New here, scared to get pregnant again

[brindyshelby]

HI,
Had pre-eclampsia with my 1st pregnancy. My Dr. was awful. I switched Drs. My new Dr. discovered I had an MTHFR defect. He told me I guess we will see what happens with the next pregnancy. Are you considered high risk then? Should I get another opinion? Should I be seeing a hematologist. I asked my Primary Care Dr. to review my results and she said that was out of her league to go back to my OB, who does not really have any answers either. PLease help.[V]

[expert on call]

MTHFR defects fall into a classification of problems known as thrombophilias. These are genetic conditions which predispose patients to developing blood clots under certain circumstances. In addition, many of these diseases have been found to be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, including increased rates of stillbirth and preeclampsia. However, there is no clear treatment for the problem. Many physicians advocate using aspirin and heparin to treat these patients, but it is not clear that this regimen actually works to change the outcome of the pregnancy. If you are truly concerned and feel that your doctor may not be entirely familiar with this problem, you can ask to be referred to a high risk obstetrician for a consult. A hematologist can help also, but may not be able to answer all of your questions regarding pregnancy in this condition.

To find a specialist in your area--check out www.nasshp.com or www.smfm.org

Expert on Call

Information provided on this site is provided for informational purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professional. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disorder, or prescribing any medication. The Preeclampsia Foundation presents all data as is, without any warranty of any kind, express or implied, and is not liable for its accuracy, for mistakes or omissions of any kind, nor for any loss or damage caused by a user's reliance on information obtained on the site. Professional opinions on this condition vary greatly. The Preeclampsia Foundation endorses no one course of treatment or "cure". Responses generated by our Experts to specific questions are based on information anonymously submitted to this site via email, are not based on a complete review of any patient’s medical records and should not be construed as the only reasonable expert response to the info submitted and/or the scenario described.