PREGNANCY-BIRTH Messages for March, 1999: Re: Progesterone Injection to avoid Miscarriage

Re: Progesterone Injection to avoid Miscarriage

From: D. Ashley Hill, M.D. (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Sun, 14 Mar 1999 16:10:32 -0600 (CST)

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In reply to: anonymous@obgyn.net: "Progesterone Injection to avoid Miscarriage"

At Sat, 13 Mar 1999, anonymous@obgyn.net wrote: >
>I've heard that progesterone injections before 11 weeks of pregnancy can avoid miscarriage at a later stage of pregnancy. I'm currently 10 weeks pregnant but have lost 2 previous pregnancies. The first pregnancy lost at 8 weeks and the second at 22 weeks.

It is certainly understandable that you are eager to prevent another pregnancy loss. However, there are a number of misperceptions about progesterone and pregnancy loss. First, most (80%) of miscarriages are caused by chromosomal problems with the baby, and cannot (and should not) be prevented, as the baby would likely die shortly after birth due to the anomalies. Thus, at most 20% of pregnancy loss could be prevented by progesterone, and, in fact, it's probably more along the lines of 3-5%. Since the placenta makes enough progesterone by about 9-10 weeks of pregnancy, most ob/gyns would suggest that at 11 weeks you would not need progesterone supplementation.

There are a number of other potential causes of pregnancy loss, and you should have an evaluation for these, since you have had a second-trimester loss. For a full description of these tests, feel free to visit my (free) web page. Go to http://home.mpinet.net/dahmd and look under the patient monograph section, under pregnancy loss.

Best of luck to you. Please ask your doctor if he or she has evaluated you for one of the conditions that can cause recurrent pregnancy loss, as he or she is most familiar with your history.

-- Ashley Hill David Ashley Hill, M.D. Associate Director Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Florida Hospital Family Practice Residency Orlando, FL http://home.mpinet.net/dahmd

The above is intended for general medical education, and is not for specific medical advice. I apologize, but I am unable to answer personal e-mail due to time constraints.

Next message: Katharine: "linea nigra"
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