Betamethasone administration to the mother and problems in foeto-placental monitoring.

The administration of betamethasone to the mother in order to accelerate maturation of foetal lungs induces significant modifications in the foeto-placental hormonal secretion. Both the total estriol and unconjugated estriol present a sharp fall in the days immediately following the administration and a rise 10-12 days later, depending on a rebound effect. The HPL levels do not variate except for a progressive and constant rising due probably to better cardiocirculatory maternal condition with, consequently, a higher utero-placental blood-flow. All these phenomena increase when the administration of betamethasone to the mother is repeated more then once. The AA. believe that the sharp fall of the estriol doesn't represent a danger for the foetus being only an effect of maternal and fetal adrenal depression. Consequently the AA. suggest to drive the management during and after the administration of betamethasone to the mother on the basis of other foeto-placental functional tests, as cardiotocography. The results were analysed.