Progestrone Injections

Hello all, I am 18 weeks prego w/ b/g twins. Due to my serious history of pre-term deliveries my peri has put me on progestrone injections. I have to take one shot every week until I deliver, ouch! I just got my third shot. I have found very good results on this treatment for singleton pregnancies, but absolutely NO info w/ twins. Anyone have any experience or info? Would be much appriciated!
Angela Henkes
Due 7/26/07

Baby A - Jonathan Pierce Jr.
Baby B - Jenna Maria

Big brother Zane, 8
Big sister Megan, 6
Big sister Madalynn, 2

 

I had IVF so I had progesterone shots every day for the first trimester. My twins are now over 5 months. It must have worked.

 

I also took the weekly shots (and daily PIO shots for the first 13 weeks of pregnancy due to IVF), but it was part of a research project that my peri was doing. From what they explained to me, there has been lots of research/testing on singleton pregnancies, enought that it can be proven that the injections help with singleton pregnancies, but there has to be more testing done to prove the same for twin/triplet pregnancies. I was part of a double blind study, meaning that neither me nor the researchers that followed me at the peri's office knew if I was taking progesterone or a placebo.

I still don't know if I was taking progesterone or not, but I did carry the twins to 38 weeks (with zero complications) until my scheduled c-sect. When I went in for the c-sect, I was only dialated 1cm, and had had zero contractions. I think I could have probably gone another week.

So the reason you probably can't find any info on twin pregnancies is because it hasn't been "proven" yet, although I think it is kind of understood that it does help, given that it has been proven that it helps singleton pregnancies.

Just like anything else with pregnancy, everyone is different, and what works for one might not work for another, so don't put all you eggs in one basket if you know what I mean. This was my first pregnancy, so I may have not had any problems without the shots. But I hope it does help you! Good luck, and sit on a heating pad for a few minutes ofter the shots, that helps to thin the oil out, and prevent your butt from knotting up!!

Wishing you an uneventful pregnancy!!

 

I did an experimental trial also, took the shots once a week until 31 weeks, i delivered @ 39+ weeks!!!

 

I took the weekly progesterone (P-17) shots from weeks 16 to 33 I think. My water broke at 35 weeks...still wasn't dilated although I did have contractions starting around 20 weeks...but I guess they weren't productive.

 

I took the shot from 19-35 weeks. I actually missed the last shot at 35 weeks. At 35 weeks 2 days I had a c-section due to pregnancy induced hypertension. My OB told me that it was proven to help in singletons, but she didn't know if it would help with multiples. I had BH contractions all the time and my NST was repeated multiple times due to the contractions. I don't know if they helped or not, but they did not hurt anything. At the end, I had only dilated 1 1/2 and thinned 50%. I guess if I had not had the problem with my BP I might have went longer.

 

I started the progesterone injections at 24 weeks (I think around that time), and continued to have them 2 times a week until I delivered at 34 weeks.

I would like to think that they worked, seeing as how I was able to carry the babies much longer than my doctor's anticipated. But I was on a LOT of medications to help (Procardia, Terbutaline, Percocet, Progesterone injections, stool softeners [colace and charcoal], and probably more if I thought about it long enough).

 

I did daily injections during the first trimester. They hurt and left big lumps on my behind. Then, the itching.....NOT fun, but worth it. I like to think that those shots had some benefit.

My OB said that there was some information out there to indicate that progesterone can help you "hang on" to a pregnancy, both in the early days as well as possibly delaying the onset of PTL.

 

I also was an ivf preg and had to progesterone for the first couple of months. My other girlfriend who is pregnant with twins also (ivf) also had to do them but she started it very early in her pregnancy to help thicken the wall that the egg attatches to since her first ivf didn't work. Her second one took and she is now about 24 weeks. Not sure how long she took it for but it was at least 3 months.

 

I was on progesterone throughout my entire pregnancy due to a history of multiple losses. The first trimester, I took it as a vaginal suppository. But starting around 16 weeks, I started the weekly injections for an "irritable uterus" got them every week until the week before I delivered.

In fact, I was scheduled for a C/S, didn't get my shot the week before the C/S (I was busy and figured it wouldn't matter) and went into labor the day before the scheduled C. I don't know if it was a coincidence or if the 12 days without an injection had something to do with it.

But, they definitely worked for me. I could tell when it was time for a shot because I would have more frequent and more intense contractions.

HTH! ~ Laura

 

I really wanted to get these, and my doc really wanted me to as well. They haven't tested on twins, but the testing on singletons has been extremely positive (I don't recall exact numbers, but I recall it dramatically reduced the number of very early deliveries). I wouldn't think twins would be much different. The exact same principals apply in that situation.

My insurance wouldn't cover it because they called it experimental, just because I was pregnant with twins. I struggled really hard, because I tried to figure out if I could afford it anyway.. but at $275/week for many, many weeks it would just be impossible. I thought this was a bunch of crap, since I met every standard that was there to indicate it being recommended (history of preterm labor with a singleton, etc.).

Anyway, I think it is something with very little if any side effects, since it's a hormone you produce naturally, and potentially amazing positive results. I hope it becomes more mainstream. It actually has been in practice for many, many years, so this isn't new. It's just the study (with singletons) and the really positive results that is fairly new, and they JUST studied twins... so probably very soon there will be some sort of findings for twin pregnancies.

There is a great article on this at the March of Dimes site. I can dig up the link if you'd like.

Good luck!

 

If you find the link, please let me know. I'm so excited to read these posts and the outcomes you all have had! I'll have to try the heating pad trick
Thanks again!
Angela Henkes