The Benefits and Harms of Antenatal Corticosteroids

In 1972, Liggins and Howie published their landmark study on the benefits of antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) regarding their reduction of prematurity’s morbidity and mortality. This led to the weekly administration of ACS until 34 weeks. Weekly courses of steroids are no longer given, but the steroid story keeps evolving. In 2016, the ALPS trial demonstrated reduction in short-term respiratory morbidity when steroids were given in the late pre-term interval. Many professional societies and organizations endorsed this intervention shortly thereafter. But since then, there have been renewed commentaries and debates regarding steroids in the late pre-term interval, and steroid exposure in-utero for babies born late pre-term/term. several professional organizations, no longer endorse steroids in the late pre-term interval. In this episode, we will review this complicated and ever evolving debate, highlighting a recent systematic review and meta-analysis from August 2023.