Eclampsia with first birth, what happens next time?

[Salleroo]

I skipped pre-eclampsia and went straight for the eclamptic seizure while in the third stage of labour. All going well at the birthing centre, head visible, then the contractions stopped. While the midwife was calling the hospital to have them set up the drip to get them restarted I had an eclamptic seizure, fell off the birthing stool and woke up with a crowd around me in theatre and no idea I'd been pregnant!!!

All well and safe and dd now a gorgeous cuddly 7 months .

We are thinking of number 2. Can anyone tell me what to expect re monitoring by midwives/doctors/hospital. Is it constant and a pain in the bum? Did you have to have the second by CS?

I had severe pre-eclampsia (ds born by cs at 34 weeks), so I can tell you what happens with that (imagine similar to eclampsia?). Am not pg again but have had pre-conception appt with my consultant. He has told me to take low dose aspirin in 2nd pg, and that he wants to see me ASAP (ie before 12 week scan). At 24 weeks they will do a uterine doppler to look at blood flow to (or from?) placenta which will indicate whether I am at high risk of getting PE again. I imagine the amount of monitoring will partly depend on that doppler, but I am expecting lots of blood pressure monitoring!

Not sure about the repeat cs - I was told I can try for a VBAC if no PE symptoms but I don't know what the implications of having an eclamptic fit during labour are for a second birth.

I would advise you to see your gp and ask if you can be referred to a consultant for a pre-conception appt. It's worth asking and it was really really helpful for me, both to understand a bit better what happened with ds and feel a bit more prepared for a potential second baby.

Sounds like a very shocking traumatic experience - hope you are fully recovered! Good luck with the next one

Had it in first pregnancy. I had pre-eclampsia though. Didn't get to the fitting stage, but they left me as long as they could before inducing me.

Second time was fine, except I got very bad migraines with flashing lights and cloudy vision all the way through.

The second time you will be monitored more closely. Don't worry. Poor you, though, it's very traumatic.

Thanks for the advise L&L will get doc to refer me to a consultant to find out more.

It was traumatic but more for my poor husband, I wasn't lucid, so never really got to understand quite how serious it all was.

Still, dd is perfect, I'm fully recoverd, still a bit thick sometimes, but that can be a usefull excuse.

I was 2 weeks overdue, so having to have the baby on a set date would be fantastic.

severe pre-eclampsia first time but natural labour

nothing second time round - totally natural waterbirth wiyjout pain relief!

without

It's the going into hospital for any extended period when I just want to be able to do my own thing for the last couple of weeks that I couldnt bear.

Second question. Did any of you have episiotomies (spelling?) first time round and a VB without tearing for the second one?

Thanks Sobernow, that's good to know.

Perfectly formed they may be, but mine was a 9lb 13oz bruiser DH and his 3 brothers range in size from 6'2 to 6'4. I'm 5'4.

My SIL was the same as you Salleroo, skipped the pre bit and went straight to the seizure. To this day (my nephew is now 19) she has no memory off his birth or first week of his life.

She had a near perfect pregnancy and birth 2nd time round, only marred by a nasty tear (niece was 10lb 5oz ouch!)

You should have been followed up at 6 weeks or 3 months by your consultant! But, given that you weren't, definitely ask for a pre-conceptual appointment as previosuly said. There are blood tests that are useful to be done not in pregnancy that should be done for you, and you need a clear plan, IMO, before you start ttc.

Hopefully everything will be fine next time, and no reason for a CS necessarily.

I am on pregnancy #2 after having PE with dd1. She was induced & delievered at 36 weeks by c-section under GA.

I am classed high risk, so all my antenatal appts have been at the woman's clinic at the hospital.

I was seen every 6 weeks, going to 3 at 30. But I am on short notice appts, which means that all I have to do it ring them & say I am going in, if I don't feel right. Same with my dr, they know that I am to be seen asap if I call with preg related probs.

I developed protien at 20 weeks, which was the first symptom I had with dd, so it put the shits up me! But it went away at 30 weeks! All has been clear since.

I was told that I could VBAC, but due to the previous history & c-section there would be no letting me go late, no induction [only breaking waters], any signs of PE vbac would be re concidered. Any signs of the slighest trauma in labour & they would do a repeat c-section.

After lots of thought & discussion with dh, we decided it better to go straight for an elective section. There were too many dramas with dd's birth & we are not ready to that again.

I won't lie & say it hasn't been hard being pregnant this time, it has been far from enjoyable, unfortunately. But I seem to have missed any symptoms this time. And now at 36+2 I am the most pregnant I have ever been!

Wanted to add that I was on low dose Aspirin until 26 weeks.

at self!

36 weeks, not 26!

That sounds ok then. I had a great pregnancy first time round and couldn't wait for the labour to begin to see what it was all about. I did it with just gas and air too; Big pat on back for me . I didnt find out the sex as I wanted that big 'it's a girl' moment and that was what I missed most after the eclampsia.

Follow ups? what follow ups. My experience of the NHS care is pathetic. I'm sth london but went to Edgeware bth centre and so was transferred to Barnet. I get the impression my docs are a bit put out that I didnt see fit to stay in any of my local hosps. I never saw the same midwife twice through the preg or after. One of the health visitors even didnt even check dd, she just looked into the basket and said 'she lookes fine', she could have been black and blue under her swaddle. For that I made her check my stitches .

I'm torn (literally) between just having a CS and getting it over with but then having to deal with the scar and healing or trying for a VB but being so terrified that BP will go through the roof and I'll have to have an ECS anyway.

Will get onto booking app asap.

Thanks for all the advice

Salleroo - I had eclampsia with my first DS, he was born at 31 weeks. I had the fit the day before he was born. I woke up 9/10 days later in ICU. Id has a mini stroke and was in a completely different hospital. Had to learn to reuse my whole right side again, inc walking. My family where all called to the hospital from all over the country to say their goodbyes. It was a pretty scary time apparently. I was unaware obviously and as soon as i could get up I wanted to get back to my baby!

I was advised to stay well away from the pill...Have since gone on to have DS2, I had a BP moniter at home a specialist doppler scan which told my doctors what the risk of me getting so ill again was. He was born at 38 weeks by elec section- my waters where low but my BP was fine right the way through.

had pre-eclampsia with ds1 and hospitalised at 36 weeks then induced at 37
natural birth and no compliciations

ds2 was born at the speed of light, a few days eaerlly - bp was raised for a few months bnut that was all. went up after birth for about 6 months though

when i was pregnant with ds2 i was referred to a consultant and was very closely monitored by mdwife and hospital

am now 26 weeks preg with ds3 - bp creeping up slightly but still mwithin the 'normasl ' range,

after i have my 28 week blods, the midwife wants to see me at least every 2 weeks for bp checks

hope all goes well

I spent most of the time feeling so ill and crying in hospital before I was induced. I got very tearful because I was in a cubicle with no window for days. It was so horrible and there was a lady who had been rushed in for an emergency cs at 27 weeks. She was a nurse so she knew the signs. I was 36 weeks. I hope her baby was ok.
Scary midwives as well, but when I went to my local maternity ward they were so lovely.
Horrible thing pre-eclampsia.

julezboo - poor you, or should I say your husband. Everyone pitied me for how terrifying it must have been. I wasn't lucid and remember nothing of the 2 ambulances (one to clear the way), theatre and the doc telling my husband their first priority was to save me and if the baby lived it would be a bonus. I got off easy compared to you though.

Great news about DS2 and how 'well' the preg went. I do suspect I wont be given a chance of another natural birth when the time comes. I hope you are fully recoverd now.

Lazarou, your hospital stay is what I dread.