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Endocrine disorders in pregnancy

Stress responses in children after maternal glucocorticoids

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Glucocorticoids can be given during pregnancy to develop lungs of babies at risk of preterm birth but the long-term effects could be detrimental to the child. A new study shows that term-born children from mothers treated with glucocorticoids during pregnancy had increased cortisol stress responses at 6–11 years of age, which were more pronounced in girls than boys.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Physiology, University of Toronto, Obstetrics and Gynecology and Medicine, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, M5S 1A8, Ontario, Canada

    John R. G. Challis

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  1. John R. G. Challis
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The author declares no competing financial interests.

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Challis, J. Stress responses in children after maternal glucocorticoids. Nat Rev Endocrinol 8, 629–630 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrendo.2012.183

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