The aim of the study was to determine the effectiveness of antenatal steroids and ambroxol in reduction of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in newborns of diabetic mothers. A retrospective chart review was done on 101 diabetic gravidas who were hospitalised at 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Medical University in Warsaw between January 1989 and December 1999. We studied the neonatal outcomes for women with diabetes mellitus who delivered before 37 gestational weeks depend on exposition to antenatal steroids or ambroxol. Both groups were compared with unexposed neonates for respiratory distress syndrome. Frequency of occurrence and severity of RDS were similar in all study subgroups. We did not found reduction of respiratory distress syndrome in newborns of diabetic mothers exposed to antenatal steroids or ambroxol.