Effects of Maternal Dexamethasone Administration on Daily Foetal Movement Count and its Correlation with Doppler Studies and Non-Stress Test

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effect of Dexamethasone on the daily foetal movement count and whether this affectshaemodynamics.Study Design: This is a cohort study involving pregnant women with a history of preterm labour, to follow up theirdaily foetal movement count for 5 days. Meanwhile, the non-stress test, middle cerebral and umbilical arteries Dopplerindices were recorded before and after taking a designated Dexamethasone course. Each woman’s data was consideredas her control.Patients and Methods: A total of 50 women with low risk, except a history of previous 1 or more preterm labour, wereassigned to receive four separate injections of 6 mg Dexamethasone, each given 12 hours apart. Doppler studies andcardiotocography traces were done before and after administration. Foetal movements were counted by mothers usingSadovsky method since the first dose and 5 days later. Paired T, McNemar’s and Pearson’s correlation coefficient testswere used.Results: There were decrease in the MCA PI and RI (PI p <0.001, RI p = 0.002), increase in foetal heart rate short termvariability (p = 0.016) and decrease in the foetal movement count on Day 2 (p < 0.001).Conclusion: Dexamethasone therapy affects the heart rate, haemodynamics and decreases daily foetal movement count.