Betamethasome before Delivery May Preserve Right Ventricular Heart Function in Preemies

Article title: Antenatal betamethasone redistributes central blood flows and preferentially augments right ventricular output and pump function in preterm fetal lambs

Authors: Joseph J. Smolich and Jonathan P. Mynard

From the authors: “These findings suggest that antenatal betamethasone produces a widespread redistribution of central arterial and venous flows in the fetus, accompanied by a preferential rise in [right ventricular] pumping performance.”

This study is highlighted as one of April’s “best of the best” as part of the American Physiological Society’s APSselect program.