Steroids at 38 weeks?

[pickle346]

I am due to have an elective section at 38 weeks - I have been given appointments for steroids a few days before, but am very anxious about whether these are necessary.

The hospital by their own admission say they don't know the long term effects of these, only that they can help with breathing problems in the short term.

I have done some research and read studies which have scared me about the long term effects.

Is anybody else in this position? The baby is not measuring small so am wondering if this is all necessary and would welcome views.

thank you!

I had a similar dilemma but accepted the steroids after the consultant confidently reassured me about the studies that had suggested long term adverse effects. On balance I felt I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if baby had had breathing probs and I had turned it down.

But it did worry me.

To be honest the risk of breathing problems at 38 weeks is low; if baby did develop anything (usually TTN-transient tachypnoea of the newborn), yes the baby would need neonatal care which would be awful but they get better. There would be no reason to feel guilt.
A lot of hospitals don't offer steroids at 38 weeks so don't feel pressurised/guilty if you don't accept them.
If they were offered to me (having section at 39 weeks) then I would have them, but I'm a NICU nurse and their administration is nothing new to me and nothing I've just had to learn about in pregnancy and make a decision about IYSWIM. x

I will be having a section at 38.2 and have been worried about the same thing. I don't yet know whether I will be offered steroids as it's 10 weeks away but I just worry that is slightly early. My last cs was at 39.

thanks for the responses - spoke to the consultant yesterday and he is of the view I should have them as the risk of problems is 8% - I have until next week to decide!

I have been taking steroids all the way through pregnancy due to a pre existing condition. The risks for me and baby were considered low. If you stand to gain any benefit its definitely worth considering xxx

Just a thought but why don't you schedule your c section for 39 weeks instead? Risks of breathing problems decrease to 1% then so you can easily decline them if you want. Like I said, most hospitals won't offer them at term and I haven't been offered any for 39 weeks x

When I was due with ds1 in 2010 in Edinburgh he was offered since he was pre-34 weeks, but only just so almost didn't get them! I believe it is now pre-36 weeks here. Personally I wouldn't want them or think unnecessary at 38 weeks if based purely on 2 weeks early with no other reasons.

I had steroids with DD but she was 37 weeks and suffering from IUGR so they were expecting her to be a really tiny baby...