24w 3d - 3rd Pregnancy...

[eplieskatt]

Hello!

This is my first post on this forum. I'm currently 24weeks 3days pregnant with my third -- I have a 5 year old daughter and 4 year old son. I had preeclampsia with both children. With my oldest I went to 40weeks (high blood pressure was the original symptom), my second I was induced at 37weeks (blood pressure was never elevated, terrible headaches and protein in the urine).

I have had great blood pressure so far and everything seems to be okay at each doctor visit. Though now that I'm nearing the 3rd trimester I'm starting to worry. Does anyone have experience with two previous occurrences of preeclampsia? If so, did you have a third and how did it go? If it's going to happen again this time around, does it usually appear earlier? Are the symptoms typically more severe? I guess I have more questions now than I probably should, but my OB keeps brushing them off since everything is going well right now. Maybe I shouldn't worry myself just yet?

Thanks in advance for the support!

Erin

Expecting a baby boy on 07/04/2012!
DD - 04/18/2006
DS - 05/14/2007

[angieb]

Preeclampsia statistically does not *usually* recur in second pregnancies, and if/when it does, it is *usually* less severe and later.

Since you had it (or suspicious symptoms, certainly) in two pregnancies, and symptoms earlier in the second pregnancy, your concern that you may get it again is definitely valid. Unfortunately, age and/or space between pregnancies are considered two risk factors that do not really help the odds.

Then again, there are people like me-- I had severe pree at 23 weeks in my first pregnancy and then made it to 36 weeks (no pree, we delivered for other reasons) in my second pregnancy. My doctors thought for sure I would have pree again eventually that second time (because of how early and severely I got sick the first time), but I didn't.

Unfortunately, all you can do right now is keep an eye out for symptoms, keep an eye on your blood pressure, as you get further along, keep an eye on the baby's movement (and if growth was an issue in the past, maybe ask for growth ultrasounds.) Unless you are having symptoms *now*, try not to buy too much trouble worrying about what *might* happen, just stay vigilant and report any symptoms or concerns to your doctor.

[angvbc]

I can't answer your question but i am 24w 5d today so i'm one day ahead of you and its also my third thought id just say hi and good luck!

[mymiracles2]

excellent question! I am in my third and had HELLP with first and pre E wth my second. i am nervous as well.....

[mychaelelaine]

I just wanted to wish everyone good luck. I can't seem to stop worrying about experiencing pree and hellp again. I lost my daughter so I'm not necessarily worried about getting so sick again. I can handle anything thrown my way besides losing another child. I'm going on 10 weeks. I guess all we can all do is just pray (that is if you suscribe to a higher power), cross fingers, hold our breath, etc. etc. etc. I don't know. Lol. If I knew what to do to calm myself, I probably wouldn't have clicked on this specific thread. Anyway, good luck ladies and God bless!

[kerisue]

Have you had a consult with a high risk OB, like a Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist? Have they done a 24 hr. urine collection to get a baseline? One might say that I could overreact given I had such a negative experience with PE last time, but if I were you, having had complications in both your prior pregnancies, I would want a consult and would ask the doctor about whether a 24 hr. urine collection would be helpful in your case.