Placental transfer of methylprednisolone following maternal intravenous administration.

Seven normal patients in labor at term were given 125 mg of methylprednisolone hemisuccinate intravenously shortly before delivery. Analysis of maternal and cord plasma samples indicated that both the hemisuccinate and free alcohol forms of the corticosteroid were transported in pharmacologic levels to the fetal compartment. Since methylprednisolone may have less of an infection-potentiating effect than other commonly used corticosteroids, use of it as a stimulator of fetal lung surfactant deserves further investigation.