Comparing neonatal respiratory morbidity in neonates delivered at term by elective Caesarean section with and without dexamethasone: retrospective cohort study.

Abstract

To assess the effect of dexamethasone on neonatal respiratory morbidity in babies delivered by early term elective lower segment Caesarean section. The retrospective cohort study was conducted at a secondary level hospital in Karachi. It reviewed the medical record of pregnant women and their babies who were delivered by elective lower segment Caesarean section between January 1 and June 30, 2013, at 37-38+6 weeks of pregnancy. The women were divided into exposed group (Group A) who received prophylactic dexamethasone, and non-exposed group (Group B) who did not receive dexamethasone Neonatal respiratory morbidity was compared between the two groups. Data was analysed using SPSS 19. The 196 subjects in the study were equally divided in two groups. In Group A, only 1(1%) baby developed transient tachypnoea compared to 10(10%) babies in Group B (p=0.005). Besides, 11(11%) babies were admitted to nursery in Group B compared to 1(1%) in Group A (p=0.005). No baby was referred to any tertiary care hospital for intensive care. Beneficial effects of prophylactic dexamethasone in neonatal respiratory morbidity were found, but further prospective studies with large sample size are required.