The effects of antenatal corticosteroid treatment on IVH-PVh of premature infants.

ABSTRACT

Intraventricular-periventricular hemorrhage (IVH-PVH) is the most frequent type of intracranial hemorrhage in premature infants and the major cause of neurodevelopmental disabilities in children too. The objective of this work is to evaluate the effects of prenatal corticosteroid treatment on the incidence of IVH-PVH in premature infants. The study enrolled 163 prematures of 26-34 weeks' gestation. They have been divided into two groups the experimental group (80/163), who have been treated with corticosteroids prenatally and control group (83/163), who have not received such treatment. There is statistically significant difference in IVH-PVH incidence between the experimental group (18/80) and control group (32/83) (chi2 =5,616, p<0,05). There is no statistically significant difference in Apgar score after 5 minutes between the experimental group and control group of IVH-PVH prematures, t= 0,121. There is no statistically significant difference in mean gestation age between the experimental group (30,74 weeks) and control group (29,97 weeks) of IVH-PVH prematures, t= 1,299. There is no statistically significant difference in mean birth weight between the experimental group (1479,44 grams) and control group (1379,37 grams) of IVH-PVH prematures, t= 0,913. Antenatal corticosteroid treatment of premature infants reduced the incidence of IVH-PVH significantly. There is no statistically significant difference in Apgar score after 5 minutes, mean gestation age and mean birth weight between the experimental and control group of IVH PVH prematures.