Fetal Heart Block -- nothing they can do?

EllaAdam

I had my NT scan today and passed on the blood work because we wouldn't act either way, regardless of the results! We are not at higher risk and the NS was 1.17cm so everything looked great! Then the peri pulled me into his office to discuss my PR scans. I'm SSA+ and this causes fetal heart block. Because I had a successful pregnancy with DD#2, they are not so concerned as my risk goes down. But this Dr is new for me, and he seemed very - blunt - in regards to discussing with me the outcome of the fetal heart block. My last peri made it sound like as soon as they see a variation in the scans, they will immediately admin steroids to prevent it from developing further. This doc was almost trying to talk me out of even doing the scans, making it sound that if my baby develops the heart block, it will die in utero and we will just find out during a normal scan. WTF?! No, I would much rather know ahead of time take my chance on those steroids....this was a very discouraging appt!

realisticdreams

I'm sorry the dr wasnt' very comforting, I know how that is!  I called one of our peri's dr. gloom & doom lol.

However, I found this very interesting article on the subject that definitely states you should be monitored every 2 weeks after 16 weeks to check for signs of abnormalities.  Maybe you should get a referral (or just call if your ins doesn't require one) to a pediatric cardiologist (sometimes they do fetal echo's etc, too) that's who I would want doing those scans personally, opposed to peri/maternal fetal med.  

https://rheumatology.oxfordjournals.org/content/47/suppl_3/iii35.full

  

 

EllaAdam

Thank you!! I actually requested that we do the PR scans starting at 17weeks, weekly up until the 23rd week so long as there are no changes or variations. I think it just really threw me off because the advice I was given was SO different from my last pregnancy!!! I appreciate your posting the article -- that is great information!! Thank you so much!

RevJG

So, something to remember is that there are varying degrees of heart block (1 requires no treatment, 2 and 3 might need a pacemaker, 4 is almost always fatal).  I had a consultation with one of the top peris in the country as far as autoimmune disorders go, and he was very upfront about the fact that research does not support the steroids stopping, much less reversing, a 4.  But if it came to that he totally advocated trying!

SheLovesMrHip

Hi there, I am also SSA+ and our high risk ob and  rheumatologist talked to us about the heart block possibilty. I am newly pg, as you can see from my ticker, but we mc'd last pg so I am always worried. Did you know you had SSA+ with your first pg?? My rheumatologist says he has never had a patient yet who has had a baby with the heart block, I just wanted to share that positive info with you. Although I know we are not out of the clear. Kepp me posted though....I haven't met anyone with this antibody and it is still new to me.