xp: If you had PIH/Pre-E

SandiaPinaMama

...did your ob/mw comment on when you should time your next pregnancy?

My MW told me to wait at least 2 years to allow my body the maximum time to recoup in order to best prevent having pre-e again. This would make my children like 3 years apart, which I feel is a bit long.

My BFF, who is also a MW, and my doula, recently learned at a continuing ed seminar that new research is suggesting that your blood vessels change during pg, and that if you get KU again within 1 year, before the blood vessels completely return to normal, that you will minimize your chances of having pre-e/pih again. This would make my children a little less than 2 years apart. But getting KU again within one year sounds so SOON! I guess I would really like to wait till LO was like 18 months.

So, did anyone else get advice on when to have the next LO in regards to preventing PIH/Pre-E?

On a separate note, my LO is 6 months tomorrow, so I'm moving up!  This is my first post on this board.  I'm looking forward to reading about something other than the 4mw. 

luckybride1128

Hmmm that's interesting. My OB just told me that having PIH with my first child would not necessarily mean I would develop it in subsequent pregnancies. The nurses and doctors in the hospital actually diagnosed me with what they were calling "post partum pre-e" and I was put on the mag sulfate for 24 hours, but not until the morning AFTER I gave birth. I would love to get pregnant maybe a month before DS's first birthday, ideally. However, DS still nurses quite frequently and AF is still MIA, so TTCing is a bit of a challenge. I certainly wouldn't want to wait two years, though!

JessiRaye

I had pre-e with ny first. My BP was 190/110 the day DS was born. My OB did not mention anything about timing. We waited almost 3 years to start TTC. I have since had 2 more boys and I didn't have a single BP scare with either of them. It was such a relief. GL!

theprincessPAT

My OB was less than thrilled when I called to tell them I was KU again.  But they took it in stride and basically told me that I would be monitored more closely throughout the pregnancy.  I was started on BP meds.  I had to go see the MFM and was basically going to have a monthly appt with them an a monthly appt with my OB until later in the pregnancy.  The MFM told me that I have a 50/50 chance of getting Pre-E again.  Unfortunately I'm not pregnant now so I can't tell you how things progressed.

okami.mami

I had HELLP Syndrome, which is a type of Pre-e, and OB said I had to wait one year to start trying to get KU again. My liver AND kidney's freaked out and I have to wait for them to get back to normal. I mean, they're in the normal range now but apparently it takes a while for them to get to where they were pre-pregnancy. It was a pretty hellish labor for me. They gave me the nasty mag-bag and I had a bad reaction to it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I won't go through that again, but OB said I will likely have it again with all of my pregnancies. Sucks!

Army~Wife

I had severe Pre-E with DD1. When my kidneys and liver started to shut down because my BP was so high I was immediately sent to the OR. My BP had been wonderful throughout my whole pregnancy and then boom, it sky rocketed. I was constantly monitored in the hospital for 5 days before my OB decided that my body couldn't hold out any longer. DD1 was born 2 months early.

I was nursing and put on the mini-pill (placebo IMO) and got KU with DD2 at 5 1/2 months pp. My OB didn't not give me the side eye at all but I was definitely monitored more closely. I had other complications such as partial placenta abruptions which caused multiple scares but BP never got to high. In fact, it was so low at one point that I was monitored overnight to make sure it would come back up. I did not develop Pre-E a 2nd time and DD2 made it full term to our scheduled C-section. We are all happy and healthy.