Pre-eclampsia

[beam23]

I’ve just been admitted for pre-eclampsia at 33+2 - high blood pressure after visual disturbance, protein +1, bloods clear thus far. Consultant talking about trying to keep going to 37 weeks, but very worried about complications. Interested to hear others experience.

Was 20 years ago but was admitted and had c section at 31 weeks. She was small at 2 pounds 13 but is absolutely fine now

I was in and out of hospital from 29 weeks due to pre eclampsia. I ended up having my daughter at 33+6. She’s perfect just small at birth (she was 3lb 8oz) she stayed in hospital until 38+5 gestation. She’s now a lively 7 year old

I had a 2lb 5oz little girl at 31 weeks. I'd been in hospital with pre-eclampsia for several days when they had to do an emergency c-section because I was becoming too ill.
Shes 29 now and we are both absolutely fine. It was scary at the time though.

Thanks, all. My symptom are currently stable, but bp keeps spiking. Hopefully we’ll get a scan tomorrow to check on baby, although all ctgs have looked good. Hopefully we can stay put for another week or two

I went in for reduced movements at 31+5 and while in they detected high bp at 4am which was the start of preeclampsia. Ds also failed almost every ctg I had (I had soo many) but he would occasionally pass one and they would let me out. I was on bp medication and had midwife appointments weekly.

I was back in again 2 weeks later with high bp and they changed my bp medication because it wasn’t doing much. My bloodwork was also starting to show signs (one number was 4x the amount of a normal pregnancy). I felt fine though. This is when they said about preeclampsia and the aim to get me to 37+ weeks.

I was in the hospital again at 34+5 for what I assumed a routine bp check (high bp and worse bloodwork) and that’s when they said they would like to induce me in the next few days. While waiting for the labour ward to have space on 35+0 I no longer had much urine even after drinking pints of water. Also ds stopped moving completely all day. His hr was static, so instead of zigzag accelerations his was like a straight line. I had him by emcs that evening.

He was healthy, breathing on his own, good oxygen levels. Cried when he was born. He did spend 12 days in scbu, initially for low glucose level and jaundice. Then the final week was mostly his feeding, waking up and demanding milk. He’s now almost 1 years old and very healthy and actually he looks his age.

Good luck and I hope it all goes well for the both of you. If you end up having your little one early though the scbu/nicu nurses and doctors are amazing and will do everything in their power for the babies there.

@Blue2020 thank you for sharing. That’s fantastic that your son is doing so well

Follow up question - did any of you (especially those more recently) have any kind of follow-up medical care, or get any monitoring for remaining effects? Have you experienced any longer consequences?

I had blood pressure medication (nifedipine I think) for a couple of years. It affected my contraception too and the docs monitored me every three months.
My daughter was oxygen dependent and tube fed when we left hospital but was really carefully monitored for several years at increasing intervals. We were and are both absolutely fine and healthy with no long term health issues. The NHS care was superb.

Hey OP,
I went in at 38 weeks with full blown pre-eclampsia. The rib pain, worst exploding headache, sky high BP and 4+ protein in my urine.
Baby had stopped growing at 32 weeks picked up at 37 week scan but consultant wouldn't do anything even with voicing concerns of reduced movements and reduced growth. Midwife who induced me said I'd been a ticking time bomb for weeks. Baby was OK thankfully I was induced and he was born 7 hours later. He was a small 5lbs 8oz but now a healthy happy 4yr old.

I've not had any further postpartum issues. I had to be on BP medication for 8 weeks pp and not allowed on certain medication but had a healthy baby girl 2yrs ago with extra monitoring and induced before pre eclampsia could hit again.

Wishing you all the luck in the world. If in doubt ask and question everything. I wish I had a lot more and asked for 2nd and 3rd opinions.

I had pre-eclampsia both pregnancies. DD it was diagnosed at 35+4, she was born at 35+5 by EMCS. DS they diagnosed me at 33 weeks, they wanted to get to 34 but he was born at 33+3, again by EMCS after 3 days of continual monitoring. With DD I was in for a week after she was born - the first 4 days I was still on high dependency labour ward and she was in SCBU as I was so ill. DS I was discharged after 3 days (which was too early in hindsight but it was Christmas). I was monitored for a while after both of them - my care was transferred to GP.

Hello!
I was admitted at 31 weeks due sky high blood pressure, I was vomiting, reduced movements and the worst headache of my life. I'd had a growth scan a week prior and she was measuring around 28 weeks. So I was admitted the Friday, they had to stabilise me before they could do the emergency c section on the Sunday. She weighed 2lb 14oz, was in the nicu for 7 weeks and came home on oxygen but thankfully only for around 3 months. She does struggle badly with colds now, gets a horrendous cough which takes a while to go. Other than that she's healthy, happy and measuring average for height etc. As for long term effects on me my blood pressure is higher than it should be but is controlled with medication. Mostly I struggled mentally for a while, it was really hard having to leave her everyday at the hospital and It sounds daft but I felt incredibly guilty. Really hope everything goes OK 💜

Hi, had pre eclampsia with both pregnancies but slightly later. I can imagine they'd like you to go to 37 weeks so baby is full term, however this will mean you need to be closely monitored and have regular checks, and be medicated for your blood pressure. If anything changes/worsens, they'll likely want to get baby out as soon as possible.

I’ve had pre eclampsia twice, and both times was admitted to hospital until babies were born. No lasting effects pp for me. 1/3 babies (first time I had DTs) needed scbu care for breathing issues, but the other 2 were with me on postnatal.

@anicecuppateaa (👋fellow twin mum) how long were you in hospital before yours were born? I’ve got a month to go before 37 weeks, which seems like an eternity to be away from my elder two.

@23calfache thank you! Definitely feeling a lot of guilt. Especially since I’ve found out that I probably should have been given aspirin (though not technically under nice guidelines) and wondering if that would have avoided all this

@beam23 I was offered aspirin for my pregnancy after my pre eclampsia but it made me feel awful so didn't take it for more than 3-4 days when I was around 16 weeks. I just had extra monitoring and then induction but from 32 weeks they did a weekly blood test that can check for risk of pre eclampsia happening within the next 7 days which they kept a close watch on.

I hope you're doing OK. Being in hospital away from loved ones is hard. I was admitted for a week at 32/33 weeks as they thought I was having a pulmonary embolism. Thankfully it was wasn't but gosh I missed my little boy so much.

Thanks all - growth scan showing we’ve dropped to 3rd centile, but placental blood flow still good, and head measurement still on 20th centile. Reassuring to know we’re already estimated bigger than some of the positive stories on here. Bloods still clear, proteins stable, bp mostly controlled with meds.

Glad to hear you're stable and bloods are clear. My son was born under 2nd percentile and he's thriving now so try not to worry too much. Easier said than done. Did they mention early induction or is it day by day atm?

@abbs1 they’re still aiming for c-section at 37 weeks (consultant thinks vbac too risky all things considered), but will monitor day by day. At the moment the blood flow to the placenta is looking good, but I guess it depends how long that lasts. At least it looks at this stage like I’ll make it to 34 weeks

I had pre eclampsia. It was picked up at my midwife appointment at about 36 weeks due to protein and high blood pressure. I also had visual disturbances occasionally. However, I felt fine.

I was sent to pregnancy assessment and they admitted me to hospital. I was kept in til 37 weeks . They said if they couldn't stabilise my blood pressure I'd need an emergency c section, otherwise I'd be induced at 37 weeks. Baby was fine , 6 and a half pounds .

Oh that's good. Keeping my fingers crossed for you OP. Keep us posted on how you and bubba are doing.

Still hanging in here - fetal scan yesterday showed we’re on 5% centile for growth, which keeps us out of ‘severe’ range, and blood flow still good to baby. Will keep you posted

Oh excellent op. Are you allowed home or visitors so you're not on your own?

@beambeam23 how you and bubba doing?

Update here: baby arrived via c-section yesterday at 34+4. Scans were showing slowed growth, but still good blood flow and fluids, but decision was made she was better out than in. She’s tiny (3lbs15) but perfect - with me on postnatal ward, some jaundice, but otherwise all good. I feel so much better already having delivered, and hoping bp stays under control as I wean off medication. Thank you all for your support!

Oh OP huge congratulations! So happy she's here safely and doing so well. 💖
Glad you're feeling better too. I hope you can both get home soon and fully enjoy your baby bubble. 🥰