Abstract
Context: Antenatal glucocorticoid (GC) exposure has been discussed as a potent programming factor of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity, producing sustained alterations in cortisol secretion throughout life. So far, the assessment of HPA-axis activity in offspring of mothers treated with synthetic GC has been limited to a time period shortly after birth, with prematurity being an important confound in most prior studies. Objective: The present study aimed to investigate HPA-axis reactivity of term-born children with antenatal GC exposure in a larger sample, allowing us to further address sex- and drug-specific effects. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a cross-sectional study comprised of 209 term-born children between 6 and 11 yr of age. Cortisol secretion patterns in response to a standardized laboratory stressor (Trier Social Stress Test for Children) were assessed in children with antenatal GC exposure (a single course of either dexamethasone or betamethasone) and compared to...
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call