Steroids could prevent miscarriages?

// added September 10, 2008 // 8 comments //
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/sep/10/steroid.miscarriage?gus...

Up to 3,000 miscarriages each year in the UK could be prevented thanks to new research into what causes women to lose their baby early in pregnancy. The study sheds new light on how a cheap experimental treatment works and has led to a formal trial of the drug.

Earlier studies suggested that giving steroid drugs to some women who have suffered repeated miscarriages allows them to have a normal pregnancy. Steroids are use widely to treat asthma and eczema and cost just £1 per day.

"There's a massive, desperate need," said Dr Siobhan Quenby at the University of Liverpool, who said she has been "inundated" with email enquiries from women about the treatment. "There are thousands of people around the world who are absolutely desperate because they keep miscarrying and there is no cause found and there is no treatment for them."

Annie Greenhouse, 35, of York had four miscarriages before being given the experimental treatment. "I was absolutely devastated the first time, and it got harder each time. After the fourth one I felt, 'that's it, I can't possibly do this.' I felt I had responsibility for those lives and if I got pregnant and it went wrong I would be responsible."

But the fifth time she got pregnant she was given the steroid treatment and had a successful pregnancy. Her baby Finlay is now nine months old. "It's been fantastic. It has completely changed my life. It's wonderful being a mum. It's the most amazing thing ever."

Quenby estimates that steroids could help around a third of women who suffer unexplained repeated miscarriages. In total around 18,000 women miscarry every year in the UK and around half of these miscarriages are unexplained.
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8 comments // Steroids could prevent miscarriages?

  • staceyh880
    • 0
      staceyh880  

    • its intresting coz people that have tryed and tryed to have babys cant and now they have found something to help the people that cant to can.
      its grate coz now people that have always wanted kids that couldnt get to enjoy the piter patter of feet running aroung.
      i think its a grate idea

    • 1 year ago
  • Ryz0n
  • argyle_kitten
    • 0
      argyle_kitten  

    • Adopt? I don't understand the intense desire to have a child that comes from your own body, especially after four miscarriages like the woman mentioned. It just seems so unnecessary.

    • 1 year ago
  • LindseyIndigo
    • 0
      LindseyIndigo  

    • This is very interesting, an undoubtedly reassuring news for the many women who have suffered repeated miscarriages, but I wonder if the full implications of steroid use on foetuses is known yet?

    • 1 year ago
  • seanalyn
    • 0
      seanalyn  

    • The dosage is generally so small that it wouldnt have any effect on the baby, it would effectively correct the mothers hormonal imbalance to make it that of "normal" female hormone conditions.

    • 1 year ago
  • ichigo113
  • GrandKnow2
    • 0
      GrandKnow2  

    • No, no, no thats the last thing we need pregnant women on steroids thats just a world of trouble.

      But seriously this is a blessing to women that have problems with giving birth due to previous miscarriages.

    • 1 year ago
  • seanalyn
    • 0
      seanalyn  

    • Interesting read. Im not at all surprised though because steroids help with a wide array of gynecological problems. Steroids are essentially testosterone...often gynecological issues are caused by a hormone imbalance so the addition of either testosterone or estrogen can make a huge impact.

      Its sad that the word "steroid" has a negative connotation on our society due to the countless athlete scandals. Everyone assumes they will destroy our bodies but really when someone is given steroids to treat a gynecological disease, it is such a mild dose that its impact isnt great. I myself was on steroids all through high school to stop internal bleeding and cell growth, unfortunately it wasnt the correct treatment for my disease, but it didnt turn me into some ripped freak hehe.

    • 1 year ago
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