Research Project
7093126
DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Preterm birth occurs in 10% of all deliveries but accounts for 74% of neonatal mortality. In relation to this problem, one of the most effective practices, with a high impact in perinatal public health, is the use of antenatal corticosteroids. Although well documented and consistent high quality evidence has demonstrated its effectiveness in preventing morbidity and mortality among premature infants, it remains underused, mainly in developing counties. The general objective of this project is to evaluate the magnitude, characteristics and barriers for the administration of antenatal corticosteroids to women delivering preterm in Latin American countries. The result of this study will enable a long term goal of promoting a wider use of this practice in the region with the subsequent decrease in the neonatal morbidity and mortality. This proposal is a multi-center prospective cross-sectional and descriptive research whose specific aims are: to determine the prevalence and characteristics of administration of antenatal corticosteroids to women who deliver preterm in the hospitals of Latin American countries and to assess the knowledge, attitudes, practices and barriers of the health care providers for the use of antenatal corticosteroids in women at risk of preterm birth in the same region. To achieve the first aim the methodology will be a prospective survey of 1800 women who delivered preterm in hospitals in three Latin American countries (Uruguay, Ecuador and El Salvador). For the second aim, both quantitative and qualitative data will be analyzed. Quantitative data will be collected through self-administered surveys of obstetric providers. Qualitative data will be collected through a series of focus groups. The environment for this research will be the Network of Association Centers to the Latin American Center for Perinatology and Human Development (CLAP/PAHO/WHO). This network of hospitals in Latin American countries was created to improve epidemiological survey, to promote clinical research in the region, to provide teetmical support to other centers and to train health personnel.
