HELLP Survivor and Getting Baby Fever...

rockinmathchic

Hello!  I had my DS in Sep 2014 5 weeks early due to Severe Preeclamsia and HELLP Syndrome.  My blood pressure was 210/115 when I was admitted to the hospital and within 30 min of my blood work coming back he was here.  I was unable to see my son for 36 hours after the delivery (magnesium treatment) and had high blood pressure (averaging 165/95) for about 10-14 weeks afterwards.  These 10-14 weeks were miserable...between trips back and forth to NICU and constantly feeling sick and being unsuccessful at breastfeeding, it was a trying time for me.

Since around the time my son turned 2 in Sep, I have started to have this feeling that I want to try for another baby.  Haven't discussed it with my husband yet, but I am terrified about getting HELLP again.  I know that I have a higher risk of developing it again, but it is still 50/50.  My OB says that there really is no way to tell whether or not I will get it in future pregnancies but there is a chance I could go to full term with no complications, especially because my HELLP started developing later (34 weeks) and that typically if you get HELLP in a future pregnancy it will be later than the first time.  Even with all that, I just remember how miserable I felt and can't stop thinking about if I wouldn't make it and then left my husband and two babies without their wife/mother.

Is there anyone out there that had HELLP and a second pregnancy?  Were you able to carry to term without any issues?  I have tried to gather as much research as possible because I want to make the right decision for my family.  If you know of any research that would be beneficial, I would be interested in this too.  I will talk with my husband eventually, but I just want to make sure I am well informed about this since it is my health we are talking about here.

Thanks!

rayschicky

I don't have any experience with HELLP but keep in mind that some one else's experience won't have any bearing on your own. I would suggest talking to your husband sooner rather than later. If he is not on board for baby #2 then it is kind of a moot point anyway right? Best of luck

rockinmathchic

Oh sorry, he is 2 years old.  I mistyped that he was born in 2014 - he was born in 2012.

I know I need to talk with my husband and I will, I just want to make sure that I am comfortable with the amount of research that I have done.  I am a Mathematician in my day job so I like to do research and collect facts and data.  I am starting to hit walls with my research so I wanted to ask the board if there is anything else I may be missing before I have the conversation with my husband.

Thanks!! 

Ashleighann

A girl in a Sept 2013 birth group I'm in on another forum had this with her first with an experience similar to hers. Her OB gave her the go ahead to try for a second with the obvious risk of developing HELLP again. She will be monitored much more closely and handled as high risk I believe.

cab86

In October of 2011 I was diagnosed with HELLP during my routine 32 week checkup, everything was normal until this appointment. I was immediately transferred to a hospital with a NICU and had an Emergency C-Section that evening. My appointment was at 4 and he was born that night at 11:30. Like you I was not able to see my son for 24 hours after he was born. My son is now 3 1/2 years old and doing great. A year ago I started researching to see what we could do to have a second baby and if it would be safe. We got pregnant in August and I was so excited and terrified at the same time. In April of this year, I had a perfectly healthy baby girl who was delivered with a scheduled C-Section. Throughout my pregnancy my OB had me take a baby asprin everyday and monitored me closely. I also met with perinatologists throughout my pregnancy. Everything went normal and as planned for us this time.