At 34 weeks gestation, which therapy helps accelerate fetal lung maturity?

At 34 weeks gestation, which therapy helps accelerate fetal lung maturity?

• A. Betamethasone given intramuscularly in two doses 24 hours apart.
• B. Dexamethasone given orally in a single dose.
• C. Magnesium sulfate intravenous infusion.
• D. Nifedipine oral preparation.

Answer: (B)

Corticosteroids given to the mother help the fetal lungs mature by stimulating the fetus to produce surfactant, which lines the air sacs and improves breathing after birth. This effect is why a corticosteroid is the recommended therapy when preterm birth is anticipated. Among the options, a corticosteroid is the one that achieves this goal, with dexamethasone serving this purpose. The other choices don’t promote lung maturation: magnesium sulfate is used for fetal neuroprotection and seizure prevention, and nifedipine is used to relax the uterus and stop contractions. In practice, the corticosteroid is given in a regimens designed to maximize placental transfer and lung maturation, but the important point is recognizing that corticosteroids are the therapy to accelerate lung readiness for preterm birth.

Corticosteroids given to the mother help the fetal lungs mature by stimulating the fetus to produce surfactant, which lines the air sacs and improves breathing after birth. This effect is why a corticosteroid is the recommended therapy when preterm birth is anticipated. Among the options, a corticosteroid is the one that achieves this goal, with dexamethasone serving this purpose. The other choices don’t promote lung maturation: magnesium sulfate is used for fetal neuroprotection and seizure prevention, and nifedipine is used to relax the uterus and stop contractions. In practice, the corticosteroid is given in a regimens designed to maximize placental transfer and lung maturation, but the important point is recognizing that corticosteroids are the therapy to accelerate lung readiness for preterm birth.