Progesterone Shots?

farmwife · September 2010

Does anyone have experience or knowledge about the 17P shots? A bit of background, DS was born at 35 weeks due to PPROM. Thankfully, he was fine, no NICU time needed but one of my concerns about another pregnancy has always been having another preemie who is not so "fine". So when I initially got pregnant, my OB recommended doing the 17P shots beginning at week 16 to prevent another preterm baby. They said they'd had great success with these shots, so it sounded like the thing to do. Right after we found out it was twins, we met with another OB within the practice who was even more adamant that I get the 17P shots now that they knew it was twins. Ok, fine. Then a week later I meet with the perinatologist (who has his own practice elsewhere but comes into my OB's office once a month to meet with the multiples and high risk pregnancies) I ask him about these shots and he says that for 1) since I had pPROM and not "preterm labor", he's not sure the shots would really help that much and 2) he doesn't think they really help in twin pregnancies so he wouldn't recommend them. So I figure okay, I'll ask the OB at my next regular appointment what they think based on that information.

Well, today I get a call from a medical company wanting to ask some questions to get the ball rolling on the referral they got from my OB for the 17P shots. I explain to the woman on the phone that I'm not sure if I need them or not, and she seems quite confused and tells me to ask my doctor. Obviously I'm going to ask at my next appointment which is Tuesday. But I am wondering if anyone has any knowledge or experience with the shots to tell me which recommendation might be correct...I tend to figure the peri knows best, as he's the specialist in multiples and high risk...but of course, if the shots really would help my babies from being preterm, I obviously would want to do them. And I hate that I'm getting conflicting information from my doctors, who am I supposed to believe?!

shegak · September 2010

I'm curious to read your responses to this... I don't know much about the progesterone shots themselves, but I do know that my OB will have me start taking them at 16 weeks as well. We've discussed it already, and she says they've had a lot of success with them in terms of preventing preterm labor. My first set of twins were born at 33 weeks after going into full blown PTL at 32 weeks. She really wants me to carry these twins longer, and says I have a better chance of that with these shots.

techdg26 · September 2010

I started them at 16 weeks when I started having contractions. My perinatologist was not completely on board as he says they are not proven to prevent preterm labor. My OB felt that if they helped calm the contractions and made me more comfortable, it was worth it. My husband gives them to me once a week in my hip. They are not painful and I've only a few contraction episodes since starting them.

jannymcg · September 2010

I am starting them next week. My twins were born at 35 weeks after being in the hospital for about two weeks (I think. My memory stinks). I was having preterm labor symptoms and that's why I went into the hospital for bedrest. Like yours, though, my perinatologist said that they're not really proven to work in twin pregnancies. But he said they won't hurt anyting. So I am going ahead witht them just as a precaution and hoping they do a little bit to keep the wee ones put for a few more weeks. My last set of twins are seven now and stayed in the NICU for two weeks, but are healthy and fine. I just am like a previous poster, and don't like thinking what might happen if these twins are born earlier.

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