Steroids for an Unborn Baby?
Steroids for an Unborn Baby?
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Discussion

Glassman

Original Poster:

25,063 posts

245 months

Friday 5th September 2008
quotequote all
Missus is 30-weeks preggers.

Went for most recent scan and the consultant suggested that (based on a late miscrarriage last year) she should have a steroid injection which, will help develop the baby's lungs should he/she arrive early.

Doesn't sound such a clever idea to me, but what do I know about these matters?

Consultant may be being extra precautious because Mrs is management staff at the hospital??

Edited by Glassman on Friday 5th September 08:44

craggers

2,496 posts

314 months

Friday 5th September 2008
quotequote all
My little boy had it 1 week before he was born (he was born at 32 weeks) and now he is lovely little fella.

Glassman

Original Poster:

25,063 posts

245 months

Friday 5th September 2008
quotequote all
craggers said:
My little boy had it 1 week before he was born (he was born at 32 weeks) and now he is lovely little fella.
Are you management staff at the hospital too?

wink

Cara Van Man

29,977 posts

281 months

Friday 5th September 2008
quotequote all
Glassman said:
Missus is 30-weeks preggers.

Went for most recent scan and the consultant suggested that (based on a late miscrarriage last year) she should have a steroid injection which, will help develop the baby's lungs should he/she arrive early.

Doesn't sound such a clever idea to me, but what do I know about these matters?

Consultant may be being extra precautious because Mrs is management staff at the hospital??

Edited by Glassman on Friday 5th September 08:44
sounds like a good idea to me. Ask lots of questions to put your mind at rest.

Red the Fraggle

299 posts

228 months

Friday 5th September 2008
quotequote all
From what I can gather it is common practice if they think there is any chance baby may make an early appearance.
It makes the tissue stronger allowing the lungs in inflate/deflate by themselves therefore decreasing the chances of requiring a ventilator for a prolonged period after birth

craggers

2,496 posts

314 months

Friday 5th September 2008
quotequote all
Glassman said:
craggers said:
My little boy had it 1 week before he was born (he was born at 32 weeks) and now he is lovely little fella.
Are you management staff at the hospital too?

wink
Last time I checked .. nope !! when he was born, practially I was one of the staff there as I was there for 7 weeks.

SpydieNut

5,959 posts

253 months

Friday 5th September 2008
quotequote all
Glassman said:
Missus is 30-weeks preggers.

Went for most recent scan and the consultant suggested that (based on a late miscrarriage last year) she should have a steroid injection which, will help develop the baby's lungs should he/she arrive early.

Doesn't sound such a clever idea to me, but what do I know about these matters?
i'd go with the consultants recommendations

if your baby is born very prem, the steroids will increase chances of survival by increasing the maturity of the lungs.

if the baby isn't born prem, it won't do any harm.

all the best

CrashTD

1,788 posts

234 months

Friday 5th September 2008
quotequote all
Happened to a lady at work. Kid started nursery on Mondaybounce

Glassman

Original Poster:

25,063 posts

245 months

Friday 5th September 2008
quotequote all
CrashTD said:
Happened to a lady at work. Kid started nursery on Mondaybounce
Blimey, they start 'em young these days!

Dirty Boy

14,870 posts

239 months

Friday 5th September 2008
quotequote all
My brother in law's wife had these injections this week, baby could come early so they wanted to encourage the baby's lungs to develop a bit more, sounds like it may be a common proceedure.

Glassman

Original Poster:

25,063 posts

245 months

Friday 5th September 2008
quotequote all
Dirty Boy said:
sounds like it may be a common proceedure.
So it seems. It's just the word, steroid, I'm a bit uncomfortable with.

Davi

17,153 posts

250 months

Friday 5th September 2008
quotequote all
good friend had their kid very prematurely, they said that you could easily spot those in the special care unit that had had the injections as they were much stronger.

mercemployee

330 posts

236 months

Friday 5th September 2008
quotequote all
Is it a boy? then ask for a double dose.

He will appreciate it at about 14-15 years old hehe

MilnerR

8,273 posts

288 months

Friday 5th September 2008
quotequote all
Glassman said:
Dirty Boy said:
sounds like it may be a common proceedure.
So it seems. It's just the word, steroid, I'm a bit uncomfortable with.
I'm not a medical Dr but as far as I know they use corticosteroids-like compounds. Corticosteroids are produced naturally in the adrenal cortex. They're not giving your baby anything that it wouldn't be exposed to in the normal course of events. I wouldn't worry about it, it really is a case of better safe than sorry.

Look up betamethasone, I think that's what they give them.

Edited by MilnerR on Friday 5th September 10:23

ledger

1,063 posts

313 months

Friday 5th September 2008
quotequote all
my wife had the steroid injections with my youngest as we knew she was coming out no later than 36 weeks, she still had to go into SCBU as she was snuffling and not feeding, but she's a healthy bruiser now.

Will have to do the same with the next one.

Rebuker

5,006 posts

252 months

Friday 5th September 2008
quotequote all
Yah. You surprise me, glassman. A lot of the regulars seem to be losing their bearings a little lately.

The anecdotes of a few randoms on the internet will of course be superior to, or be weighty enough to rebutt, the judgment of a consultant with 20+ years and thoudands of babies' experience. Who is fully aware of the complete course of your wife's pregnancy, and is bound by law and ethical dictat to deliver the best of his ability in his highly litiguous field.

And the indignant agreement that 'oh yes, he's being too careful cos she's a manager' means somehow that his care has a chance of being inferior, when, if anything, it would be superior?

Yah.

Check your head, OP. If your post was rhetorical, it is pointless. If it is looking for advice, then I refer you to point 1. Check your head.

I truly hope you were not hoping for a scare story from some other poster to be enough to put you off expert professional advice of someone whose career depends on his/ her decisions.

If you are just looking for some pep talk from others, you should be well aware no to look here. It is a minefield of bks opinions, including mine.smile

Your anxiety, however, is understandable. And very best of luck with the pregnancy.

Edited by Rebuker on Friday 5th September 11:50

trimbo

1,099 posts

253 months

Friday 5th September 2008
quotequote all
I briefly felt the same as you when the consultant recommended this for my pregnant wife, but you have to follow the professionals advice. It's difficult, the decisions taken are directly effecting the most important things in your life but you're powerless to intervene.

My son was born 3 months early, was on and off a ventilator for 5 weeks, steroid injections helped save his life. He's now 10 and doing well.

pneumothorax

1,868 posts

261 months

Friday 5th September 2008
quotequote all
i worked as a doctor on both sides of this fence-obstetrics/paediatrics, and this is a completely normal precaution. if there is any chance new born will need ventilatory support at birth we'd do this to give the lungs the best chance to work. ventilation comes with all kinds of potential complications. as far as i know little or nil known complications if this treatment is used approriately.
so dont worry, wise and normal practice.

Glassman

Original Poster:

25,063 posts

245 months

Friday 5th September 2008
quotequote all
Rebuker said:
Your anxiety, however, is understandable. And very best of luck with the pregnancy.
Thank-you.

As for the previous bits in your post, no offence intended; I did discuss the subject with mrs and it was her suggestion to seek a wider opinion from a forum consisiting of people who may have had similar experiences and professionals/doctors/consultants.


staceyb

7,107 posts

254 months

Friday 5th September 2008
quotequote all
My cousin was born unexpectedly at 28 and was given lots of steroids during his 14 week stay in SCBU. The nurses commented very frequently said that if my aunt had been given steroids during pregnancy his first few weeks would have been a lot easier.