الفهرس 
Introduction and RationaleOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Our study was applied to a random sample of Preterm neonates admitted to NICU whose GA ranges from 32 to 37 complete weeks at Suez Canal University Hospitals. Subjects were divided into two groups: controls who did not receive antenatal corticosteroids and cases who received antenatal corticosteroids. Data was collected through a questionnaire including antenatal data (maternal age and parity), natal data (Delivery mode and gestational age), neonatal data (Apgar score and respiratory distress) and the use of antenatal corticosteroids. Neonates were then assessed for neonatal pneumonia, respiratory distress syndrome and transient tachypnea of newborn by history, examination and appropriate investigations.
The study found that neonates in the study group had lower respiratory distress grade than control group with statistical difference, and it was found that the study group had a lower chance of hypoglycemia compared to control group.
We found that our study group had nearly half of neonates with grade I respiratory distress (45%), while the control group had the most neonates with advanced grades of respiratory distress with statistical difference between the two groups (P value < 0.05). Most of our study group needed nasal ventilation (72.5%) while the control group nearly half of neonates needed cPAP and MV with statistical difference between the two groups (P value < 0.05).
Regarding the fetal complication of our study population, we found that our study group had significantly lower rate of sepsis (7.5%) than control group (12.5%) (p<0.05). In addition, the study group had significantly lower (p<0.05) rate of feeding difficulties (10%) and hypoglycemia (7.5%) than control group (17.5%) and (15%) respectively.