terrified of possible complications...help please!!

[CrazyDi]

I posted on pregnancy regarding my worries of my vit b12 / anaemia situation, but have kind of got myself in a state now and hope someone can help as i cant speak to my mw until monday.

my hb count is 4.7 and i am 35 weeks and have been sat for hours looking on the net about this and have seen some horror tales about effects on labour because of severe anaemia...especially bad pph's...will they just let me go into labour and see what happens if my hb is still low or what if i start early...like now while its so low??

I have to have vit b12 injections every 2 days and am on medication so am praying that my hb gets back up soon. They are checking bloods again next week...what if it hasnt worked??

im sorry if i sound silly or hysterical...but i am at the moment because anything that can go wrong has so far, so i just really scared and could do with some advice...thanks xx

[bathmummy]

I had anaemia with my first child but not quite as bad as you. Was threatened with having a "controlled" birth if it didn?t improve. My levels went up dramatically thanks to me doing every other than lick iron bars ( jabs, tablets, orange juice with every iron type food imaginable).My levels sorted themselves out very quickly (within a week or so) and went on to have a healthy happy baby and no complications. Second one my hb was hovering at 6.2 and was told that I couldn?t have home birth unlessup to 7. Meds and diet worked so got home birth option.

As far as I know, they dont know what makes some women more susceptable to low hb counts over others but some women just seem to leach it out of their system and find it harder to absorb it naturally when pregnant. Doesn?t tend to be a lasting problem and most have levels return after birth (mine rose to normal after a month or so after both of my births - second one didn?t drop quite so far but still needed meds).
I would stop worrying about it if you can. The main point is that they have identified a risk, they are treating it quite agressively if using jabs as wellas oral medication, and are aware of the problem and possible (and it is only possible rather than definite) complications during labour if (and only if) they don?t raise levels in time.
I would get some sleep, aim to drink loads of orange juice and eat iron rich foods (vit C helps absorb the iron better but I guess you know that already!)

[milward]

Crazydi - please ask your docs why you can't absorb B12 - the reason will effect the treatment you get. There are loads of horror stories on the net - I've been there with preg probs and read info that has effected me. I would say for the moment don't surf the net until you know the reasons for your low iron levels - then you can checkout the info relevant to you. The docs seem to think it's malabsorption but if this is the case then they need to come up with a plan to deal with it on a long term basis. I have malabsorption probs & only know about this for my situation. I had a pph for retained placenta - it is more common with low iron but doesn't always follow that it would happen. The effect of the b12 injections will start quickly & hopefully your levels will have gone up. Get as much info as possible from your medics - tell them your worries - they will be able to give you good info that will help. Best wishes xxx

[CrazyDi]

bump

panic has gone now...just wondered if any other ladies have had this!!