Consultant appointment tomorrow as high risk pregnancy

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I have had multiple miscarriages and I had a stillbirth with identical twin girls at 25 weeks due to Twin to twin transfusion syndrome and also one twin suffering IURG and this was In 2015 (The stillbirth and miscarriages were unrelated to each other)

I am now 13 weeks pregnant after multiple miscarriages in the space of 13 months. I have a consultant appointment tomorrow as I've been informed my pregnancy will be classed as high risk. I feel like all this is new to me and I just want to make sure I am asking the right questions tomorrow. I'm not sure what care comes along with high risk. I had my 12 weeks scan last week and my next scan isn't until December when I'll be 20 weeks. Which I know is standard, but as high risk I expected one a lot sooner than 7 weeks from now.

Has anyone been under this care and could advise me what I will expect or what questions I should ask or need to ask? I feel like my minds blank already for the phone call tomorrow.

Thank you in advance for any help x

Firstly, congratulations on your pregnancy!!

My guess is every hospital is different but I'm pregnant with my second high risk baby (first is now nearly 2).

I can only tell you of my experience which may prompt some questions for you to ask

-I also had scans at 12 then 20 weeks so seems normal. But I'm also getting scans at 28 and 36 weeks to check on baby and growth so this may be the same for you

-I am part of a specialist midwife team and am seen 6 weekly by them and monthly by a consultant clinic.

-these appointments tend to be split into: my health, blood pressure, signs of preeclampsia etc and then baby's heart rate, growth etc. So I am monitored as much as the baby

-I am asked to take my blood pressure regularly at home and take aspirin to reduce preeclampsia risk

-as I am high risk my labour won't be in midwife led unit but in the hospital labour ward. I know they also won't let me go passed 40 weeks so I'll likely be induced again

-if the baby shows slowing growth (this is likely due to my health condition) then they will probably induce me at 38 weeks

-once I knew I was being induced I was offered a referral with the anaesthetist team. They advised an epidural once on the drip to be induced. Last time my epidural failed so I have a further referral now and will want to know what plan b and c are in case it happens again

-I also know I'll likely be kept in for 48 hours post birth to check everything is ok

The above is a snapshot and specific to my health issues but hopefully may lead to ask some questions.

Lastly, just to say that I felt very cared for throughout my last pregnancy and this one. My induction was painful but not any more or less unusual than someone else's. It was more extra monitoring and a more medical birth than if I wasn't high risk

Good luck!!

@KidneyNewName thank you so much for that🥰 congratulations on your second pregnancy x

My main concern is being classed as high risk but being left to it, if that makes sense? Hoping tomorrow information is more clear because right now I feel I've been given a title and little information for it

No problem and I quite understand
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I wasn't seen regularly until I had my 12 week scan (in fact only for a booking in appt before then despite being high risk)

I found that the regularity really ramped up post 20 week scan

I'd defo be asking to be seen monthly at a clinic and be clear on what monitoring you'd like to have that will provide reassurance to you and also what they will be looking for.

I'm 28 weeks now and being asked to come in more and more for various things so I do think it's usual to be left to it for the first few weeks and then suddenly you're bored stupid of sitting in the hospital waiting room!

Congratulations on your pregnancy
I had my second baby last year and that was high risk after multiple miscarriages, premature baby, iugr and severe sudden onset pre eclampsia to name a few.
I had 7 scans in total - one a month from 12 weeks.
I also saw my consultant after each scan and my midwife 2 weeks later.
I also had my BP checked twice weekly from 26 weeks.
My son was born at 36 weeks due to lack of growth but he mad it 3 weeks longer than his older brother.
Honestly I was watched like a hawk and any niggle was fully investigated.

Congrats @Mammyofasuperbaby !!

It sounds like this experience may be more like what you have with more baby scans

My high risk is due to my health rather so it's all blood test and wee samples! Perhaps if not offered monthly scans it's something you could ask for?

Congratulations on you pregnancy op.
As previous poster said I think everyone's treatment is personal to them, but here's my experience.

I've had two early miscarriages and a miscarriage at 20 weeks. I'm now 23 weeks pregnant. The post mortem and other tests did not explain why I went into labour so early, and as such it's being treated as a weak cervix.

I had scans at 8 and 10 weeks and took progesterone pessaries until 14 weeks to try and reduce the risk of early miscarriage.

I've then been seen every two weeks to measure my cervix for shortening. At these two weekly scans they take urine samples (I've had recurrent UTIs) and vaginal swaps periodically.

My care has been second to none and I really don't know how I could have coped without my consultant on hand to reassure me and answer all my questions.

I think you need to know how likely it is that you have problems again, what can be done to minimize the risk, what if anything you need to look out for. As well as what treatment plan they have for you which is different to the norm.

Good luck!

Thank you ladies for your responses, I've wrote down some of my questions for tomorrow incase I do have a mind blank x

Hi OP, hope your appointment went well and answered the questions you had

@KidneyNewName

Hi OP, hope your appointment went well and answered the questions you had

I'll be truthfully honest. It really didn't come across helpful 🥺 so they were 3 hours late ringing, which is fine I understand it can get busy. Then the phone call was basically asking if I was on aspirin, which I am and it's surely in my notes as my recurrent miscarriage clinic told me to take it. Then asked about my history, again fine but surely in my notes. The outcome was just scans at 30 weeks, 34, 38 and that's it till I give birth. They did say they would induce me at 39 weeks but that's a conversation for closer to the time which again is fine. I didn't walk away from the phone call at ease at all