ABSTRACT
Corticosteroids should be given even if birth is expected within 24 hours, as there will be benefit to the baby. Cervical length and fetal fibronectin should be used to predict the likelihood of early delivery, to minimize unnecessary antenatal corticosteroid therapy. The combination of steroids and a beta-sympathomimetic tocolytic poses a risk of pulmonary oedema. Excessive prenatal glucocorticoid exposure may be associated with child neurodevelopment consequences as well as cardiovascular and other physiological dysfunction in the adult life, so caution must be exercised with antenatal corticosteroid therapy. A single repeat course of antenatal corticosteroids should be considered in women who are less than 34 weeks of gestation who are at risk of preterm delivery within 72 hours, and whose prior course of antenatal corticosteroids was administered more than 7 days previously.
