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Recording available 2/16-5/2
Recording available 2/16-5/2
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Poster Session 4

Category: Prematurity

Poster Session 4

(1173) Gastrointestinal Morbidity following Antenatal Corticosteroid Exposure in Preterm Birth: A Long-Term Perspective

Thursday, February 12, 2026
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM  

    Submitting Author and Presenting Author(s)

  • Mark Volevich, MD (he/him/his)

    Resident
    Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center
    Beer sheva, HaDarom, Israel

    • Coauthor(s)

  • Tamar Wainstock, PhD (she/her/hers)

    Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Community Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
    Beer Sheva, HaDarom, Israel

  • Eyal Sheiner, MD, PhD

    Deichmann Lerner Full Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology; Chairman of the Division of OBY&GYN
    Soroka University Medical Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben‑Gurion University of the Negev
    beer sheva, HaDarom, Israel

  • Gali Pariente, MD

    Acting director of Fetal Maternal Unit B Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology
    Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University
    beer sheva, HaDarom, Israel

Objective:
Antenatal corticosteroid (ACS) therapy reduces neonatal morbidity and mortality in preterm infants. However, the long-term effects of ACS exposure on gastrointestinal (GI) health remain unclear, and existing evidence on potential risks is limited. We investigated the long-term GI outcomes of preterm offspring who were exposed to ACS prior to 34 weeks of gestation.

Study Design:

This population-based retrospective cohort study included all singleton preterm deliveries at a tertiary medical center between 1991 and 2021. Long-term GI morbidity was compared between premature infants exposed and non-exposed to ACS before 34 weeks’ gestation, based on combined databases from community and hospitalization records. Kaplan–Meier survival curve was used to compare the cumulative incidence of GI morbidity and a Cox regression model was constructed to control for confounders.

Results:

A total of 13,580 premature infants met the inclusion criteria of which 1,538 (11.3%) received ACS prior to 34 weeks. The overall GI morbidity rate (132.6 vs. 44.5 per 1,000 person-years; p < 0.001, Table) as well as the cumulative incidence over time (Figure) were significantly higher in ACS exposed children as compared to unexposed children. In a Cox regression model, controlling for maternal and gestational age, diabetes mellitus, hypertensive disorders and cesarean delivery, ACS exposure remained an independent risk factor for long-term GI morbidity (adjusted HR 1.24; 95% CI 1.18–1.30; p < 0.001).

Conclusion:
While ACS therapy is pivotal for reducing immediate neonatal morbidity, our findings raise concern for increased long-term risk of GI morbidity extending into adolescence. However, the possibility of indication bias cannot be excluded. These findings underscore the need for further research to better understand the underlying mechanisms driving these associations.