uterine growth restriction (Small baby) + Pre-eclampsia at 29 weeks

[GndGnd]

Hi all!

I would like to know if there is someone on the community with similar situation than mine, or has been in similar situation.

At the anomaly scan (20Week Scan) my baby was measuring small. We had another scan at 22 weeks where it was confirmed that the baby was small and the reason was unknown. Since then, we have scans with the consultant every 2 weeks and the baby has been growing at her own rate, but growing. The consultant don't seem particular worry about it, as long as the baby keeps growing.

Last week (at 29 weeks) I got a call from the hospital, my urine PCR (protein) had increased from 63 to 250 mm/mol and asked me to go to hospital right away that night. My blood pressure was a bit high 144/85 and I was admitted as an inpatient because of Preeclampsia. Next morning the consultant told me that I was going to stay there until delivery.
I've been in the hospital already for one week (now week 30!) and I've been on Labetalol 200gr 3times/day, constant blood pressure monitoring, daily CTG scans and weekly scans. I am very happy with the level of service and it is very reassuring to know consultants and midwifes have a very close monitoring of me and my baby.

However, the consultant said today that my case was not very common, because I developed preeclamsia very early. Someone has any similar experience with PE and hospitalised? How many weeks do you stayed at hospital?

I have found very useful to read other mums experiences and I want to share mine as well as know some positive experience from someone else.

This sounds like you’re going through some tough times. I have no experience, but didn’t want to read and run. I hope someone with expert comes along soon

Yup, commenting for visibility

Hi OP. Not myself personally, but a family member. She developed pre-eclampsia at 26weeks. Her baby was always small as well. She's now a fully grown healthy police officer though :)

Thank you ladies! Your support makes me feel that I am not alone in this journey.

Thank you so much!

@GndGnd I'm sorry you're going through this, it can't be much fun for you being stuck in hospital and worrying about baby. I don't have experience of pre-eclampsia but my baby is also small, hovering around 10th centile, but like yours has grown since 20 weeks and consultants don't seem worried. I'm now 29 weeks and back at 32 weeks for a growth scan. I'm pretty anxious and have booked a private growth scan too. How are you feeling? Xx

@GndGnd hope all is going well bet your going mad looking at the same walls.
I have no experience of preeclampsia but my baby was severe IUGR. Was having lots on scans and CTGs as an outpatient.
One day showed intermittent end diastolic drop out so the morning after at 35w had her my c section all went well she was 4lb and we stayed in a week.
I was a bit later down the line gestation wise and because no preeclampsia one less worry but every scan (twice a week from 24 weeks) I felt like I was just waiting for the "right she needs to come now".
How big is your little one estimated at now?
Hope they can stay in as long as you can make it with you both being safe and well obviously.
Sending you lots of strength xx

@Tiredmum31111
Thank you so much for sharing with me! Currently at almost 32 weeks is on the 7%.
My I ask you, did you manage to know why your baby was small?
Did you find any significant developmental problems with your baby IUGR?

Thank you so much!

Developed it at 26 weeks iirc ,in and out of hospital being monitored then in hospital from 29-32 weeks when they delivered ds. He spent 3 weeks in SCBU before coming home and is now 6ft 4, 21 years later

Sounds like you are doing well, here's my experience for comparison.

Diagnosed with pre-eclampsia at 28 weeks and admitted to hospital, hung on for 2 weeks so delivery by c section at 30 weeks.

I was in hospital for a further 2 weeks re. blood pressure and then discharged but on gp care/BP meds for further 6 months.

Baby was iugr, 980g at birth, in nicu for about 6 weeks. Jaundiced at first, so blue lamp for a few days, fed by central line for a few weeks then swapped to NG tube, then bottle fed with expressed bm. Breathed on own from start but needed cpap for a week. Managed to not develop ROP, NEC and other common nicu issues, so all good in the end on those fronts. Small brain bleed but resolved itself.

Dd is now 7, small still but not usually so. No other problems.

Fingers crossed for you.

@GndGnd So glad you are both plodding along okay and hopefully bulking up nicely (baby not you, but you deserve all the treats so you as well!!)
Had a bit of a rollercoaster of a pregnancy, originally high risk on my combined screening, CVS clear. But when she started measuring small (like at 18 weeks) they tested the remaining CVS sample and found something call mosaic trisomy 16. We went on to have an amnio which was clear, so diagnosed with confined placental mosaicism.
Basically meant my placenta wasn't formed correctly but baby was okay.
She's been a fine and physically reached all her milestone and caught up weight wise really well. She's 2.5y and average height and weight.
Developmentally she is having a few issues in terms of speech and social skills, but I don't think this is related to her IUGR.

Really hope you are doing well xx

Thank you so much @MrsPelligrinoPetrichor and @Tiredmum31111 for sharing your experiences. It really helps me to feel better about the possible outcomes.
I am happy for you that everything is working well!

Thank you @happysunr1se, this sounds exactly like my case! I hope we can reach at least until week 34, so far everything is going okay. Your positive experience really helps me to feel much better.

about how this story ended…..

I spent 7 weeks in hospital, I gave birth my beautiful baby on March 30th, 36+4. She was a small baby, only 2kg; we spent another 2 weeks in NICU because she was born with Low sugar levels, after me taking 7 weeks of Labitelol 400 during those 7eeeks in hospital to control my blood pressure.. Now she is an absolutely perfectly normal baby, a bit smaller (25th) but nothing to be worried about.
It was very difficult moment, but we came out successful together.

if you are reading this, in panic, because you just found out pre-eclampsia in a very early onset; I can tell you that is possible to go through it. Stay positive!

I had preeclampsia diagnosed at 30 weeks, I was admitted for a few days but things calmed down and I eventually made it to 36+3 but developed HELLP syndrome. My little one also had a NICU stay for 2 weeks with breathing and onset sepsis but now he’s fine and shows no signs of what he went through when he was born.