Anyone with any experience of TOF's ?

[weirdbird]

Am currently pregnant and my Consultant is concerened that the baby may have TOF's am looking for anyone who has been there and can give me an idea of what will happen during labour and after...

[DettaJnr]

Can you illuminate? What is TOF's?

[misdee]

heart problem? try the heartline board if it is.

[weirdbird]

TOF - Tracheo-Oesophageal Fistula

More info here www.tofs.org.uk/index.html

The trachea is the windpipe, through which the air we breath goes on the way to the lungs. In Tracheo-Oesophageal Fistula there is a join between the windpipe and the foodpipe, so that potentially either air can pass from the airway into the stomach, or food can pass from the foodpipe into the lungs.

They (Consultant) are worried my baby may have it, but we can't find out until they are born

[delllie]

The doctors thought my DS had this when I was pregnant with him as I was carrying far too much water (polyhydramnious). We had to have a paediatrician present at the birth and they put a tube down his throat just after delivery to check if he had a TOF but thankfully he hadn't.

From what I read up at the time, if a baby has TOF, they have to perform surgery to join the ends up and the majority of babies recover well from it.

[delllie]

Just to clarify they put a tube down my DS throat, not the peadiatrician

[weirdbird]

Did they monitor you throughout labour, where there any differences to a normal one?

[delllie]

As far as I can remember, (DS is 9 now!!) I had no special monitering because of the TOF, consultant just requested that a pediatrician had to be present at the birth and that DS was to be tested at birth, although I ended up needing constant monitering as DS heartrate was going too fast and needed a section because he got 'stuck'!!

[weirdbird]

Thanks delllie, am trying to get my head around what to expect so it wont be too scary when it happens!

[georgie1982]

Hi i know this thread is quite old, but I'm looking for some advice on what to expect when baby is born. I am 34 weeks, and have been told baby has either oesophageal atresia, or TOF. I also have polydramneous. So may go into labour early. It was diagnosed after the 20 week scan as they can't see the babies stomach. I've had regular monitoring, and spoken to lots of consultants, but just want a parents experience. Thanks.