Dangers of taking a dexamethasone shot

Dexamethasone (commonly known as DXMS) was first produced in 1957 and is listed in the World Health Organization's list of essential medicines. It is one of the essential drugs in the basic public health management system. Dexamethasone is of high quality and low price. A month's treatment abroad generally costs less than US$25. In Indonesia, a premature baby treatment procedure costs only US$0.5 per session. Dexamethasone is freely available in most countries. So, is a single shot of dexamethasone harmful?

Dexamethasone is a synthetic corticosteroid that can be used to treat a variety of conditions, including rheumatic diseases, some skin diseases, severe skin allergies, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, croup, cerebral edema, and can also be used in combination with antibiotics for tuberculosis patients. The pregnancy level of this product in foreign countries is classified as C, and it can only be administered after the effects of taking the medicine outweigh the side effects; in Australia, it is rated A, which means that this product is commonly used in pregnant women and there is no direct evidence that it will have adverse effects on the fetus.

If it is clear that the patient is suitable for dexamethasone, sometimes it is okay to use it once. Because dexamethasone belongs to the adrenal hormone class, if used for a long time, it will cause some side effects on the human body. The more common side effects are central obesity, and it may also affect normal development. For example, long-term use of dexamethasone in children and adolescents may affect bone growth and development, and may even cause certain damage to liver and kidney function. Long-term use of dexamethasone in adults may cause leg and foot swelling, osteoporosis, and muscle atrophy. Women may experience menstrual disorders, nausea, vomiting, and in severe cases, even gastrointestinal diseases such as gastrointestinal ulcers and gastrointestinal perforation.

Dexamethasone is a hormone drug. Generally, this type of drug has a better anti-infection effect. The use of this type of drug by pregnant women may be related to inflammation. This type of drug needs to be used in small amounts under the guidance of a local doctor, because excessive use may affect the development of the fetus. Moreover, the side effects of dexamethasone are relatively large. If a premature baby occurs, the use of dexamethasone can promote the improvement of the fetal lungs. Generally, as long as it is used within the normal range, most of the effects on pregnant women and fetuses are not very large.

If the pregnancy is more than 30 weeks and the baby is not yet full-term, and if there is lower abdominal pain, back pain, vaginal bleeding or even placental abruption during the period, or if there are underlying diseases, and if it is considered that the baby cannot be kept to full term, it is necessary to inject dexamethasone intramuscularly to promote the improvement of the fetal lungs to prevent the occurrence of hyaline membrane lesions, etc., mainly to effectively prevent the complications of premature babies. Generally, it needs to be used for 2 to 3 days, and the therapeutic effect outweighs the side effects.