Autoimmune disease, 3rd trimester... should my docs do more?
Hi there!
I'm hoping to find some solace from the posts here... so here it goes...
I am currently in week 30 of my pregnancy and I have amyopathic dermatomyostis. For those of you who do not know what this is... it is an autoimmune disease that primarily affects your muscles and skin. I was recently diagnosed with this disease about a year ago and have not undergone any systemic treatment for the condition.
When I was originally diagnosed, my doctors advised immediate treatment of the symptoms. However, they were unclear how the treatment would or would not affect my symptoms because of the rarity of my case (being amyopathic - without the muscle involvement/degeneration). The treatment would involve taking medications such as corticosteriods, methotrexate, and other medications. In the mean time, the documentation that was available regarding DM and pregnancy concluded that pregnancy would certainly be considered high-risk due to muscle complications (with typical DM patients). Again, my doctors urged that I start treatment then come back to my idea of starting a family.
Of course, fate had other plans... I became pregnant in the middle of the all of this... and had also switched doctors - who was now more comfortable with putting off treatment until after childbirth.
Now - here is where my concern lies... at the beginning of my pregnancy, I met with a high-risk doctor who said that as long as my pregnancy progressed normally and without complications, I would not see her until closer to the end. As I mentioned before, I am now 30 weeks along and becoming very anxious.
I've done my own research and found that women with a history (or current diagnosis) of autoimmune diseases (such as mine) are at a higher risk for pre-eclampsia (sp) and other late-pregnancy complications. My doctors have went ahead and scheduled weekly appointments to begin at 32 weeks along with biophysical profiles and extra ultrasounds.
I'm not sure if blood work is routine for this... but I'm wondering if in my case it should be?? Am I being paranoid or do you think these are all valid concerns in my situation? I don't know what to think... please help!!!
Thank you fellow High-Riskers! 
God Bless!