• Week by Week
  • Sex and Pregnancy
  • Weight Gain
  • Exercise and Nutrition

New to the forum? Sign Up Here!

Already a member? Please login below.

Forgot your password? Need Help?  
Learn and Discuss About...

Injection For Lung Development

1 posts on this thread and the last post was on September 3rd, 2009 10:03 PM
There are currently 4865 members logged in.
JulieK - September 1st, 2009 5:46 PM
 [Original Post]

Hi all. I had my regular appointment today at 29 weeks. My doctor suggested that I have the injections to aid the baby's lung development. I was surprised, as I was not aware that I was at risk for premature labour. She said it was really just precautionary, but because my first two kids were taken by c-section at 37 weeks and 38 weeks (due to their large size), my body has never gone full term. She said the body has a memory, and will likely think I am at term earlier with this pregnancy. Has anyone every heard of this?

I thought these injections were only done when there was a high risk of premature labour, not when there was a history of elective c-sections?

Thanks for any advice!

les706 - September 3rd, 2009 10:03 PM

I think that's really weird. I mean I've had two courses of steroids, one at 24 weeks because my cervix shortened significantly and another at 28.5 weeks because I had a positive fetal fibronectin test and was contracting. The steroid shots really only help if the baby is born within a week of the shots, and it doesn't sound like you have any indication of going into labor within the next week. And besides that, 37 weeks is full term so I don't know why your doctor would worry about that. Also, both of my steroid courses were recommended by my perinatologist. If you are high risk for preterm labor, you should be seeing a perinatologist. I would get a second opinion. The steroid shots hurt really bad too.