Betamethasone Dosing Interval - 12 or 24 Hours?

Preterm Delivery Clinical Trial

Official title: Betamethasone Dosing Interval - 12 or 24 Hours?

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine if there may be a benefit to the newborn if betamethasone is given 12 hours apart instead of 24 hours apart.

Clinical Trial Description

Betamethasone is a medicine given to women expected to deliver after 24 but before 34 weeks of pregnancy. It is very advantageous in preventing or decreasing the many problems these small babies may face if born early. Betamethasone makes breathing easier for them, also decreases the chance of them bleeding in the head and makes their chances of survival better. This medicine is used routinely in pregnancy but the best timing between doses in not well established. The 'standard' dosing schedule involves giving 2 injections of 12mg of the medicine 24 hours apart. However, many women deliver before reaching the 24-hour mark, despite the doctors best efforts to try and delay delivery, and therefore miss the opportunity for the 2nd dose. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Pharmacokinetics/Dynamics Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Premature Birth
• Preterm Delivery

• NCT number: NCT00453141
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: The Cooper Health System
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: April 2006
• Completion date: October 2009