help!

[Richardellis]

hello, new here so forgive any glaring errors ...

my wife and i are expecting twins, shes currently 30 wks and has been hospitalised for the past week with pre eclampsia. her protein is +2, blood pressure being medicated and is down from highs of 100+ to around 90

i just wondered if anyone had been in a similar situation as i'm finding it hard to get decent advice from the nhs, and i'm struggling to work out what it all means in terms of how bad does it have to get for the babies to be delivered etc

thank you very much
richard

I personally havn't been through pre- eclampsia but didn't want you post to go un-read you've probly already searched the net but i found this the preeclampsia foundation and thought it might me of help.

I hope every thing turns out ok and look forward to hearing your lovely birth announcement of the twins.

Richardellis

I don't know anything but it does sound as though the right things are happening - well keep on bumping this to keep it near the top until someone comes along who knows about pre eclampsia.

Best of luck with the twins - are they your first kids?

bump

thank you both, thats very kind of you
we have a son already, nearly 5 - so most of my time is currently spent inbetween hospital and trying to make sure he's unaffected by it all...
cheers
richard

Richard, keep bumping (i.e. post again on the same thread to bring it to the top of the active conversations list so someone with pre-eclampsia experience sees it) and maybe try posting this under Health as well?

Best of luck and (having had recent hospital experience and a five yr old and twins) you'll be running everywhere just now, so wish the best for you all.

Two friends had pre-eclampsia both with happy results, babes delivered at around 32 weeks but I know no two cases are the same. Good luck.

Sorry no experience of pre eclampsia but I have twin girls aged 6. Mine were premature at almost 33 weeks and although they had to stay in hospital for 5 weeks to build up weight they are a delight and have no problems whatsoever. I wish you all the best, twins are fantastic.

Hello Richard
I had pre-eclampsia with my twins who were born at nearly 34 weeks. It all happened really quickly for me. Went for a routine anti-natal appt and was whipped in for a C section straight away. Sorry I can't help with the how bad does it have to be for the babies to be delivered question as I can't remember my own statistics. It was all a blur! As you have probably found out, the cure for pre-eclampsia is delivery so I can imagine that you are very worried about the babies being born prematurely. All I can say is that your wife is in the right place. She will be being monitored very closely. If you don't feel you are getting answers to your questions demand to talk to a consultant. Stamp your feet if you have to! I would also try to prepare yourselves for the babies coming early. Have you been able to visit the neo - natal unit/ special care unit? It can seem a bit scary if the first time you go in there is after the birth. Perhaps you could ask to talk to one of the nurses who work there just to find out what will happen if they do come early. Ours had problems feeding and maintaining their body temperature and there were a few tubes and monitors about. We were surprised however at how robust these tiny liitle creatures were.
Our babies were very tiny but the are now strapping 5 year olds with no problems at all.
It must be very hard for you having a 5 year old to look after too.
Good luck to you both. If you need to ask anything else I'll try to help if I can.

As usual the MN crowd are doing their bit and its lovely, bumping for you.....

Hiya

I used to work on the (voluntary) phone support service of a pre-eclampsia charity (PETS).

The reality is that it depends on your hospital's policy, but they will leave it as long as possible simply because of prematurity. The fact that she is responding to medication is promising: hopefully they can maintain that.

I developed PET a bit later (had DS1 at 38 weeks, low birth weight) but my Sister developed it at this stage as went to 34 weeks: they were trying to get her to 36 weeks as a matter of policy, and they go from there.

Should you or wour wife want someone to chat to who has been there feel free to CAT me (contact a talker, on menu above): otherwise the charity I am laigned to is here: here and there may be someone local to you. If you don't get a reply or have problems with the website let me know- it's our new one, we're still testinng.

Wishing you both luck XX

Bump for richard.

I had pre-eclampsia with my first - induced at 37 weeks.
Not a multiple birth though.

Hoe you get some good advcie here

thanks everyone for you suggestions, and concern. it really is very reassuring

Hi richard... just posted on your pregnancy thread. Will cut and paste

hi richardellis

Welcome to mumsnet by the way, and no there were no glaring errors lol!

Sounds just like me. I had incredibly high blood pressure when pregnant with my twins (DTs). It occurred at 17 weeks and remained incredibly high throughout.

If she's in hospital then she's being monitored and all should be well. I managed to carry the DTs until 36 weeks.

High blood pressure doesn't necessarily mean a difficult delivery. I was on course for a vaginal delivery but ended up with an election c-section as the DTs were transverse (lying on their sides) and the cord was presenting (over the cervix). Clearly that was too dangerous and so I was booked in for a section and wasn't allowed to go into labour.

I was hospitalised several times during the pregnancy.

All in all as long as you have a good team of people looking after your DW(darling wife) then all should go well. Will be thinking of you.

Post regularly and keep up updated please. Have got everything crossed that she holds on to the DTs for a few more weeks.

I don't know anything about pre-eclampsia, but fingers crossed for you and your family. It sounds good that she is being carefully watched. I suppose twin pg are rarely straightforward, I was in and out of hospital with mine. I'm now a mother to 9mnth twin boys!

I had pre-eclampsia and it resulted in an emergency c-section. Now that is said not to panic you Richard but it is the only cure for pre-eclampsia, baby out! It is more common than you think.

I was just coming up to 36 weeks and at a routine visit to the midwife my blood presure was sky high. I was sent to the hospital and for 2 days they tried to induce until my bp rocketed and they then performed the c-section because they were lying oddly and were in no hurry to come out on their own accord! During those 2 days I was kept well informed, my babies (now cheeky 4 year old boys!) were constantly monitored and were never in danger or the section would have happened sooner I am sure. The hospital did say that had they found it out earlier they would have tried to treat me and keep the babies inside until the full 40 weeks. The midwife should be able to answer any questions you have.

My dst were born weighing 5lb and 5lb 4oz both healthy and no problems.

There was a woman at my ante-natal who had pre-eclampsia for near enough her entire pregnancy and through being treated managed to get to 38 weeks before being c-sectioned.

Good luck to your wife and to you as through DH I know how stressful it is for the hubby too as DH wasn't told much either! I hope it is of some comfort to hear others stories and again, like the others, if you need to CAT then please do.