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Is It Safe To Take Betnesol Injection 12mg At 30 Weeks Pregnancy?

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Posted on Fri, 23 Nov 2012
Question: Hello Doctor, I am 30 weeks pregnant now. I had my third trimester scan and the report has AFI as 20cm. My doctor has advised me to take Betnesol injection (12mg) 2 doses. One today and one tomorrow. While browsing over the Internet, i read that there will be some side effects regarding learning and development of the child. Is that correct. Please clarify me whether there are any side effects with this. Please help me immediately.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Asra Ishtiaq Ahmed (45 minutes later)
Hello there.

Thanks for writing to us.

No, this does not happen with the use of Betnesol.

Betnesol is a steroid injection administered during pregnancy when preterm birth is a possibility.

The steroid injection helps to produce surfactant in the baby's lungs, allowing them to inflate without sticking together. Normally, babies do not make this surfactant on their own until around 32-35 weeks.
So if you have a risk of delivering before 34 weeks , betnesol is used to accelerate the lung maturation process of the baby.
In your case the AFI of 20cm might risk you to land into preterm labour and so your doctor has prescribed you.


The dose used does not produce any developmental side effects in the baby.

Instead betnesol prevents chances of intraventricular hemorrhage (brain hemorrhage) and take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Asra Ishtiaq Ahmed (12 minutes later)
Thanks for your explanation doctor. Is there any way that AFI level can be reduced. Can I take any precautionary steps to avoid preterm and maintain the AFI levels?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Asra Ishtiaq Ahmed (1 hour later)
Hello there.

You are most welcome for your queries.

Yes, there are ways of reducing the AFI.

But before using them, its important to know the cause of increased AFI and the severity.
AFI of more than 25cm is considered significant and is known as polyhydramnios.

The causes of increased AFI are birth defects that affects the baby's gastrointestinal tract or central nervous system, diabetes, twins, blood group incompatibilities between you and baby.
Your doctor must have ascertained these in you after seeing your AFI.

Mild cases of polyhydramnios rarely require treatment and may go away on their own.
In other cases, treatment for an underlying condition such as diabetes may help resolve polyhydramnios. So you need to ensure that your blood sugars are normal by doing a glucose screening test.

Also the treatment is needed only if you are symptomatic with increased breathlessness, pain abdomen or land into preterm labor.

The methods to reduce AFI include drugs or drainage.
Draining the fluid is known as amnioreduction .
However both of these are used only when symptoms are severe as they have their own risks.


Precautionary steps you need to take are to ensure that you and your baby stay healthy.
You need to visit your gynecologist regularly for check ups.
Keep a record of your baby movements.
Non stress test and biophysical profile are needed on periodic basis to ensure fetal well being.

Also to prevent yourself from being symptomatic due to increased AFI you should take good amount of rest, avoid stress and heavy work.
Frequent small meals and avoiding spicy foods will help reduce reflux which is more if AFI is more.
Lie left lateral or propped up in bed to ensure good blood flow to the baby.
Abstain from intercourse.

Wishing you all the best.

Take care.


Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Asra Ishtiaq Ahmed (15 hours later)
Thanks Doctor. I am really happy and feel comfortable after reading your detailed comments. I had my glucose screening test and it is perfectly normal.

I have one more question. My first baby was a C Section. Actually i had labor pains for almost 6 hrs and before I was moved to labor room, they have manually bursted the amniotic fluid sac and im not sure what happened. pains stopped after that. I have this query and doubt from long time. Is it because of that the pains stopped or it stopped naturally. Please help me avoid this confusion.

And can we expect normal delivery in this case of first baby C-Section. Please guide me,

Thanks in advance
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Asra Ishtiaq Ahmed (5 hours later)
Hello there.

Thanks for writing back.

No, labor pains do not stop after rupture of water bag(amniotic sac).

Instead pain increase after release of amniotic fluid as prostaglandin hormone increases which stimulate labor.
The reason for your cesarean must have been non progress of labor.


Yes, you can have a normal delivery after previous cesarean birth.

Spontaneous labor onset can result in you delivery normally.
Also under proper hospital facilities even if you do not have spontaneous onset of labor then artificial pain can be induced with drugs.

However whether spontaneous or artificially induced, vaginal delivery after cesarean birth has to be carefully monitored for signs of scar dehiscence (break).
In the event this happens then urgent cesarean is done.

If your labor progresses with good contractions and dilatation of cervix then you can definitely deliver normally.

One previous cesarean is not a rule for a repeat cesarean provided there are no present indications for a cesarean.

I hope I have answered your query.

Take care.
Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
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Dr. Dr. Asra Ishtiaq Ahmed

OBGYN

Practicing since :2008

Answered : 689 Questions

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Is It Safe To Take Betnesol Injection 12mg At 30 Weeks Pregnancy?

Hello there.

Thanks for writing to us.

No, this does not happen with the use of Betnesol.

Betnesol is a steroid injection administered during pregnancy when preterm birth is a possibility.

The steroid injection helps to produce surfactant in the baby's lungs, allowing them to inflate without sticking together. Normally, babies do not make this surfactant on their own until around 32-35 weeks.
So if you have a risk of delivering before 34 weeks , betnesol is used to accelerate the lung maturation process of the baby.
In your case the AFI of 20cm might risk you to land into preterm labour and so your doctor has prescribed you.


The dose used does not produce any developmental side effects in the baby.

Instead betnesol prevents chances of intraventricular hemorrhage (brain hemorrhage) and take care.