Risk for 2nd pregnancy

[tammylh]

Hi all. I'm new here and have been reading. Before coming here, I thought I would be able to prevent preeclampsia in a 2nd pregnancy with diet, but from what I am seeing here that is really not the case. So my question is what is the risk of getting it again?

My son was conceived via IVF. I did not develop pre-e until 36 weeks. He was induced on 37w5d due to my blood pressure being 190/110. Protein in urine and high liver enzymes. He spent 6 days in the NICU for suspected infection (later found he did not have one) and jaundice. He did have a birth defect of the skull as well, called craniosynostosis, in which he has had to have 2 surgeries, but this is completely unrelated to pre-e. Now he is a happy, healthy 19 month old.

My son also had a velamentous cord insertion that was not found until after birth. Since I've been reading that the placenta takes a part in pre-e, could there be a connection?

We are getting ready to start another IVF cycle for baby #2. Just wondering what the chances are that I could develop pre-e again. I know we were really lucky last time and am terrified of developing it earlier this time around should this IVF cycle work.

Not sure if it matters, but I am of "advanced maternal age". I'll be 40 way too soon.

Thanks!

[angieb]

Your age, and IVF, are against you as far as risk factors-wise. I would be very careful to avoid multiples, especially, two placentas can be double trouble.

But the fact that you made it to 37+ weeks is pretty good. (FWIW, "many"/ maybe even "most", 37 weekers do not need NICU time. DS didn't at 36+2, though he did have mild jaundice, he was able to room in.) So even if it does recur, hopefully it would happen after 36 weeks and you may still be able to avoid NICU time. I have a friend whose baby was born after 40 weeks and ended up spending 3 weeks in the NICU from unforeseen complications.

I think it would be a good idea to see a high risk doctor (either MFM or peri) before you start the next IVF, to get specifics on your risk factors, come up with a game plan, do any underlying condition testing that they want done, etc.

*Most* women do not get sick in a second pregnancy, even if they had it in the first, and if they do, it is *usually* later and less severe. But there are always outliers who do get sick again and in some cases earlier than in the first. A high risk doctor would be able to give you better odds based on your specific medical history and health, than we could guess here, although there are some "ask the expert" topics that give you a decent range of odds (based on when you got sick in a first pregnancy) for a very general idea.