Preeclampsia

My blogging has been pretty sporadic lately, but I thought I'd take the time to explain our not-so-fun pregnancy complication.  Some of this will be a repeat, for which I apologize, but I want to give you the entire story. 

For most of my pregnancy, everything went fine.  All of the prenatal appointments showed that I was progressing as I should with no problems and Josh and I were so excited to soon welcome our little boy into our family.  Then we went to my 33 week appointment and my blood pressure was high.  My doctor was concerned about it and ordered labs to check for preeclampsia. This is a condition that only happens in pregnancy where the mother's blood pressure is high and there is a high amount of protein in her urine.  In the mild stage it doesn't harm the baby, but if it progresses to the severe stage, it can harm the baby and the mother. 

My doctor rechecked my pressure before we left her office, and it had shot up to 151/101.  This guaranteed us a trip to the hospital for extended monitoring.  We spent about 2 hours at the hospital that night, while the baby and I were monitored and labs drawn.  They came back normal, but my doctor was still concerned and I was put on bedrest.  I could no longer work or do anything around the house-all I was allowed to do was lay on either the couch or bed and get up to use the bathroom or get something to eat. I also had to do another test, this time to check my urine for protein, and was given strict instructions for when to return to the hospital.  My doctor let us go home, but I think it was only because it was our anniversary that day.   

We were able to enjoy our anniversary weekend, I completed the test, and we saw the doctor again that next Monday.  The test had come back okay-I didn't have enough protein to be diagnosed with preeclampsia-but I still had high blood pressure and all of the same instructions applied.  My doctor also had me start coming in twice a week to do monitoring and I had to see her once a week.  At the first monitoring appointment, later that week, my blood pressure remained high enough that I was again sent to the hospital.  Once I was there, I started having contractions and one lasted for about 15 minutes and caused the baby's heart rate to decrease to 80.  The nurse rushed in and gave me medicine to stop the contraction and his heart rate came back up without problems, but I was to be monitored closely for at least that night and was given the first of two steroid injections to help mature the baby's lungs if he was to be delivered early. 

We spent a pretty much sleepless night in the hospital and I had the same tests repeated.  This time the urine showed that I did have preeclampsia-my protein levels were now high enough-and I was given another night of monitoring in the hospital.  I received the second steroid injection, labs were repeated, and we were told that if my blood pressure got any higher or the labs came back abnormal, I would be induced the next day-Christmas Eve.  I would be 34 weeks along.  Thank goodness my blood pressure dropped a little and the labs came back normal, so we were once again allowed to go home.  Very strict instructions were given for when I should come back to the hospital and I had to monitor my blood pressure at home and text my doctor with the readings throughout the weekend.  I saw her the next Monday and things were stable at that time-my blood pressure stayed the same and repeat labs were normal.  My first monitoring appointment was also fine that week so I continued on bedrest, in anticipation that the baby would come at 37 weeks, on January 14th, unless anything further went wrong.   

Our second monitoring appointment, which was on December 30th, netted me another extended monitoring session at the hospital.  I had another contraction that dropped the baby's heart rate-it wasn't as bad as the first-but it caused the doctors to be concerned.  After another 2 hour stay, we were released, and I was to continue as before.  At my next prenatal appointment, my blood pressure was higher than it had been-it was 148/104-and there was more protein in my urine from a quick test done, so we went through the same, old routine again. My labs were drawn and I had to do another 24 hour urine test.  We were told that if anything came back abnormal, I would be induced.  The labs came back normal, thankfully, and my blood pressure hasn't gotten any worse, so I am at home while I write this.  I had another monitoring appointment yesterday and that went fine, but there is still one more thing that could take me back to the hospital and have the baby come early.  We're still waiting for the results of the urine test.  If my protein levels have jumped into the severe range, little Drako will be joining our family later this week. 

Neither Josh nor I have slept well the last couple of nights, in anticipation of what will happen.  I don't know if I'm more nervous about not having the baby, or of having the baby.  I know he will do better if he comes now, because he's had more time to grown and mature, but it would be even better if he could get to 37 weeks and be full term.  On the other hand, these last few weeks have been some of the hardest for us and Josh and I are about ready to say "that's it, we're done" and have the baby be here.  The waiting and not knowing and ups and downs of emotions are really hard to deal with!  I hope none of you have this complication in any of your pregnancies!