Question

Drug that is used for fetal lung maturity is:

• A. Dexamethasone
• B. Folic acid
• C. Beclomethasone
• D. None

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Preterm neonates lack adequate pulmonary surfactant, leading to respiratory distress syndrome. The clinical strategy is to mature the lungs before delivery using a drug that promotes type II pneumocyte function.
Step 2: Glucocorticoids fulfil this role. Dexamethasone and betamethasone are the preferred corticosteroids because they readily cross the placental barrier and act on the developing fetal lung. So the answer points to dexamethasone.
Step 3: Timing matters - a single antenatal course is administered when birth is likely within 24 to 48 hours, in the window of roughly 24 to 34 weeks, maximising the surfactant-inducing benefit.
Step 4: Eliminating distractors: folic acid is a vitamin supplement against neural tube defects, beclomethasone is an inhaled topical steroid for airway inflammation that is not used systemically for fetal maturation, and "None" cannot be correct since dexamethasone clearly works.
\[\boxed{\text{Dexamethasone}}\]