Table 3 Health outcomes for infants exposed to antenatal corticosteroids versus those not exposed

All babies

n = 114

n = 152

Gestational age at birth*‡ (weeks.days)

30.4 (2.6)

29.9 (2.7)

0.47

-0.19; 1.13

0.16

Birth weight*‡ (kg)

1.62 (0.65)

1.48 (0.63)

0.14

-0.02; 0.29

0.08

Stillbirth

2 (2)

42 (28)

0.06

0.02; 0.25

0.01

All deaths (stillbirths/deaths prior to discharge)

18 (16)

49 (32)

0.49

0.30; 0.79

0.01

Mode of birth

0.01

normal vaginal

59 (52)

99 (65)

1

--

--

vaginal breech

4 (4)

19 (13)

0.39

0.14; 1.11

0.06

operative vaginal birth

2 (2)

2 (1)

1.65

0.24; 11.45

0.63

caesarean section

49 (43)

32 (21)

1.85

1.28: 2.67

0.01

Live born babies

n = 112

n = 111

Live born babies discharged alive

96 (86)

103 (93)

0.92

0.84; 1.0

0.05

Respiratory distress syndrome ‡‡

59 (60)

54 (57)

1.06

0.83; 1.34

0.64

Severity of lung disease§

0.01

none

22 (30)

4 (11)

1

--

--

mild

7 (9)

15 (42)

--

--

--

moderate

27 (37)

6 (17)

--

--

--

severe

18 (24)

11 (30)

--

--

Use of oxygen therapy¶

50 (50)

55 (57)

0.86

0.66; 1.12

0.27

Use of mechanical ventilation¶

53 (54)

25 (39)

1.38

0.97; 1.98

0.06

Apgar Score < 7 at 1 min †

42 (38)

57 (52)

0.73

0.54; 0.98

0.04

Apgar Score < 7 at 5 min †

15 (14)

34 (31)

0.44

0.25; 0.75

0.01