Uso de corticoides antenatales en gestantes con amenaza de parto prematuro atendidas en el servicio de ginecología y obstetricia del Hospital General del Norte de Guayaquil Los Ceibos durante el periodo septiembre 2023 - abril 2024.

Abstract

Introduction: Threatened preterm labor is the progression of cervical changes due to rhythmic and regular uterine contractions between 22 and 36 weeks of pregnancy. In patients with risk of preterm labor, antenatal corticosteroids administration is advised between 24 and 36 weeks of pregnancy for fetal lung maturation, which optimal pharmacologic effect timing includes from 24 hours after the end of the corticosteroid cycle until 7 days later. Nonetheless, as there is not a Gold standard test for the diagnosis of threatened preterm labor, the risk of having preterm labor within 7 days after the diagnosis is 10%. Objective: Establish the portion of preterm labors that occurred during the optimal time of antenatal corticosteroids. Methods: This is an observational, prospective, longitudinal, and descriptive study with convenience sampling. Results: 162 patients were studied, from which 14.8% of deliveries happened during the optimal time. The gestational age in which the antenatal corticosteroids were more frequently administrated was 33 weeks with 24.1% and 47.5 % of patients had preterm labor. 26.5 % percent of patients had obstetric risk conditions, a significant statistic association between these conditions and the time of delivery was found (95% confidence interval, p <.001, Odds ratio:4,25). Conclusions: Inadequate diagnosis of threatened preterm labor causes an excessive use of antenatal corticosteroids for fetal lung maturation, therefore improvement in diagnostic methods is required.