Are you High risk?

[julezboo]

If so why? If you dont mind sharing please?

Im getting myself into a state, one hospital says I am one says Im not!

well, why do they say you are....?
i was due to previous c.s, and APH in last pregnancy and a suspected DVT....

Age tends to be a big thing-i was high risk as had ds at 41,I ignored all the you have to have eight millon tests done.

You know in yourself how well,fit you are

mw is very negative about home birth as she says colposcopy can cause problems and i have had a 'significant bleed' of about 500ml, both inbetween ds2 and 3. so she seems to think im too high risk for that. hb website doesnt think any of this stuff is a problem, consultant doesnt think it is a problem and it wasnt a problem when ds3 was born. dont know if any of that helps!

Yes, because first baby at 39.

Have you asked them what factors they have decided make you high risk?

Will maybe reduce your stress if you know what the factors are and if there's anything you can do to reduce the risk.

Good luck. xx

I am due to 2 previous Pulmonary Embolisms and being only 19.

Yes, with dd because I was 43, and had had bleedin in early pg and a history of m/c. But every doctor/hospital seemed to have their own criteria of what made you 'high risk' - one said I was because I'd had IVF! Another said I wouldn't be because of age - really odd.

This time, I have a history of PIH, am even older, and had a previous section - so just assumed high risk from the start. Ironically, my bp is low, my OB thinks I might have a chance at a VBAC, and no one is bothered about my age. Mad

Yes as I lost 3.5 L blood in my last section (massive PPH) and this is my 6th preg, 2 losses one stillborn.

Yes because of premature rupture of membranes at 22 weeks, currently 27 weeks.

What it is, Ive recently moved 200 miles away, my "old" hospital where i delivered DS 4 yrs ago, had me as high risk because Ive had recurrent miscarraiges (5) When I had DS I had a mild stroke, pregnancy induced hypertension and an eclamptic fit. I was unconscious in Intensive care for 10 days following an emergency c/s @ 31 weeks.

So far with this pregnancy apart from bleeding quite heavily from week 6 to 16 everything is "normal".

I am on aspirin and heparin injections daily and my new consultant doesnt seem to want to put me on high risk care at all. I am being treated like a "normal" pregnant women. Which wouldnt be so bad if I was scared out of my mind!

When I had DS my family where told if I woke up I would never walk again, it was 50/50, my relatives travelled miles to say their goodbyes

Luckily I pulled through and I can walk and I am a healthy 24 year old. I do have a blood clotting gene, which makes me more at risk from DVT or blood clots but they seem to be doing no "extra" checks at all!

Im very worried they will miss something and really dont know what to do about it. I ended up in tears on the phone this afternoon when the midwife at the antenatal clinic called and cancelled my appt, so Now i wont be seen until dec 6th which is ages away!

What do you think?

This is appalling - you MUST be high risk. And anxiety won't help at all, so even if they don't agree with your assessment, they should not just leave you to worry.

I think you need to write to the head midwife, and copy the letter to any consultant you may have seen / heard of at the maternity section, plus the chief exec of the hospital and PCT. Ask them to put their reasons for not treating you as 'high risk' into writing to you.

Good luck.

I agree 100%. Of course you should be getting extra care and reassurance! Do write that letter, and maybe meantime - if you have a sympathetic one - talk to your GP and ask them to back you up?

Thanks ladies I feel like Im over reacting tbh. I went to my GP this morning, we discussed being referred to an APEC expert who deals with pre eclampsia alot, its a 2 hour drive away and will be a one off appt but she will go through with me what i can expect and wil hopefully write to my consultant.

I will write a letter to the head of midwifery though, thanks x x x

Nope, you're not over-reacting. I imagine the lack of attention you are getting makes you think you are - but you're not!

I'm glad your GP referred you, hopefully that'll help...and good luck with the letter, let us know what happens

julezboo, you're definitely not over-reacting!

Good luck, and I'm glad your GP is sympathetic. What a cheek of the midwife to cancel your appointment .

julez I think this is madness.

You're high risk because of the miscarriages (although they do tend to let you off this one past about 20 weeks), you have to be high risk because of the pre-eclampsia, and you are high risk because of the aspirin and heparin. They must be out of their minds.

The other people you should contact are your hospitals Patient Liaison Services (round us they are called PALS, don't know about everywhere) as they are the first port of call in making a complaint.

But before writing, I would also put in a call to the head of midwifery at the hospital, and see if you can sort it out informally. They may be able to do quite a bit (like get you to a more sympathetic consultant).

Julezboo - stick up for yourself and your rights to proper care.

Some healthcare professionals can be really dismissive (or just can't be arsed), but it's not their body or their baby.

Glad your GP is being supportive. In your position I would definately think I was high riska and be pushing for more checks.

Good luck. xx

Def high risk - are you under consultant led care?

Oh my goodness, You are so high risk its unreal!

You poor thing, like all you need is more stress.
U should be getting seen at the very very least once a month, every week or fortnight would be more appropriate.

Can you get previous consultant to write to new one?
Your lack of proper care is an absolute disgrace, Go to the highest person about this and dont let it rest until you are looked after properly.

Lou

I am piffle, he refused to see me before 13 weeks, then told me to make an appt for 20 weeks, i did, turned up and they told me becuase i had an appt booked for 6th dec (29wks) that they cancelled that one, they squeezed me in but it was a pointless appt I seen one of his junior doctors and she was clueless too.

He refused to discuss the birth, or any kind of care plan at my 13 week appt and I havnt seen him since, he said back then you may not get that far so we will discuss it in december. Which gives me a whole lot of confidence (not). My friend has a consultant at the same hospital, she isnt high risk and has been seen more than me under a diff consultant.

2cats - I am waiting for her to call me back, I have also rung my old hospital to check if my notes had been sent on yet, maybe thats why they arent taking me seriously.

Unbelievable. Getting your old hospital/consultant to help you sort this out sounds like a good plan.

I'm not high risk birth wise (dd has rare genetic syndrome but all pre natal testing has shown baby is fine inside) but am seeing consultant every 4 weeks, getting extra scans and stuff.
I'm 18 weeks
Surely you should be having regular BP/urine checks at the very least - are you able to talk to your local midwife to see if you can go in their once a week for at least basic once over.
Am truly appalled - gone from over involvement to under involvement in about 4 short years!

Thanks piffle

I did get extra scans at the beginning, but only because I had alot of heavy bleed episodes and even then I had to practically beg them on the phone to see me.

My next mw appt is on the 5th Nov or round about there, but hoepfully I will have seen the other consultant in bristol by then.

Any ideas an what i could write in the letter, I havnt got a clue where to even start tbh!

thanks x x

I am very high risk. It also amazing how some maternity hospitals dont have a high risk unit. There is only one hospital in my area which has a high risk unit. I had eclampsia