of IVH Grade II and 2 [1%] patient or IVH Grade III
Conclusion: dexamethasone is useful in prevention of IVH in preterm babies when it is used in the antenatal period