Advice for sister - possible pre eclampsia and other issues

[snickersnack]

She's 36 weeks and has been admitted to hospital in the US where she lives with high BP, early signs of pre-eclampsia and various other issues (she's had SPD throughout, is itchy though tests suggest liver is ok etc). They are all gung ho about doing a c-section - though get the sense this is because it suits the hospital rather than because there's a medical need. She wants to wait until she can't wait any longer then try induction.

Beyond telling her to try and rest and relax, anything else I can suggest. Obviously my mum can't get out there at the moment to see her and is driving me totally and utterly crazy by worrying.

[bumbums]

Hi I think the hardest thing will be going against hospital protocol. Can she suggest that they give a time period to get her bp under control before diving down the c-section route? Surely they would rather she got to 38wks?
C-section wouldn't be the end of the world though would it?
Sorry can't be more help?

[snickersnack]

Thanks - no a c section wouldn't be a disaster but it's not what she wanted. Have just had email to say they're going to try induction tomorrow and see what happens as her BP is worrying them. Most important thing is that she and the baby are ok, of course.

[fernie3]

Perhaps she could ask them to try induction now rather then wait and need a c section. With my second I was told I had preeclampsia at 35 weeks and needed to deliver but could try induction that day rather than try to drag it out another day or two and risk emergency c section. The doctors exact words at the time were "we want to increase your chances of a non traumatic birth" whatever that means! but it .At 36 weeks if she had preeclampsia I would not risk waiting but you dont automatically need a c section.

[differentnameforthis]

C section isn't what I wanted either...but at 36 weeks, with bp of 140/110 & a stressed baby I had to have it. I had to be put under, because there was no time to give me a spinal. I missed my first babies birth & it still hurts now!

At least with a controlled section she may be awake, as they will have time to prep her & give her a block. If she is awake she will be able to see her baby, hear it's cry, she will get to hold her baby straight away, not wait 24 hours like I did. She will be able to feed.

Sometimes you have to concede defeat & do whatever is best for baby & pre-eclampsia isn't to be messed with, it can turn into eclampsia in no time at all & then baby & mum are at risk.

I am pretty sure that the hospital wouldn't order a section just because it suits them! It will cost them far far more, it is way more involved & carries risks, it isn't something surgeons do just for the hell of it.

I am sorry that your sister is going through this, I know how terrifying PE can be. But for me, it was a section or lose my baby.

My little girl was 4lb 4 when she was born & is now an average 6yr old.

[DefNotYummyMummy]

I had pre-eclampsia with my first. Kicked in at 36 weeks. They gave me drugs to keep the high BP under control. After a week in hospital I practically had to check myself out. A midwife came out every day to check my BP and my urine. I went into labour naturally at 39+4, but had to have an emmergency c-section as baby wasn't happy.

They told me as long as the BP was being monitored, they wanted to let me go as long as possible as it's better for the baby.