steroids to stop dilation?

[RaRa7]

My friends' sis is 32 weeks and found to be 3 cm dilated at her last appt. They are keeping her overbniight and pressuring her to get a steroid shot.
Her first child was 5 weeks early.
With her 2nd she got the steroid shot and went to term.
I've never heard of this and don't know what advice/alternatives to give.
Anyone?

[Fyrestorm]

I thought the steriods were to help the baby's lungs mature if she ends up delivering..

But 3cm at this stage doesn't seem all that unusual.

[RaRa7]

lungs-right-that makes more sense
Are there any drawbacks to using them?

[Fyrestorm]

There in lies the problem...they really don't know what the long term effects are on mother or baby.

Here is a link from Web MD

I believe they use mag. to hold up labor...another subject with it's own dangers.

[RaRa7]

thanks Fyrestorm

[Lousli]

It is a risk/benefit judgement. They haven't yet shown any significant risks to just getting one course of steroid injections (usually 2 injections 24 hours apart, 48 hours until fully effective). More steroid use has been linked to higher levels of risk. Howver the benfits if the baby is truly born prematurely are pretty important. It can mean the difference between breathing or not breathing at birth. It can mean intubation, longer NICU stay, permanent lung damage, increased risk of RSV, and more difficulty nursing if a baby is born with immature lungs.

Other than the dilation, is she having any other signs of preterm labor? It seems odd that they would give her steroids just for dilation.

[Ackray]

Yeah, it's for the lung development. And 3cm at 32 weeks is NOT normal.