Lupus and Pregnancy
I'm watching a TV show about fertility and it's heartbreaking. There's a couple who have tried and failed to have a baby many times but now she's finally pregnant. I'm crying my eyes out. Partly because I feel for this couple and partly because I worry about Sami and I having a baby.
Having Lupus doesn't necessarily cause any problems with fertility itself but it can cause complications during pregnancy and I've been told miscarriages are very common. This is often due to women with Lupus also having Hughes Syndrome which is another autoimmune condition that causes the blood to become 'sticky' and effects its ability to clot. I have tested positive for Hughes Syndrome and the Lupus pregnancy doctor told me it won't be impossible to have a child but I should 'be prepared.' I have been advised to take aspirin everyday and should I become pregnant, I may have to have daily heparin injections.
During pregnancy, women with Lupus are at a higher risk of Pre-Eclampsia, Miscarriages, Still births, Diabetes and early labour and small babies so close monitoring is essential. 5% of people with Lupus have antibodies called Anti Ro and Anti La (I'm one of these) and these antibodies can cross the placenta and effect the baby, possibly causing Congenital heart block so the baby's heartbeat is monitored regularly.
The thing that frightens me the most is the high risk of miscarriages people with Lupus/Hughes Syndrome have. The Lupus pregnancy doctor told me he has had many lupus patients go on to have successful pregnancies and healthy children but he also told me about a patient who had 13 miscarriages before having a child. That poor woman - she really didn't give up.
As you probably know, Sami and I are hoping to marry next year and obviously this raises the 'when will you have children?' question and the answer is we'd love to have children and I actually want to get married now so we can start trying! But we will wait until we're married and all we can do is hope for the best.
When the time comes and we decide to start trying, then we will deal with what life throws at us. We have even discussed adoption before and we realise that might be a possibility. I am scared and I do think about different scenarios but I also think I it could all be fine, so until we are trying there's no point in me spending time worrying about it.
All Sami and I can do is hope we are blessed with a child (or 2) and if we are not, we will figure something out. I can be a crazy pug lady or something.
I really can't wait to get married. I genuinely want to get married today. I can't believe we have to wait a whole year. It doesn't help that I'm the broodiest woman alive at the moment. My stomach literally aches when I see a baby and Sami is broody too which really doesn't help!
I've always wanted to be a Mum for as long as I can remember and the thought of possibly not being a Mum fills me with horror but unfortunately I have a chronic illness that comes with cruel complications and sadly, I have to accept that. Lets just hope I'm one of the lucky ones.
I'm watching a TV show about fertility and it's heartbreaking. There's a couple who have tried and failed to have a baby many times but now she's finally pregnant. I'm crying my eyes out. Partly because I feel for this couple and partly because I worry about Sami and I having a baby.
Having Lupus doesn't necessarily cause any problems with fertility itself but it can cause complications during pregnancy and I've been told miscarriages are very common. This is often due to women with Lupus also having Hughes Syndrome which is another autoimmune condition that causes the blood to become 'sticky' and effects its ability to clot. I have tested positive for Hughes Syndrome and the Lupus pregnancy doctor told me it won't be impossible to have a child but I should 'be prepared.' I have been advised to take aspirin everyday and should I become pregnant, I may have to have daily heparin injections.
During pregnancy, women with Lupus are at a higher risk of Pre-Eclampsia, Miscarriages, Still births, Diabetes and early labour and small babies so close monitoring is essential. 5% of people with Lupus have antibodies called Anti Ro and Anti La (I'm one of these) and these antibodies can cross the placenta and effect the baby, possibly causing Congenital heart block so the baby's heartbeat is monitored regularly.
The thing that frightens me the most is the high risk of miscarriages people with Lupus/Hughes Syndrome have. The Lupus pregnancy doctor told me he has had many lupus patients go on to have successful pregnancies and healthy children but he also told me about a patient who had 13 miscarriages before having a child. That poor woman - she really didn't give up.
As you probably know, Sami and I are hoping to marry next year and obviously this raises the 'when will you have children?' question and the answer is we'd love to have children and I actually want to get married now so we can start trying! But we will wait until we're married and all we can do is hope for the best.
When the time comes and we decide to start trying, then we will deal with what life throws at us. We have even discussed adoption before and we realise that might be a possibility. I am scared and I do think about different scenarios but I also think I it could all be fine, so until we are trying there's no point in me spending time worrying about it.
All Sami and I can do is hope we are blessed with a child (or 2) and if we are not, we will figure something out. I can be a crazy pug lady or something.
I really can't wait to get married. I genuinely want to get married today. I can't believe we have to wait a whole year. It doesn't help that I'm the broodiest woman alive at the moment. My stomach literally aches when I see a baby and Sami is broody too which really doesn't help!
I've always wanted to be a Mum for as long as I can remember and the thought of possibly not being a Mum fills me with horror but unfortunately I have a chronic illness that comes with cruel complications and sadly, I have to accept that. Lets just hope I'm one of the lucky ones.
Hi Faye - I have had lupus since i was 12, i am now 37 (It is an awful disease and you never know when it will strike) but do not let it run your life. I ride 3 horses and compete at an amateur showjumping level, i have a little girl who is 3 and the love of my life, i am married and just about to set up an Insurance Broker. I read your blog as i am very private normally about Lupus (been tricky this year as skin and kidneys have been effected making me look hideous) My motto is "life is for living" so dont let lupus tell you to stay in bed (rest of course) but you are young (i know you may feel a 100 sometimes) dont take No for an answer...have a baby get married do something Crazy....good luck xxx
ReplyDeleteAw thank you so much for your comment. I hope your skin and kidneys get back to 'normal' for you soon. I am currently planing the wedding so that's keeping me going! xxx
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