Progesterone injections

[Dawn]

First let me start by saying I"m asking this question for my sister, not me.

Has anyone ever received progesterone injections (or know someone who did)? My sister is high-risk and she has to make the decision before she's 20 wks. preg. if she wants the progesterone injections to prevent preterm birth.
She would like to know their experiences with these injections.

The name is: Alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone Caproate (17P) and this will be given weekly to her via injections.

She's been doing tons of research and it's hard to gather alot of info. about it (as far as side effects on her and the child) since more studies really have to be done on this (ie: long term effects on the child, etc.).

But anyway, if there's any info. you can give concerning this and if you decided FOR this or AGAINST this it would be greatly appreciated. If you have alot of info./things you have to say concerning this you can post it here so others can learn, but I may also have my sister contact you via email (if you don't mind) so she can talk about it more in depth with you. Thanks.

[Karri]

Dawn - Kim got them, I think

[kim]

i did

i had twice weekly injections starting in about week 8 of my pregnancy. my progesterone levels were found to be dangerously low in week 6, we did 2 weeks of progesterone suppositories and when that was not bringing my levels up enough, we did the injections until week 18 (while continuing with the suppositories as well).

no side effects (besides sore butt cheeks ).

had i not had them i would more than likely have lost the baby .

i did not do any extensive research on it though. i listened to my ob who told me he had never lost a baby once the mom was on progesterone and that was good enough for me. i trust him implicitly.

[Suzi]

Because I do IVF I have to have progesterone shots DAILY. I did EXTENSIVE research on it because it DOES cause a higher incidence of hypospadias in boy babies and that condition is in DH's family already. The risk of me losing the baby was FAR greater than the risk of hypospadias (around 7%) so I never thought twice about it.

PIO (progesterone in oil) injections can be uncomfortable - the oil can build up in the hip muscle leaving you with "pockets" of oil - your hips feel like they have cysts (you can feel them with your fingers) and the pockets can become slightly tender - like a fresh bruise.

IMHO not anything to worry about - your sister can take the shots without much concern. If she needs to talk to someone, I'd be glad to talk to her - I've done them twice now (once for 9 weeks and a second time for 4 weeks) - just PM me!

[Dawn]

Thanks Kim and Suzi! I copied and pasted your answers and sent them to her. If she has further q's I'll let you know.

Kim - I can't remember, did you get the shots when you were preg with Tony or Gianna?

[kim]

gianna. i never had a progesterone problem with tony at all. must be my old age!

[Dawn]

Ok girls, I just wanted to post the email I got back from my sister:

If you guys have any input concerning this, please post. If anyone else has experience with progesterone injections we would like to hear. Thanks.

Dawn,

Thank you for posting this message and your friends have great output.
The only issue is Suzi is using it for IVF treatments which is approved
for the FDA. Kim used suppositories which is clinically found safer to
use and a more natural form. So the outcome is different b/c they are
taking it early on in their pregnancies and the 2 types of treatment
they are using there is FDA approval for those kind of uses.

I will be using it staring 20+ - 36 weeks ( total of 16 weeks) to help
prevent preterm labor. This has NOT been approved by the FDA for this
kind of use and the compound agent is different than the suppositories (
more riskier). It is a VERY high dose form of progesterone

Also what Suzi said about hypospadias is the same risk that I would
have even taking the drug late in the game but there is a risk with
girls, too. My dr. feels it may not be as likely to occur b/c the
genital are already formed, but still has me worried. What Suzi said
is great, she definitely did her research. There was a lot of
complaints about the oil burning people with the injection as well.

Suzi is also able to get stats and the reported results b/c this type
of use as part of the infertility treatment is approved by the FDA.
Unfortunately, I can only pick up bits and pieces for this type of use
of 17P b/c the manufacturers and the dr.'s doing the study is not liable
to report and risks or defects to the fetus/mother or the stats b/c it
is only is study trials that the dr.'s are performing themselves. So
the pharmaceutical companies manufacturing/making the drug is not
liable b/c the label does not have an indication for pre-term labor use,
it would have to be approved by the FDA and has not been. Doing my
research I think they will have a hard time to get 17 P approved for
this type of use being that the FDA classified the drug compound which
17 P contains Hydroxyprogesterone as a level D which is known to cause
fetal defects/harm.

I truly appreciate the post and if there is any more posts please every
bit helps - send them MY way!!

Did Suzi have a boy, if so was he okay?

[Suzi]

Dawn, we ended up with a girl. Before she was born (we did not know her sex before birth) we contacted a pediatric urologist so that IF we had a boy and IF he had hypospadias we already knew where we were going. Your sister is right, defects can happen with girls as well but it happens less often than with boys. Also, the genitals ARE already formed and she is past the time that hypospadias could occur.

Has your sister been given the opportunity to see/read the actual drug insert from the progesterone? It is long, boring, tiny-font reading but I have one if she hasn't gotten one from her doc. I read it and although it worried me, I had no choice but to take it because I could not have supported the PGY without it.

Not sure what her dosage would be (she says it will be a high dose) or if it's daily or not but mine was 50mg every day - so 350mg a week. I read that 17P is usually dosed at 250 or 500, I was right in the middle of those doses. In the end it is a statistics thing and I understand that 17P reduces preterm labor by almost 40%. Then look at the flip side of that - maybe 10% chance of fetal abnormalities (whatever they may be, including hypospadias) but that is actually a 90% chance of a NORMAL baby - which is potentially better than the chances of a normal baby born very pre-term.

A tough spot for your sister - I am glad she is getting all the info she can. Just let me know if she wants the progesterone insert I have, I will mail it - just PM me. And let us know what she decides. for her!

[Suzi]

Dawn, what did your sister decide to do? Hope all is well with her and baby!

[kalm]

I did EXTENSIVE research on it because it DOES cause a higher incidence of hypospadias in boy babies and that condition is in DH's family already.

I may be weighing in late here, but I wanted to add that I concieved my twins through IUI and I took progesterone suppositories through the first trimester. My son was born with a very mild hypospadias...and had an irregular foreskin. He required surgery at 10 months old to correct both (the pediatric urologist described his penis as looking half circumcised). The surgery was much harder on me than him. With this pregnancy (I'm 24 weeks), I was given a progesterone supplements in a pill form for the first trimester. I'm nervous about the consquences too, but it's likely I wouldn't have carried the pregnancy without it.

Not that this speaks to her specific situaiton, but I hope it lets her know she's not alone with her struggles and worries.

[Dawn]

Suzi - I'm so sorry! I never noticed your post from Sept 24th. I just read it now! I will forward it to my sis. However, they decided to not take the risk concerning the progesterone injections due to the 'unknown' effects. So in the meantime we're keeping our fingers crossed in hopes that baby stays in there. Thanks for asking.

Kalm - Thanks for your story as well.

[gabbysmom04]

i just today had my first shot. my doc gave it to me in my arm and now i am uable to use it, it hurts terrible has anyone else had something like that happen? thanks in advance for the help

[kim]

i always got mine in the butt, and yes it hurt quite a bit the first time, but it was easier after that.

[Suzi]

The leg will hurt like that, too. The best place is in the hip - it is the largest muscle in the body and can take the shot/oil much better than any other muscle. For the hip you need 1-1/2" needles and sink them all the way in. Hope that helps - if you ahve more questions, let me know!

[Brenda9578]

Hi, I'm new to the forum. I wanted to add my two sense and also find out if anyone has answers to my questions.

I am a mother of three, which wasnt' supposed to happen due to Poly Cysisit Ovarian Syndrome(PCOS). Thankfully by the grace of GOD I got pregnant with out a terrible amount of medical intervention. My first two were not too eventful, hypertension, bedrest and induction. When I became pregnant with my third child I new it would be my last, but at about 10-11 weeks I started spotting, which NEVER happened to me in the previous two. There was more to it though..lets got back some.

When I suspected I was pregnant I went to the DR for a blood pregnancy test(the urine OTC always gave false negative for me). The result was so faint that they decided to do hcg testing 3x a week. They were climbing, but not quite like the DR wanted. In the mean time I was doing my research, because the DR had basically told me if I was gonna miscarry that's just what's gonna happen! I begged them to test my progesterone level to see if that was the problem, she finally did, the bleeding started back up a few days later and off to the DR I went, and saw a new DR, she got my results and felt that the low level was the reason for the spotting, and offered me the shot, I was so determined to keep my pregnancy I asked little questions and put full faith in her after she told me, " I truly believe I had delivered babies because of the shots" Needless to say, I got my first shot that day, changed DR's and returned for 5 weeks, 3x a week for injections in my hip. For me it was painful for the first 2 weeks or so, but only for the first few hours. I really believe the shot saved my pregnancy, and have a 2nd daughter that I adore.

Now, my questions....
I regret never asking questions about what the hormone could do to the baby. I read the previous posting and had never heard of genitial problems. She appears to be completely normal, but is there testing they should've or should do to check her out? And what about fertility problems for her in the future? I don't regret getting the shots, I love Olivia so much and can't imagine life without her. However, I want to have all info that could help her if there is a problem, and what if needed i can do now.

Thank you for your time reading this. I look forward to any help!
Brenda

[Suzi]

Brenda, I'm sure Olivia is just FINE!! If there were problems caused by the progesterone shots, your pediatrician would've already found them in her/his well-baby exams. I took progesterone shots EVERY DAY for the entire first tri and my daughter is perfectly normal! I wouldn't think another thing of it if I were you!

[Brenda9578]

Thank you for your quick response! I think she is fine, but I still worry that she will have problem in her future, specifically fertility.

[Suzi]

Brenda, her fertility is not affected by progesterone so you can rest assured that her fertility did not suffer from the progesterone shots you had during your PGY. Progesterone taken during PGY affects the formation of the urinary tract and the problems your daughter MAY have had are all related to urinary tract location, not fertility.

In addition, complications from progesterone are very rare in girl babies - it is almost always boy babies who experience the complications. Hope that helps put your worries to rest!

[Brenda9578]

What problems could she have with her urinary tract?

[Suzi]

Physical deformity - her urinary tract would not exit the body in the right place. So if she had problems from the progestersone, there is absolutely NO mistaking...you would already know.