ANTENATAL CORTICOSTEROID ADMINISTRATION AND NEONATAL OUTCOME IN VERY-LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT INFANTS - THE NICHD NEONATAL RESEARCH NETWORK

Randomized, controlled trials have documented that antenatal steroid t reatment significantly reduces neonatal mortality and the frequency of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and intraventricular hemorrhage ( IVH).(1) Despite this evidence and similar evidence from animal models , antenatal steroid treatment has not become the standard of care in t he United States.