35.5 Weeks Pregnant with Twins – Steroid Injections Before C-Section

Freya Cullington

 

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Nasty Steroid Injections at 35.5 Weeks Pregnant

Identical twins share a placenta, and research shows that the placenta can start to deteriorate from around 37 weeks. Because of this, we’re booked in for an elective C-section at exactly 37 weeks. This is actually considered full term for twins, so it’s nothing to worry about.

However, the last thing to mature in a baby is their lungs. As a precaution, in the UK most consultants recommend two steroid injections, normally given 24 hours apart, to help support lung development. Over 50% of twins arrive around 35–36 weeks, so they prefer to give these injections a little earlier – hence my hospital visit yesterday and today.

The injection is given intramuscularly. I chose to have it in my bottom (there’s plenty of padding!), and while the injection itself isn’t too painful, it does have a nasty sting afterwards which lasts a few minutes. It soon wears off, but be warned.

Steroid Side Effects (The Not-So-Fun Bit)

The main issue for me was the side effects. It’s common knowledge that steroids can disrupt sleep, and that was definitely true in my case. If you’re ever offered these injections, I’d strongly recommend booking them as early in the morning as possible.

They also seem to raise body temperature. Unfortunately for me, this coincided with the hottest day of the year – 32°C during the day and still 26°C in our bedroom at night (no aircon!). Even after a cold shower before bed, my whole body felt like it was on fire. I really struggled.

The best solution I found was wrapping cold, wet flannels around my feet and resting them on a towel so the bed didn’t get wet. It eventually helped bring my core temperature down. It didn’t help me sleep much, but at least I was more comfortable.

Hospital Monitoring (Very Reassuring)

The Day Assessment Unit at the hospital were brilliant. Because I felt the twins’ movements had slowed down last night and this morning, they hooked me up to the monitor to check their heartbeats. Typically, both babies chose that moment to wake up and start kicking like mad! Very reassuring to hear.

So, unless they decide to make an early appearance, our next hospital trip is 28th July for pre-op, and D-day is 29th July.
Eeek! Not long now.

 

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