How Early for Steroid Shots?

beachykeen1723 · October 2009

I think I got them too late- DS was born 2 weeks after I recieved the shots (when I was only diagnosed with Pregnancy-related HBP), and he had not grown at all during the time between the shots and his birth, due to my placenta deteriorating. I'm just curious, if you knew you were high risk for awhile, when did you receive the steroid shots- how many weeks pregnant were you, and how long after was your LO born?

ardilla · October 2009

I was given two steroid shots a day apart when I was 24w. I had gone into PTL at 22w1d so they wanted me to have them as soon as we hit viability. My LOs were born at 36w0d.

TriciaJoy · October 2009

The studies show a benefit to them even w/only 24 hours to work. And get even better at 48 hours.

I only got about 45 hours in, but they weren't even sure I could wait 12 when I was admitted, so they were pretty happy with that 45.

mom2elijah · October 2009

I was 31 wks pregnant when I got the steroid shots and I gave birth the next week at 32 wks. I delievered my son vaginally and he was breathing on his own and he needed no breathing assistance the 5 wks he was at the NICU. He was there to gain weight and to learn suck, swallow and breathe and needed jaundice treatment with the billilights.

lemen99 · October 2009

I got the first steroid shot when I was admitted to the hospital at 24w2d. They thought delivery was imminent (yay they were wrong!) and I got a 2nd shot 48 hours later.

I did end up delivering 2 weeks later at 26w2d.

They said every day with steroids helped. Their original HUGE goal was to make it 48 hours beyond the 1st shot! The doctors were ecstatic when I made it past 48 hours. I was so happy I made it 2 weeks!

albertabride06 · October 2009

I had my first one at 30w2d, I went into labour the night I got the first shot. At that point they were saying that every hour he stayed in was great. They didn't think that I would make it the 24 hours needed to get the second shot. I got an epidural and my labor stopped just after I got it so I was able to get the second shot. I didn't go into labor again until 32w2d when that time I actually had him. So thankfully I was able to get another 2 full weeks for him to grow.

kamcfarlane · October 2009

i got my first shot at 32w5d and got the 2nd one about 12 hours later because i had started bleeding (i had a previa). DS was delivered about 8 hours later. he needed a little breathing help in the NICU because they weren't completely effective due to the short time frame.

gymrat · October 2009

I got the shots when I was admitted to hospital bedrest at 24 1/2 wks and my two were born 2wks later at 26w, 6d. My son never needed the vent and my daughter was on it for half a day.

JessAndi · October 2009

I got the shots at 29w6d after some PTL and got the second shot the next day at 30w. DS was born at 32w4d and the Dr's were really happy that he had 2 weeks after the shots were given.

clyoungsey · October 2009

I got shots at 28 weeks and 31 weeks. LO was born at 33 weeks no respiratory assistance needed.

kkh2002 · October 2009

The steroid shots are more about lung development than physical growth. I was admitted at 23w1d, received the steroids starting at 24w and delivered at 27w3d.

meldoo2002 · October 2009

I only got 1 shot in and it was about 6 hours before the boys were born. I guess we're really lucky. Nathan spent 1 day on a vent, and a couple days on a nasal cannula. Joey spent about a week on a nasal cannula, but other than that their lungs worked pretty well for 30 weekers. I wish I had the steroid shots earlier, but they just couldn't stop my labor.

beachykeen1723 · October 2009

Sorry- I should have clarified. I feel like my shots were too late, because he stopped growing right around the time I got them. I'm assuming if he wasn't growing, he also wasn't developing the way he should have been. I'm sure they helped, but I feel like his lungs are still behind where they should be for his GA.

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