Barriers to improving preterm newborn outcomes through effective antenatal corticosteroid use in Ethiopia.

ABSTRACT: Ethiopia has prioritised high-impact interventions to reduce neonatal deaths, including antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) utilisation. However, effective ACS use has faced various challenges. We used multiple data sources to examine the current landscape of ACS use in Ethiopia and to elucidate barriers to effective ACS utilisation, including a review of national obstetric guidelines over the past decade, a review of literature, and a descriptive analysis of health facility data.National obstetric protocols recommend administering ACS in both hospitals and health centres. However, ACS remains substantially underused. The 2016 Ethiopian Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care Assessment reported that only 5% of preterm infants were born to women who had received corticosteroids before delivery. A

SUBMITTER: Yang WC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12443183 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature