Alpha-hydroxyprogesterone Injections (17P)

During my pregnancy with the twins, I had weekly injections of Alpha-hydroxyprogesterone (17P). 17P injections are used to prevent preterm labor. They are most recommended in singleton pregnancies because there is not as much promising data to show that they are effective in twin pregnancies, however in my case we were operating under the better safe than sorry philosophy.

17P is a specialized for of progesterone. It has been show to lessen the chance of a woman having an irritable uterus. Irritable uterus's have a lot contractions that are just strong enough to change the cervix. The injections basically keep the uterus calm and happy.

It is usually started at 16-20 weeks. I started it around 13 weeks because of the twins. It has to be done by a medical professional because it is an intra-muscular shot. It is hard to find. Most women have to order through online services. I found one pharmacy in town who carried it. The problem is that it is a mixture of things and has to be compounded at the time of purchase. In my town there is only one pharmacy who makes it and it is quite a ways from my house. Because of my bedrest, Jake would have to make a trip monthly to the pharmacy to pick it up, and then I would deliver to my OB at my next appointment. The OB stored the vial there and would administer the injections to me weekly.

The shots were given to me in my hip alternating sides every week. It is a very thick medicine and takes a while for the nurse to push in, and it burns. However, my personal opinion is that it worked. In my case, the first few days after the injections saw much less contractions than the last day before receiving it again. It is expensive and most insurances will not cover it yet. It is about $70 a month. We had to pay that out of pocket. There were few side effects, mostly just my hip hurt for a day or two. Sometimes I would bruise, but I was also taking blood thinners as well. I would say it was worth it. Just google 17P and you will find other women's stories as well. If you are local to me and want the name of the pharmacy, just e-mail me and I will send it to you. If you are not, you should be able to find an online pharmacy through your peri.