shots to prevent preterm labor?

Ok so my OB doc called me this morning on a Sat. He said he was looking over my records and asked why I had preterm labor with the twins and why I had an c-section. To me I thought it was an odd question but I told him I had preterm labor around 24 weeks put on bed rest and given meds to prevent contractions then taken off at 36 weeks had the girls c-setion. Once was breech and the other transverse breech they were not moving at all. So he said since I had preterm labor the first time I would have that again with this baby. Mind you it's only 1 this time. So he suggested of getting these shots weekly to prevent me into going or having preterm Now I don't like to make a big descion unless I have some information and the effect etc. He said I would need to get the papers on MOnday since they start theses shots at 20 weeks and i'm 21 weeks now. Now why hasn't he or the midwife talked about this before. So I was wondering if anyone had heard of progestene shots to prevent preterm labor. I feel I'm doing good and that if I don't need it I'm not going to do it.

 

Yep Ive heard of them. They are called 17alpha Hydroxyprogesterone Caporate, 17-AHPC March of Dimes has some info on it as well.

When I was pregnant with the twins I moved states at 20 weeks. My 1st provider wanted me to take them. Knowing I would be moving I called my OB to be, and she sent me some articles published by the new england journal of medicine supporting the theory that the 17p shots dont do anything to prevent preterm with multiples. I decided not to get them.

Now Im pregannt with one baby. Although I experienced pre-term withe the twins, I was able to have my labor stopped and continue on until my induction at 37 weeks. I asked if she thought preterm would be a problem this time and she said absolutely not.

17P is usually recommended for women who have already had a baby (a singleton) and delivered that 1 baby early and are now pregnant again.
given that you carried yours until 36 weeks, and that there were 2 at the time, and now its just 1, I would NOT get the shots.
They also say the shots should be started between weeks 16-20 and if you are going to get them and should be given weekly.
Good luck in your decision!!!

 

I had 3 trips to L&D for preterm labor with the twins and spent 9 weeks on bedrest. But I did end up going full term to almost 38 weeks (and being induced). I just had a single baby and didn't have any preterm labor. More BH than I remember with my older 3 single babies, but nothing to warrant a trip to L&D. I don't know anything about those shots, but I think it's like comparing apples and puppy dogs or something to compare the two pregnancies, LOL.

 

My next door neighbor had them for baby #3 and now again for baby #4. They have worked for her. All I know is a nurse comes to her house every Friday and does them for her. But so far they have helped, and it helped with #3.

 

I have heard of them and did ask my OB about it when I got pregnant with Olivia. She said that more than likely my PTL (bedrest at 27 weeks, 4 weeks in the hospital and premature birth at 34 weeks) was due to carrying multiples and I shouldn't need the shots with my singleton. I did make it to 38w5d with Olivia. Good luck with your decision.

 

I have had ptl with all 5 pregnancies, I took the progesterone hydroxy17 with the twins and carried all the way to 33 wks. I was ecstatic. I will be taking it with this singleton, the clinical trials went so well that they were called off as it was unethical to NOT be giving this drug to the patients receiving placebos.

 

I had two miscarriages before I got pregnant with our twins. I worked with a doctor in Nebraska who started the Creighton Natural Family Planning Method. I had tons of bloodwork, and the doctor decided I had low progesterone. So, immediately after I got pregnant, I started progesterone shots - twice a week - that a nurse taught my husband how to give me. When I reached 20 weeks, the doctor decided to keep my on them so I would not go into preterm labor. Some research has shown it helps, some has shown that it does not make a difference. In my case, it helped me! And I didn't miscarry! I made it to 34 weeks 6 days - and had to be induced because of Toxemia.

That was what I experienced. Hope that helps!

Jennifer

 

Your doctor can measure progesterone with a bloodtest...maybe ask for one to be sure the shots are warranted. But as the others have said, the shots do work for people who are at risk for PTL.

 

I JUST came back from my 16 week appointment where my Dr told me they wanted me to take these weekly progesterone shots b/c I delivered the twins at 33 weeks. I agreed to them b/c I can't see how they would harm me or the baby, it would just help me keep the baby in there longer (although I wasn't really worried about it since there's only 1 this time). My mom DID have me 3 months early due to an incompetent cervix, so with that in my history I figure it would be worth it.