Steroid injections

[islandislandisland]

I'm 25 weeks and have been told today that my consultant would like me to have steroid injections today and tomorrow. I'm at a high risk of pre term labour but don't have any signs of this yet other than a consistently short cervix throughout. I'm on progesterone pessaries. My consultant said there were no negative effects on me or the baby but when I googled to read more about the injections I saw some research has been done that links steroids in pregnancy to behavioural issues for the child. Now I'm wondering whether to have them. My consultant's rationale is that if I do go into labour early they probably won't have time to do the injections so this is like insurance. Has anyone got any experience of having the injections and noticed any adverse effects on their child as they've developed?

Blimey I hope not! Following this with interest, I wasn’t given a choice to have them.

If you do have them OP be warned they are quite sore so you’ll need a hand to squeeze, even if it’s the nurses/MW/consultants!

@rainbowchampagne thanks, due to coronavirus it'll be the midwife doing them and me in there so I'll have to grit my teeth. To be honest I don't think I'm being given a choice but like any medical treatment I guess I can say I don't want them. It would be easier if I knew they were definitely needed and I was definitely having a prem baby.

Following

I had to have steroid injections last Friday.
I presented to hospital at 26 weeks pregnant with bleeding. It was practically the first thing they did - presumably as they didn't know for sure initially that I wasn't going into pre term labour and didn't want to waste any time. I was then examined and scanned and pre term labour didn't pose a risk but I was still kept in over the whole weekend for observation.

Thankfully all fine and I'm home now.
I did Google steroid injections after and did come across a study that referenced possible future behaviour issues.

However, that was a small scale study and to be honest I'd rather the risk of some (potentially very small) risk of a behavioural issue rather than my baby being born very prematurely without the steroids as they make a massive difference to the overall outcome.

Hope that helps and best of luck with your pregnancy.

Thanks @veevee457 I know it's quite a small scale study and better to give baby best physical chances now. I work with teenagers having issues and a large proportion of that is down to emotional and behavioural problems so it's something I'm a bit scared by as I've seen the poor outcomes for a lot of them as a result. Best wishes for the rest of your pregnancy too

There is a slight risk having steroids regarding baby’s development. However, the risks of having a very preterm baby that isn’t given steroids to give their lungs a boost are much higher risk and predictable.

Watch out for a night of insomnia and also getting thrush as a side effect to you of the steroids.

I had them and my 5 year old is fine.
They do hurt like fuck though so be warned!

That's similar to me @islandislandisland in that I work as a special needs teacher and see the results of children who were born very prematurely who now have quite significant physical and intellectual needs.
It does make you more hyper aware than usual I think when pregnant.

As another poster said I had very bad insomnia the first night of them (didn't help either I suppose being on a busy ward) but unlike a lot of people who say they really hurt, mine didn't hurt one bit. Literally barely a pinch. Best of luck x

@veevee457 it definitely does change your perspective and I'm quite aware that the consultant's aim is for me to have a live physically healthy baby which of course I want as well but wouldn't want to take any unnecessary risks if they might have longer term effects. Hopefully should be in and out tomorrow, will prep for pain and no sleep!

I had them at 24 weeks due to cervix issues, was also on progesterone pessaries. The benefits are that if you go into pre term labour it will help the babies lungs, so it was a no brainer for me. I felt I needed to trust that the consultant was doing the best for my daughter. She's now five and definitely no behavioural issues, she's got lots of sass, but otherwise as good as gold :)

I wasn’t really given a choice as I kept getting very severe Brixton hicks with twins at 32 weeks onwards. Kept thinking I was in labour. Didn’t even know about the study until I read your post! Just had them to help the babies lungs as was worried about preterm labour.
The first one I had - no one warned me they would extremely painful! I screamed a swear word at the top of my voice when they were giving me the injection. Felt like getting stabbed in the leg!
It hurt for an hour afterwards.
Second one the next day I was more prepared. Bought something to bite on! Bit down hard and screamed under my breath. Wasn’t as bad as I was more prepared for what it was going to be.
Have a hand to hold or bite down on something!

I didn’t get any insomnia or thrush that I remember though- all good afterwards

Thanks ladies, very much looking forward to this now typical as I'd managed to avoid getting a cervical stitch, there was bound to be something else!

I had the whole lot stitch, progesterone, steroids and bedrest with my twins. We made it to 34w and they are now 5.No signs of behavioural issues other than general sibling fighting! I would say the benefits out weigh the risk (I'd lost their brothers at 24w the year before)

Thanks @clareykb and sorry for your loss

Steroids are great BUT not as a “just in case” - they really should only be given if they think there’s a high likelihood of you labouring in the next week. The effect at 26 weeks on decreasing breathing issues and other severe complications (including death) means they should definitely be given but only if you need them - The first course has the best effect so if you give them too early you kind of lose the potential benefits. But, if you go into labour and don’t have time to have them then you also get no benefit - tricky balance. I would ask for more clarity on how likely it is that you will labour - if your cervical length is stable but short you could ask for something called a quantitative fetal fibronectin, and they can use that plus the cervical length to give a more precise estimate.
Agreed there is perhaps some association with behavioural issues esp with repeated steroids - but it’s not strong and it doesn’t outweigh the benefit when they’re used appropriately.

@TenThousandSpoons0 thank you. It does seem to be a just in case scenario, unless there's something the consultant isn't telling me. She said she wanted to cover me in case I went into labour between now and 28 weeks. But then might repeat the injections at a later date. I was quite alarmed at her saying I ought to have them as the benefits seem to last for the next week and I didn't think I was looking like going into labour that soon! I'll query it when I go in.

I think it's just incase. Even before I had my stitch the plan was always to have them at 24 weeks due to risk factors...I had them again at 33w too when I actually went in to labour.