Tyring Again After Stillborn

[amjon]

My DH and I just lost our daughter at 27 weeks gestation, Dec. 29, 2011. We were told it was a nuchal cord (99.9% chance) in the hospital. I went to a new OB for a preconception consult. He reviewed my records and said he is pretty sure I had HEELP syndrome and that was the true cause of her death. (She had low fluid levels. I had small amounts of proteins and borderline blood pressures. No blood tests were done when I was sent to the hospital to be evaluated and now somehow the stress test has "disappeared". (They claim they only keep them for 2-3 weeks, then delete them.) We are anxious to conceive again. My new OB discussed a plan of frequent monitoring and interventions (if needed) for a new pregnancy. Last week I had to be started on blood pressure meds (he wouldn't see me yet, so I had to go to my PCP). Does anyone know if that would have any effect on conceiving or getting preeclampsia when I do get pregnant?

[angieb]

I am so sorry for your loss of your daughter.

May I ask why you were being monitored with a nonstress test? It's very unusual for them to do them before 28+ weeks (or at all with people having "normal" pregnancies), so it sounds like there really must have been something going on aside from the nuchal cord.

Starting a second pregnancy with high blood pressure definitely will raise your risk of getting preeclampsia (possibly again?). Also, having HELLP syndrome puts you at higher risk to have preeclampsia than if you *only* had preeclampsia. But risks are just numbers and there are no guarantees either way. I developed HELLP at 23 weeks with our daughter, they gave me very high odds of getting pree again (like 70%) , I ended up not getting sick at all.

[amjon]

The midwives sent me to the hospital because of my blood pressure (and I also had small amounts of protein in my urine).

[heather j]

I'm so sorry for your loss. It sounds like your new OB is taking all the necessary steps toward getting you ready for another pregnancy. Has it been suggested that you consult with a doctor of Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM)? Given your loss and possible early onset of preeclampsia, consulting with an MFM and establishing a relationship between the MFM and your OB would likely be beneficial for you. BP medication should have no impact (that I'm aware of) on the success of conceiving. However, getting your bp under control and managed prior to getting pregnant will definitely be beneficial to you. Again, I am so sorry for what you've experienced and such terrible loss.

[amjon]

Thanks. I've looked into it, but the closes one is about 1 1/2 hours away from me, so not sure if I could do regular appointments with one. I'll ask the OB once I start seeing him when I am pregnant and go if he thinks it would be helpful.