Betamethasone shot question

Hello,

I had the first set of betamethosone shots at 24wks. At the time I was in the hospital for PTL and being monitored by the high risk OB's that were on staff. I know that they mentioned to me that I would repeat the shots at 28 wks. Now that I am 28 wks, I asked my regular OB about this at my appointment yesterday. He indicated that I only needed one set of the shot and that there was no need to repeat it at 28 wks. I love my OB and I trust him, however, I am obviously getting conflicting information. Has anyone else been in this situation and can tell me what your OB recommended?

Thanks!

 

I was just in the hospital for ptl at 28.5 weeks. They gave me two steroid injections 24 hours apart. They said that would be the only set I would get. They never mentioned anything about repeating them so that sounds right to me. It was my peri who had made the decision to give them to me and he also said that those would be the only ones I got.

 

One set 24 hours apart. I have heard some random situations where the steroids are repeated but it definitely does not seem to be the standard procedure.

 

Ditto PP - I got my one set (two shots, 24 hours apart) at 28 weeks - and I was told that although some people get a second set - that is not the norm, and that was the only set I would be getting...

 

Great! Thanks for your replies...I feel much better now.

 

From what I understand the shot is most effective up to a week after you get it. That's why some get a second round (to increase effectiveness if delivery is imminent). Even though I've had tons of contractions at some points, my doctors have not given this shot to me because the contractions were not causing significant enough cervical changes. When you say you were in PTL, was it actually changing your cervix?

 

Hey Melissa,

At the time, my cervix was fine...they gave me the steroid as a worst case scenerio. However, since then my cervix shortened 1cm in a weeks time. Having the shot gave me a little piece of mind. Last week it was measuring 3cm which I understand at 27 wks is still good. I'm taking things week by week (I'm sure you understand how that works as I have read that you are also on bed rest).

Alli

 

I got my first set of shots at exactly 24 weeks when I was hospitalized with PTL and my cervix shortening despite my cerclage. I spent 4 long weeks on hospital bedrest, with no change, so they discharged me back to home bedrest at 28 weeks. I did ask whether I should get another steroid shot, and my peri said not unless it seemed delivery was imminent. They did not find just giving the shots at given intervals to be effective.

So, when I went for my weekly appointment just shy of 31 weeks and they found that baby A had PROM'd, they immediately gave me a rescue dose of steroids. It was the very first thing they did upon discovering the PROM. They said it would be most effective if I had that on board for 48 hours. I delivered 48 hours later.

One of my girls was on room air from the very beginning, and the other needed a couple days of oxygen support and one day on the vent, but otherwise they were fine. Neither had any IVH as well.