If you had pre-e for your first pregnancy...

BellaKelsey

Background: I had pregnancy-induced hypertension with my son. Fortunately, it never developed into pre-e and we were lucky to get by with strict bed rest, lots of non-stress tests and an induction (but no serious risks to baby or me).

Question: If you had pre-e or hypertension for your first pregnancy and have had subsequent pregnancies, did they do anything differently the second time around?

 We're trying for our second now and I'm just curious about whether I'll be considered high-risk this time, if there will be a modified diet or other preventive things based on my first pregnancy.

 

  

FiremansWife2009baby

I had pre-e diagnosed at 31 weeks in my first pregnancy, and was on bedrest for 4 weeks before delivering at 35 weeks.

This time around, I did a baseline 24 hour urine catch in the first few weeks, but I dont think with PIH you would need to do this since you had a BP issue only.

I am on a low sodium diet, which may or may not help with the BP, but its something I can do to at least try. That in turn has helped my weight gain, swelling, etc. I am not seen any more frequently than normal, as everything is fine for now. But I think if my BP starts to rise even a little bit we will move to more frequent monitoring. I will ask about doing another 24 hr test next time I see the doctor to see if anything has changed.

There's not much you can do to prevent it, but living a healthy lifestyle is the best thing to help prolong onset of a lot of the BP problems. Some people will say that low sodium doesn't help, but I feel it does, at least for me for now.

If your BP starts to rise they may put you on BP meds to help control it, but these are all things to discuss with your doctor. I made an appt prior to getting pregnant to discuss what would be done, what I can do to help myself, and how she foresaw the pregnancy going.

Good luck!

BellaKelsey

Thanks! Very helpful response!

Cruisebride1208

The forums on the preeclampsia.org foundation has oodles of info on this very thing. They have been a huge help to me in the past year.

mrsschrager

I had pre e and hellp syndrome with ds.. I got it at the very end of my pregnancy at 39 weeks.. this time I will be comming in weekly after 30-32 weeks and I have to start  taking my bp every day from home. I also can not travel more than 2 hrs from the hospital after 32 weeks.

haleybeth81

I had pp pre e with DD#1 and was hospitalized 1 wk after she was born.  They monitored me much more closely and even insisted on a 24 hr urine when my BP started to creep up this time.  I'm glad they did because I have pre e and am going to be on strict bedrest as soon as my 2nd 24 urine comes back ( I was borderline with the first one 2 wks ago).  Hopefully by catching it early I can stay at home and keep myself from having severe pre e.

MrsB*s

My BP went up at about 30 weeks with DD, but it fluctuated a bit.  At about 34 weeks, though, it got dangerous, so I went on modified bedrest and was closely monitored for pre-e.

I got pre-e during the 39th week, severely, and had to go on mag, etc.  This time around, nothing has been abnormal except for I am having two extra growth ultrasounds with a high-risk OB during the third tri.  BP and urine have been great so far.

I just got diagnosed today with GD now, though, so I have no idea how these are all going to play out together.