Steroids in pregnancy...

[littlemisspiggy]

I have been prescribed a course of steroids in oral form for eczema for at least 4 weeks. The Dermatologist says they are ok to take when pregnant (I'm 28 weeks) but I frightened myself when I read the leaflet and all the side effects. Surely they must affect the baby? Has anyone else been in this position and was your baby ok?

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I have been on them for 20+ years and had to take them in pregnancy as I have had a transplant.Ds was fine and still is and I know many babies born to mums on steroids who are ok too.It is obviosly not the ideal but I had no choice Is the eczema really bad or could you wait?

I was on Prednisolone throughout my pregancy. It doesn't cross the placenta so you are fine. What dosage are you taking?

Oh thanks. I am on 20mg per day for 2 weeks then 15mg for 5 days, then 10mg for 5 days, then 5mg for 5 days plus a topical cream.
You both have reassured me as I got scared reading of side-effects in pregnancy which included cleft-palate.

Noddyholder- The thing is it has been spreading in the last month or so, so I can't really leave it. Plus its really itchy.

like the countess I was on prenisolone during one of my pg
he is fine

corticosteroids vary in their ability to cross the placenta; 88% of prednisolone is inactivated as it crosses the placenta;

there is no convincing evidence the sytemic corticosteroids increase the incidence of congenital abnormalities such as cleft palate or lip;

when administration is prolonged or repeated during pregnancy, systemic corticosteroids increase the risk of intra-uterine growth restriction; there is no evidence of intra-uterine growth restriction following short-term treatment (e.g. prophylactic treatment for neonatal respiratory distress syndrome);
(after 28 weeks if a women goes into pretem labour she will be given seroid to help he babies lungs to mature, It shloud not harm the baby.)

any adrenal suppression in the baby following prenatal exposure usually resolves spontaneously after birth and is rarely clinically important.

Most of this is taken from the rittish national formulary which the drs use to guide their prescribing, I hope this helps