# Prostyn Gel & Vitamin K Injection ..



## SWEETCHEEKS (Sep 15, 2005)

Hi Me Again  

I have two questions for you please  

1) - If i was to be induced early with prostyn gel (how ever you spell it), would they be able to give me some gel and send me home until labour starts?

2) - It says in my antenatle book that baby will be offered a vitamin k injection after birth?   I know nothing about this and wondered if you could tell me what its for 

Thank You So Much...

Sweetcheeks xxx


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## emilycaitlin (Mar 7, 2006)

Hi,

I'll answer your questions in order,

1) You wouldn't normally be allowed home after having prostin gel.  As you will have been induced, this puts you in a high risk category of pregnancy, and what normally happens is that you have the gel, then get reveiwed after 6 hours, and given more if needed.  It can take a couple of days for it to have an effect, so be prepared for this and take plenty to keep you occupied, as they will keep giving you more gel.

2) Vitamin K helps the blood to clot, and as babies aren't born with very much vitamin k, this helps to prevent a rare disease which affects 1:1000 babies, called haemorrhagic disease of the newborn.  This disease causes babies to bleed into their internal organs, and can be fatal, so it's worth having it.

Hope this helps,

emilycaitlin xx


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## jan27 (Aug 19, 2005)

With regard to Vitamin K, many units now give you the choice of injection or drops.  The plus side of an injection is that it is a one off and you know how much they have had, the negative is that you may not wish to give baby an injection.

Oral drops are given at birth, 4-7 days later, and if totally breast feeding by 28 days another dose.  This many doses are needed as it cannot be guaranteed how much Vit K has been absorbed due to dribbling, vomiting etc after administration.

As long as your baby recieves some VitK it does not matter how they get it, that choice is yours.

Jan


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## SWEETCHEEKS (Sep 15, 2005)

Thanks EmilyCaitlin & Jan  

I think i will let my baby have the injection, i know baby will be small but im sure they wont remember it  

(and as for the inducement i think i will wait to go in naturally!    well fingers crossed anyway  )  

Sweetcheeks xxxx


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