High Risk

relizabethp

Hi- i had talked about being high risk in a couple of threads but I thought it might be good to have our own thread. If you are high risk, what are you doing to cope ? Any restrictions? Birthing plans? 

I am high risk because I have an existing uterine tear from labor with my daughter! I am being monitored by three drs- i will be getting additional ultrasounds to make sure my tear is not opening! I have been seeing a therapist that specializes in pregnancy and fertility issues which has been nice! I am on current lifting, bending, activity restrictions but hopefully will be allowed to ease up on them soon and i can work out which is also a coping mechanism for me. Come third trimester I may have to be on bed rest or I may need to be in the hospital for 24/7 monitoring- hopefully it will be neither! We will have to do a csection, probably 2-3 weeks early- I went into preterm labor with my daughter and labor could cause a rupture- i have zero option to labor so any sign of it will require an immediate csection. 

magalina_h

oh wow, that's scary @relizabethp! How early were you with your daughter?

The term high-risk hasn't officially been used for me by my OB, but I know that they are taking extra precautions.  My son was born 6 weeks early, spontaneously.  I had notified my OB at my 34 week appointment (a Tuesday) that I was having cramping that felt more intense and different from anything I had experienced during my pregnancy.  She checked and I was 0 effaced, 0 dilated, so she just chalked it up to braxton hicks.  I had even more intense contractions the next day, so I called and they said it was because I had been checked the day before.  By Thursday, it was getting more intense, but I'd been dismissed 2 days in row, so I figured I just had a weak pain tolerance.  It was spring conferences that day, so I worked 8am-8pm, then met my husband at the mall to help him pick out a new shirt to bring to Vegas with him the next day.  By the time we got home at 9pm, I was very uncomfortable and in pain.  I called my OB again from the bath tub and she said to try to sleep and if I couldn't to come in.  I was torn between not wanting to ruin hubby's Vegas trip if it was nothing, and not wanting him to be out of town if it was something, but the pain got so intense that finally at midnight, I told him we needed to go to the hospital.  When I got there I was 9cm!!  I was 34w1day.  Knowing this now, my OB said I must have a super HIGH pain tolerance, lol. 

There is no known reason for my preterm labor.  We spent 18 days in the NICU.  Honestly though, for a NICU stay, we got very lucky as his was very uneventful.  He was small, but too small (5lb4oz), and never needed oxygen. Neither of us had an infection. But once they're in the NICU, there's a checklist to leave - gaining weight and meeting feed orders.  I've never known any newborn to eat a certain amount in a certain amount of time, but that's what we had to do to graduate.  The only other issue he had was being very jaundiced - he was both under billie lights and a billie blanket.  He also had a Brady spell the day he got circumcised, which got us an extra 4 days stay. 

My OB said that with my age (36) and history of preterm labor, I have a 50% chance of delivering at the same gestational age or earlier.  Our 1st goal is to get me at least to 34 weeks (around Thanksgiving), but ideally until at least 37 weeks. They will not let me go past my due date, so I'd be induced 12/31 if I don't go into labor on my own by then, but my OB is confident that I will.  I currently don't have any restrictions.  We're just monitoring my cervical length starting at 16 weeks.  There's a possibility that down the road I'll have to have a cerclage or progesterone suppositories. 

Sorry - that ended up being way longer than I anticipated!

relizabethp

@magdalina.h I went into pre term labor at 34 weeks , i had contractions that I thought was braxton hicks and the next day started bleeding at work! I immediately went in and they explained that i had actually been in labor the night before, i was like 2 cm dilated but everything had seemingly calmed down- they sent me home to monitor and i was fine until my water broke at 39 weeks!  Im glad your little guy was relatively healthy ❤️ And you were ok ! Any plans on what you will do in the third trimester? 

magalina_h

@relizabethp, there's no specific game-plan as of right now.  Other than to just have things ready to go for baby.  (For my first, we hadn't picked out a pediatrician, had no car seat, had JUST finished getting his room set up).  I teach, and will work up until the day I go into labor, unless my OB says otherwise. 

I'm glad you were able to keep baby cooking for 5 more weeks!

pedsoncrn461

I am high risk due to me having a genetic disorder. This early my plan is mostly watch and wait as the risk gets higher the closer I get to delivery. I will have every other week cervical length checks starting at 16 weeks, and a repeat echo of my heart at 28 weeks to determine if I need cardiac monitoring during delivery. Main risks with my disorder are cervical insufficiency, PROM, and bleeding/ precipitous labor. I am trying to avoid a C-section as having one will mean that I can never be allowed to have another pregnancy (I have had scars spontaneously reopen years after surgery so a scar on my uterus would be a no-go for additional children). They are already planning on having me meet with anesthesia before I go into labor as I have had a previous spinal fluid leak after an LP. My OB said she will be happy if I get to 37 weeks and some steroids.

NOT looking for any judgement on my decision to have a biological child. I knew all the risks and worked very hard with my whole medical team to determine if they thought it could be done safely and how to prepare my own care to have as safe and healthy of a pregnancy as possible.

karenmarie9

@pedsoncrn461 - that must be super stressful!  I totally understand the reward of having a biological child outweighing the risk.  I had breast cancer at 33 and finally received a doctors blessing at 39 to stop my ongoing treatment and attempt to carry my own child. It’s definitely something I decided personally was worth the risk.  No judgement here for sure!  It’s definitely been a few tough/awkward conversations with pharmacists or new doctors as they question my choices.  I always just say “worth the risk!”  and smile.  

relizabethp

@pedsoncrn461 no judgment- DH and I also weighed all of the risk and decided we would want our own biological child! I don’t believe we can have another child after this, my uterus will not be strong enough to carry another child ! There is sadness to having physical limitations preventing you from obtaining something that is otherwise wanted (We wanted up to 4 kids- but we will love the two we have ❤️)