Effect of Single Dose Antenatal Betamethasone on Neonatal Respiratory Morbidity After Elective Cesarean

Effect of Single Dose Antenatal Betamethasone on the Incidence of Neonatal Respiratory Morbidity After Elective Cesarean Section at Term: A Prospective Double Blinded Placebo Controlled Trial

Patients undergoing elective C-section will be randomized into two groups. The first group will receive one dose of Betamethasone at least 24 hours before scheduled C-section. The second group will receive placebo.

This is a prospective double blinded randomized clinical trial. Patients will be randomized into two groups. Group A will receive one dose of Betamethasone at least 24 hours before scheduled C-section. Group B will receive placebo. The maternal and neonatal outcomes will be studied in order to assess the effect of Betamethasone on respiratory morbidity of the newborn infant.

Inclusion Criteria:

• women with singleton or multiple gestation,
• between 37 and 40 weeks of pregnancy (as calculated from the first day of the last menstrual period)

Exclusion Criteria:

• any medical problem that could affect fetal well-being;
• evidence of intrauterine infection,
• oligohydramnios,
• fetal congenital malformations,
• preeclampsia,
• maternal hypertension,
• severe fetal rhesus sensitization,
• antepartum hemorrhage,
• Intrauterine growth restriction
• preterm rupture of membranes
• preterm delivery
• previously received antenatal steroids less than one month ago
• those who decline to participate in the study.