Progesterone Shot

Ask her about Crinone instead. This is something you use every day but you do it vaginally, instead of a shot it's a suppository. I have had preterm labor three times (first was at 28 weeks and the next two at 26 weeks.) So the fourth time around we did Crinone from 26 weeks and I was fine- no brethine or Mag praise the Lord! She was born at 37 weeks and I wasn't even in labor (I have c-sections.)

I would have a major problem with the shots, and was so glad she suggested this. It's expensive, but if you have insurance and your OB tells them it's necessary they should pay for it.

Feel free to email me ____@____.com

S., mom to four girls, three NICU babies fourth my first in my room!

I do not have any advice/info to give you on the progesterone shot for preventing pre-term labor. However, I would encourage you to ask your Dr. if the shot is NATURAL or SYNTHETIC progesterone. I had Post-Partum Depression after my son was born and saw a psychiatrist- she gave me a prescription for natural progesterone (as well as a AD) and STRESSED that I should NOT take a synthetic hormone. I don't know if the synthetic hormone was bad for everyone or if it was only bad for someone with PPD- but asking your doctor about that is a good idea.

I do know that progesterone is the hormone that prevents your uterus from contracting during the pregnancy- thus keeping the baby in the womb. A minimum level of about 10ng/ml is required to sustain a pregnancy through the very early stages. This goes up throughout the pregnancy until almost 40 weeks, when it drops off- then the contractions are able to start. I would also ask your doctor if they are going to monitor your blood progesterone levels throughout the pregnancy to ensure they are keeping you at normal pregnancy levels, or if they just load you up until you are full term and then stop.

Sorry to give you more questions and no answers! I am not so helpful after all, I guess.... We parents are overwhelmed with tough decisions regarding our children- making these decisions that could either not affect their lives at all OR completely alter their lives forever! What a responsibility!

I went through IVF. I had to do progesterone shots to secure my pregnancy. I didn't produce enough on my own. I had started to have complications in my 8th week and stayed on the shots (I was suppose to go off them at that point). I know if I didn't do them I would not have my babies. But,it did hinder some of my breathing. The body was finally making enough progesterone and I was still doing the injections.It was too much progesterone. I had to stop the shots and once I did I was fine. I delivered at 35 weeks. Good Luck with your pregnancy.

JD,

Progesterone Cream from a quality source would be much easier to take. Doctors don't know about stuff like that but a good pharmacist (one who knows alternative care as well as medicine) has told me that progesterone cream is often used in Europe. Not only does it prevent early births, it also has been shown to increase intelligence in children.

All you do is rub the cream on your belly and buttocks. It goes through your skin and works wonders...or so I've heard from my pharmacist.

I didn't have the shot but my midwife had a pharmacy compound progesterone into tablets that I had to let dissolve in my mouth 4 times a day! They made me so sick. I was miserable for up to two hours afterwards and then it was almost time to do another one. It was the worst part of my pregnancy. My daughter is almost three and we've had no side effects at all so far. If you are having problems I might consider it but if everything is fine maybe you should wait a few more weeks. I was really miserable on the tablet but maybe the shot is different.

Hi and congrats on the progress of your preemie and you new baby on the way!!
I have been going undergoing fertility treatments for about 4 years and have used progesterone in various ways: capsule inserts, injectibles, and oral. My understanding is that is completely safe and can be very helpful in pre-term issues. It's the hormone that helps keep that baby "sticking".
Also I know that quote that "every pregnancy is different" so hopefully you won't have any of the previous issues.
Hope this helps....Good Luck!!
Jenny Dobbins

I was on progesterone shots to help have periods (due to PCOS) so that I could get pregnant. After I got pregnant, I continued them until about 5 months along and then stopped. I switched to a midwife at that time and she said that my body would make it naturally now and it did. That was almost 4 years ago. I did not have them with my second child.

If your doctor say that it is best, then do it. I had to be on progesterone as well, but mine was a suppository. Basically, it is "crazy glue" and makes that baby stay put.

It is only for a few weeks and will not hurt the baby.

Now, I have heard about the shots. They are sometimes called PIO (progesterone in oil). The liquid in these shots are quite thick so the needle is a bit bigger. You will be fine...just have someone shoot your butt for you. :)

One word of advise that I heard from a friend of mine...do not ice the area before your shot. What it does is make the liquid get cold when you are administering the shot and makes it harder to give. Ice afterwards is fine.

Good luck with your pregnancy. I know it is hard to figure all of this out and become an expert so quickly! I'm dealing with "what to do" with my 6 month old and the shots...this autism scare with shots is scaring me so bad!!

Good luck! :)

Okay I am curious. I have had to children bedrest with both. I had the progesterone suppositories with the second. I was only on them a short time. I am wondering why they took me off. My question is what is the difference between the shots and what I had. Also I guess I never realized that when you lack progesterone it brings contractions on. I am pregnant now with baby 3. I am 5 weeks so I am early but I am tryign to gather as much info as I can about this now I may ask about it.

Did they say why they wanted to give that to you????
I just know that i was a gestational mother and I had to take that shot up untill i got prego and then up untill i was 10 weeks. Then you stop taken it. I am not to sure but that does not sound right for them wanting you to take that at 16 weeks. Is there soemthing wrong with the baby or you?? Your story makes me nervous. please keep me informed. This may be soemthing new to me. thankyou

It sounds exactly like my story, my first child was born at 33 weeks only 3lb and 10 ounces. for my second child I was on bed rest for 6 weeks and I was having premature contractions that stopped only with magnesium but they never gave me progesterone shots and my baby was born at 38 weeks and she is now 18 mo old. If you are not having contractions I don't see why you should go with something that it is still experimental. Sometimes doctor give medications too easly in my opinion. ask your doctor to wait if you don't feel confortble....bed rest will be my choice.
I whish you well
good luck

My first was born at 34 weeks, 2 weeks in the NICU. Don't ever want to do that again.
with this pg, I started the progesterone injections at 16 weeks, now I'm at 36 1/2 weeks- still happily waiting!

One of the reasons they don't start until after 1st tri is b/c then the reproductive organs are already formed, and the prog. won't affect development. and there are some other reasons.

My doc is really open to natural remedies, and stays up to date on the latest research. Now I am with the Certified Nurse Midwife who works with him, and she is very on board with this treatment as well. it seems that the potential benefits far outweigh the potential risks, and you should be able to proceed with the injections with peace of mind.

I also take fish oil as per the recommendations of my acupuncturist- the highest dose allowed in pregnancy- 3g. check with a pro before you do that, but it is supposed to help suppress the inflammatory prostaglandins that provoke labor.

as for the shots themselves, sometimes they sting a little, sometimes i'm sore or itchy, most of the time i don't feel any discomfort at all. Esp. in the beginnning, I could tell an improvement in my overall well-being the first several days after a shot- I would be more tired, but happier and better appetite, more comfortable in my body.

good luck.
A.

I say do it! I truly believe that getting the progesterone was the reason that I was able to carry my first baby to term. He was a threatened miscarriage and the doctors at the hospital gave us a very grim percentage (33%) chance to carry our son to term. At the 10 week mark there was still no heart beat, but my OB didn't give up on my son or me and continued with the progesterone. Finally at 11 weeks, we saw the heartbeat! We continued with the progesterone and I was SO thankful that I had an OB who believed in trying the progesterone. My son is almost 4 and it doesn't seem to have had any long term affects. I wish you the best for a happy and healthy pregnancy!

I had two miscarriages; the doctor believes in part those could be related to my advanced age, and in part may have been genetic; my mother had at least 4 or 5 miscarriages. My absolutely wonderful infertility doctor had me take the progesterone shots through the fourth month of my pregnancies and I was able to give birth to two wonderful healthy sets of twins. As I understand it, the progesterone definitely made me put on more weight, and all the drugs that I had to take to get and stay pregnant may have some effect on me long term, but for me it was well worth it.

I didn't have progesteron late in my pregnancies but for the first 12 weeks I had to take pills to prevent a miscarriage. I don't know that there are any long term affects because your body produces naturally during pregnancy. If your body doesn't produce enough is when you go into labor.

Ask your dr if the progestrone suppositories would be an option for you. I used those will all 3 of my babies... good luck, A. J

I have been in your shoes. My first child was born at 33 weeks & in the NICU for 30 days - now 5 & doing fantastic (tallest in his class). I just had a baby 6 months ago & my doctor put me on progesterone shots starting around 20 weeks. I stayed on them through 34 weeks and at 35 weeks she was ready to come out. I think without the prog. she would have been alot earlier & would have spent time in the NICU. Instead I was able to bring her home. I had no side effects & neither did she. I think it is very safe. The benefits outway the risk of premature labor.
Many Blessing to your family,
TK

Hi JD,

I feel pretty confident in the use of Progesterone to help protect the pregnancy...it has been used for a while now although the shot the doctor is recommending may be a new version...ask for more detail into that. And no, stress probably did not cause your baby to come prematurely. Sometimes stress even has a beneficial effect on the baby. Certainly not a big enough benefit to want stress...especially chronic stress. Those stress hormones do pass the placenta.
Your doctor may also suggest in your third trimester to do a fetal fibranectin test...I probably misspelled that. It is a test to see if the baby has secreted a chemical that gives an indication of premature labor. But just because it happened once does not mean it will happen again. Sometimes fate just has its way. Stay healthy and avoid infections of any kind! Bacteria can weaken the amniotic membrane and can cause some preterm contractions as well. I feel good about you because you obviously did all the right things the first go around and being on bedrest on terbutaline and mag sulfate is no picnic...but it really made a difference in the well being of your daughter!
Good luck to you!
Marianne

Would it be better and safer to use the natural progesterone suppositories???
L.

Take it!! I had to take it with both of my children because I miscarried my first child due to low progestrone. I was tested every day to check my levels and once they started dropping I was put on it for 14 weeks. I think if I had not taken it I would have continued to have miscarriages. I am so thankful for this drug and would recommend it to anyone.