FRIDAY, Sept. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Topical maternal exposure to corticosteroids during pregnancy is not associated with orofacial cleft, preterm delivery, fetal death, low Apgar score, and mode of delivery, however, low birth weight does correlate with increasing quantity of high potency exposure, according to a study published online Sept. 4 in JAMA Dermatology.
Ching-Chi Chi, M.D., from Chang Gung University in Chiayi, Taiwan, and colleagues used data from the United Kingdom National Health Service to retrospectively study 2,658 pregnant women exposed to topical corticosteroids and 7,246 unexposed pregnant women. Adverse pregnancy outcomes of interest included orofacial cleft, low birth weight, preterm delivery, fetal death, low Apgar score, and mode of delivery.
The researchers found that in primary analysis there were no significant adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with topical maternal corticosteroid exposure. Potency of exposure did not reveal significant associations, except an association between low birth weight when the dispensed amount of potent or very potent topical corticosteroids exceeded 300 g for the entire pregnancy (adjusted risk ratio, 7.74).
"This study reassuringly showed no associations of maternal topical corticosteroid exposure with orofacial cleft, preterm delivery, fetal death, low Apgar score, and mode of delivery," the authors write.
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