25 Weeks

Last week, at 25 weeks of pregnancy, I went to my regular OB appointment.  After being so ridiculously sick in the beginning of my pregnancy, I have finally enjoyed feeling relatively normal for the past couple of months.

In my pregnancies with Abigail and Michael, once I got through the hyperemesis, I did well until the very end of pregnancy.  I did develop preeclampsia with both Abby and Michael.  In both cases, I was full term, so I was sent to the hospital to be induced.  Delivering the baby is really the only "cure."  I was induced with Abigail on her due date; I was induced 4 days before Michael's due date.

Before we decided to have another baby, I talked to my doctor to ask his expert medical opinion on whether or not it would be wise for me to get pregnant again.  He told me that because I had developed preeclampsia in both of my pregnancies, I would almost surely have it a third time.  However, since I did not develop any problems until the very end of pregnancy, he thought I would probably be fine.

So, I was unpleasantly surprised last week at my routine checkup with a blood pressure reading that was already starting to rise.  I also had weight gain associated with water retention.  (I couldn't wear my ring!)  The doctor, hoping that my blood pressure would go down after sitting in the exam room, called the nurse back in to recheck it.  It was exactly the same.  That nurse, hoping she was wrong, called in another nurse to check her.  It was exactly the same.

The doctor didn't want to panic, but she was concerned.  My blood pressure was not high enough to technically be considered preeclampsia, but I normally run fairly low and there was a significant rise.  Since there was no protein in my urine and I was not showing other symptoms of toxemia, she said she wanted me to come back in a few days to have my blood pressure checked again.  She also went over all the symptoms I need to be watching for.  If I have any of them, I am supposed to call her right away.  If my blood pressure is still up when I go back on Tuesday, she will do lab work to check everything.  I am supposed to "take it easy," keep my feet up as much as possible, and hope the blood pressure goes down.  If it doesn't, she said I may be headed toward bed rest.

The news is unsettling because my due date is still so far away- 15 weeks until my due date, and 12 weeks until the baby is considered full term.  If I were to develop preeclampsia and it became too severe, the baby would have to be delivered.  It is much too early to even think about that. 

The good news is that Coley has been checking my blood pressure everyday at home.  So far, it looks pretty good.  I'm keeping a log to take to the doctor on Tuesday.  Hopefully, it will be as good when the nurse checks it in the clinic.

Until then, I'm just trying to keep my feet up and not stress! :)