Skip to main content
SMFM 2025 Pregnancy Meeting Main banner
Final Program


Program Book
Icon Legend
Presentation Icons
Additional registration fee required
Additional registration fee required
CME Credit Offered
CME Credit Offered
Abstract Award
Abstract Award
Poster Icons
Additional registration fee required
Additional registration fee required
Faculty have requested this content not be shared on social media
Faculty have requested this content not be shared on social media
CME Credit Offered
CME Credit Offered
Abstract Award
Abstract Award
Back

Poster Session 1

(162) Twins exposed to late preterm steroids and the risk of neonatal hypoglycemia

Thursday, January 30, 2025
10:30 AM – 12:30 PM  
Objective: Singletons exposed to late preterm antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) are at higher risk of hypoglycemia. We sought to determine if twins exposed to late preterm ACS are also at increased risk for neonatal hypoglycemia.

Study Design: This was a retrospective cohort study in a large tertiary care health system (2013 – 2022) of non-anomalous twin gestations at risk of preterm delivery between 34 0/7- 36 6/7 weeks. Patients were excluded if they previously received ACS or had pregestational diabetes. The exposed group included gestations who received 1 or 2 doses of betamethasone (BMZ) in the late preterm period. The primary outcome was risk of neonatal hypoglycemia (blood glucose < 40 mg/dL). Secondary outcomes were lowest average blood glucose, need for hypoglycemia treatment and NICU admission for hypoglycemia. Descriptive statistics and adjusted and unadjusted risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.

Results: During the study period, 366 twin gestations, corresponding to 733 patient-infant dyads, were included with 162 gestations (321 infants) in the exposed group and 204 gestations (401 infants) in the unexposed group. The mean gestational age of ACS administration was 35 2/7 weeks in the exposed group and 35 6/7 weeks in the unexposed group. In the exposed group, 72 (44%) received 2 doses of BMZ. Ten percent had gestational diabetes in both groups. Other group demographics are listed in Table 1. Compared to unexposed twins, exposed twins had a modest increase in risk of hypoglycemia (RR 1.06, 95% CI 0.88 - 1.28). Exposed twins had lower mean blood glucose and higher risk of need for hypoglycemia treatment (Table 2). Exposed twins were more likely to be admitted to NICU for hypoglycemia and to have hypoglycemia as the only indication for NICU admission.

Conclusion: In a large cohort of twins at risk for late preterm delivery, exposure to ACS was associated with a modest increase in risk for hypoglycemia. These data add to the body of literature on potential risks associated with late preterm ACS administration for twins.