Gestation (weeks)1-150
| 29.6 (28.0–30.4) | 34.2 (33.3–35.3) | 40.0 (38.7–40.6) | Group 3 > group 2 > group 1 |
Birth weight (g)1-150
| 1180 (970–1410) | 1973 (1700–2110) | 3300 (2900–3970) | Group 3 > group 2 > group 1 |
Length (cm)1-150
| 37.3 (35.5–40.2) | 43.6 (42.1–44.6) | 49.9 (47.8–52.1) | Group 3 > group 2 > group 1 |
BMI (kg/m2)1-150
| 8.2 (7.6–9.4) | 10.3 (9.5–11.0) | 13.8 (12.8–15.2) | Group 3 > group 2 > group 1 |
Placental weight (g)1-150
| 305 (300–400) | 415 (350–495) | 550 (500–600) | Group 3 > group 2 > group 1 |
Male/female (n) | 27 : 16 | 25 : 29 | 23: 20 | — |
Mode of delivery (n)1-165 (normal : caesarean section : forceps or ventouse) | 16 : 26 : 1 | 25 : 28 : 1 | 21 : 13: :9 | — |
Maternal smoker (n) | 1 | 3 | 1 | — |
Rupture of membrane > 24 h (n) | 10 | 12 | 7 | — |
Maternal pre-eclampsia (n) | 9 | 9 | 0 | — |
Antenatal dexamethasone (doses) | 2 (2–4) | 2 (0–4) | — | — |
Time between last dose of dexamethasone and delivery (h) | 40 (17–75) | 68 (7–141) | — | — |
Apgar scores1-150
| | | | |
at 1 min | 6 (5–8) | 8 (7–9) | 9 (8–9) | Groups 2 and 3 > group 1 |
at 5 min | 9 (8–9) | 10 (9–10) | 10 (9–10) | Groups 2 and 3 > group 1 |
Arterial cord blood | | | | |
pH | 7.29 (7.22 to 7.32) | 7.29 (7.24 to 7.33) | 7.27 (7.23 to 7.30) | — |
Base excess | −5.9 (−8.7 to −3.9) | −5.9 (−7.2 to −3.9) | −6.5 (−7.8 to −3.8) | — |
Mechanical ventilation (n)1-150
| | | | |
on day 1 | 38 | 9 | 0 | — |
on day 4–5 | 26 | 3 | 0 | — |
Oxygen requirement (Fio
2)1-150
| | | | |
on day 1 | 0.23 (0.21–0.30) | 0.21 (0.21–0.21) | 0.21 (0.21–0.21) | — |
on day 4–5 | 0.21 (0.21–0.23) | 0.21 (0.21–0.21) | 0.21 (0.21–0.21) | — |