Prenatal dexamethasone treatment of fetuses at risk for congenital adrenal hyperplasia: benefits and concerns
EM Ritzén - Seminars in Neonatology, 2001 - Elsevier
Virilization due to congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) can effectively be prevented or
diminished by prenatal dexamethasone given to the mother. This treatment, which should
only be considered in families with a previous child with a virilizing form of the disease, has
to start already at 6–7 weeks of gestation. Thus, the treatment has to be given 'blindly'to all
mothers at risk until the diagnosis of an affected female can be ascertained by analysis of
DNA from a chorionic villous biopsy, which cannot be performed until the 10th week. Since …
diminished by prenatal dexamethasone given to the mother. This treatment, which should
only be considered in families with a previous child with a virilizing form of the disease, has
to start already at 6–7 weeks of gestation. Thus, the treatment has to be given 'blindly'to all
mothers at risk until the diagnosis of an affected female can be ascertained by analysis of
DNA from a chorionic villous biopsy, which cannot be performed until the 10th week. Since …
