ANTENATAL STEROID THERAPY RESULTS IN A REDUCTION IN WHICH OF THESE MAJOR COMPLICATIONS OF PREMATURITY

• A. Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) ✓
• B. IVH and jaundice
• C. IVH and pneumonia
• D. IVH and gastroinestinal reflux

Antenatal steroid therapy results in a reduction in the major complications of prematurity, specifically option A: Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Antenatal steroid therapy is a standard treatment given to pregnant women at risk of preterm delivery to help accelerate fetal lung maturation and reduce the risk of complications associated with prematurity.

Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is bleeding into the brain’s ventricular system, which can occur in premature infants due to the fragility of blood vessels in the developing brain. Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a serious condition characterized by inflammation and death of intestinal tissue, often affecting premature infants. Antenatal steroid therapy has been shown to decrease the incidence of IVH and NEC in preterm infants by promoting lung maturation and reducing the risk of respiratory distress syndrome, which can lead to these complications.

In other words, Antenatal steroid therapy, also known as antenatal corticosteroid therapy, is a treatment given to pregnant women at risk of preterm delivery to help accelerate fetal lung maturation. This therapy involves administering corticosteroids to the mother before birth, which can have significant benefits for the premature infant’s health outcomes.

One of the major complications of prematurity that antenatal steroid therapy helps reduce is Intraventricular Hemorrhage (IVH). IVH is a serious condition where bleeding occurs in the brain’s ventricular system, primarily affecting premature infants due to the fragility of their blood vessels. By promoting lung maturation and reducing the risk of respiratory distress syndrome, antenatal steroids can indirectly lower the incidence of IVH.

Another significant complication that antenatal steroid therapy can help decrease is Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC). NEC is a gastrointestinal emergency that primarily affects premature infants and involves inflammation and damage to the intestines. By enhancing lung function and reducing the need for mechanical ventilation after birth, antenatal steroids can contribute to a decreased risk of NEC development.