Synthetic corticosteroids have been successfully employed for more than 20 years to enhance fetal lung maturity in saturations where preterm delivery is anticipated. Dexamethasone causes a profound and transient suppression of fetal breathing, limb and trunk movements, resulting in decreased biophysical profile scores. It is also associated with a transient increase in end diastolic flow of the middle cerebral artery especially at gestational ages < 32 weeks. Biophysical profile scores were also decreased in more than one third of fetuses within 48 hours of its administration. Awareness of this drug-induced effect might prevent unnecessary iatrogenic delivery of preterm fetuses.