Pregnancy after Severe Preeclampsia?

[bumblebee19]

Hi Ladies (sorry for the long post)

I had my daughter in 2015 at 34.5 weeks by an emergency c section due to severe preeclampsia. She weighed 4lbs 13 oz and was thankfully very healthy, she spent a couple days in SCBU as I was so poorly.

My consultant isn’t really offering any advice about having another child other than saying that preeclampsia generally runs with the 1st pregnancy so it’s unlikely that I’ll get it again. I would be monitored very closely should I have another.

I however keep reading that many women get it more than once.
I’m 38 so I haven’t got all the time in the world to think about it but I am completely petrified with the thought of getting it again.

Just wondering if any of you lovely ladies have had subsequent preeclampsia free pregnancies?

I’m in the UK and have noticed that women in the USA get more support than we do by being able to see a MFM? Do you know if there is an equivalent in the UK?

I have to say my health is not 100% since I had my daughter. I suffer from extreme fatigue, persistent nausea and I’m incredibly unfit.

Thanks for reading xx

Hi,

I had severe preeclampsia my 2nd pregnancy, delivered by emergency Csection at 32 weeks, baby didn’t made it due to other health issues.

Anyway, my 3rd I didn’t have it but I had low dose of aspirin from 12 weeks on, plus from 28 weeks weekly app with midwife for protein and blood pressure tests to make sure all was good. Was nerve wracking to be honest but I made it all good until the end and delivered a healthy baby.

Now 12 weeks with number 4 and I expect the same amount of care in regards to preeclampsia.

I had severe preeclampsia with my first at age 37. He was delivered emergency C section at 34 weeks. Spent 2 weeks in special care. I was quite poorly and wasn’t allowed to walk for a few days etc etc. Second pregnancy monitored closely and no preeclampsia. Consultant did a test on me at about 30 weeks and said there was no sign of preeclampsia developing and so wasn’t sure why I had it the first time.

I had preeclampsia (not severe) and my midwife told me it’s more likely in the first pregnancy you have with a particular partner. I have no idea if this is true. I didn’t get it in my second pregnancy anyway.

Hi, I had severe preeclampsia with my first. Completely missed on many occasions despite my community midwife sending me for tests every other week. Eventually was admitted with liver pain and hallucinations, I was very very ill. BP was 180/220.

I was monitored very closely the second time, I had scans every other week, and I never got it! I had a 10+ baby!!!

Then I got pregnant again and was again monitored even more closely because of previous large birthweight... and I never got it then either!

So don’t worry, it doesn’t always happen every time

I am at high risk for severe preclampsia and have been on Aspirin and Heparin since the beginning of my pregnancy. No signs of it yet though.

Thank you ladies for your replies.

I certainly need to make the decision pretty soon (even then it's not guaranteed I would be able to have another) I just wish that a doctor could tell me what my chances are of preeclampsia returning.

Thanks again x

I found this by googling.

www.preeclampsia.org/health-information/145-patient-support/651-after-preeclampsia-another-pregnancy-or-not

FWIW I had pretty bad pre eclampsia with my 1st baby - fortunately late onset (38 weeks) was delivered by emcs at 39 weeks weighing 5lb 2oz. I've had 7 more children since and had no problems with my blood pressure at all. For the last 3 I was put on aspirin (this research wasn't available for the others).

Just also remembered that I was told that generally if you do get it again you get it later and less severely.

I had preeclampsia with my first, and had DD1 early (37wks) because of it, after a couple of overnight stays, tablets to control my BP and then an induction.

I had increased BP monitoring in my second pregnancy, and was advised to take low dose aspirin from 12 weeks, which I did. The pregnancy was absolutely textbook as I had a MW Unit birth at 41weeks.

Same partner for both.