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High-Risk Pregnancy
PotomacSt
member
anyone taken daily high-dose steroids near delivery?
PotomacSt
member
I have an autoimmune platelet disorder called ITP that tends to got worse when I get sick, and unfortunately I got a bad bout of food poisoning/stomach flu and my platelets have fallen to 70,000. They were 116,000 just two weeks ago 
My doctor wants me on 75 mg of prednisone until delivery. I've taken a ton of pred in my younger years with Ulcerative Colitis, so it's not the highest dose I've ever been on but still... jeez, that's a lot.
I know that it's generally safe for pregnancy, especially at term. But does the baby suffer any of its nasty side effects after birth? Like the sleeplessness and excessive hunger and irritability? Or withdrawal symptoms? Does it affect breastmilk coming in? Did having it in your breastmilk affect the baby?
thanks in advance.
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Re: anyone taken daily high-dose steroids near delivery?
I myself will be getting stress dose steroids for my asthma when I go in to have my baby. It's quite common. In your case, it's to really suppress your immune system so there are fewer potential anti-plately antibodies crossing the placenta and affecting the baby. Neonatal thrombocytopenia, while usually ends up OK, can be scary. Ask your doc if they plan on giving you any additional steroids when you have the kiddo, because if you're on a bunch and your body goes under stress, it can't repspond normally and your adrenal glands may shut down. That is serious and can be life-threatening.
The baby won't suffer any side effects. Prednisone itself has a hard time crossing the placenta. It doesn't affect the milk coming in. I'm not sure if it gets into the milk-- I'd have to look it up and I'm running late for work right now-- but if it does, it'll be in low amounts which will not affect the baby.
I am on 25-30mg of Prednisone/day and have been for a few weeks now. I have an autoimmune disease called Gestational Pemphigoid, which causes a really crazy, itchy rash. When they did the biopsy and found out what it was I started the steroid. I have tried to taper off of it, but the bumps came back, so I had to up the dosage again. My doctor told me I would be given steroids through my IV when I go into delivery based on how much prednisone I'm on at the time in order for my BP to not drop out.
I am not sure about the breastmilk part. From what I have read it may be in the milk, but have also seen that it has not been enough to know for sure in studies.