HELLP Syndrome Update

So I have been researching HELLP Syndrome since I had Bennett. At my initial post-baby OB appointment, the MD told me that the chances of having the same thing happen in a second pregnancy are very low. He said there was nothing to do to prevent it either. Well, my own research turned up the possibility of "underlying disorders." I did not understand this well at first. I asked my midwife about it at the six week appointment and she was doubtful that such things existed. Her thought was "if it is possible to predict HELLP, wouldn't we do the test on everyone?" She did say she would look into it and get back to me.

So, more research ensued. I came across the Pre-eclampsia Foundation forums on the internet. Apparently, these underlying disorders are various genetic clotting issues and autoimmune diseases (such as Lupus) that can be found through blood tests. The science of it all is very fuzzy to me, but when a person has one or more of these issues, they are more likely to suffer from Pre-eclampsia and HELLP. There is no solid proof that they cause the problems. But they can give a person a better idea of their odds of having issues. If one is found to have any of these disorders, a second pregnancy is still a good possibility. However, many specialists will suggest that you take Lovenox of Heparin (blood thinners) shots throughout, as well as a low-dose Aspirin. While the idea of injecting myself on a daily basis for thirty or so weeks is nasty, it's better that getting ill and having a premature baby. These medications have their own set of risks and the benefits must be greater before a doctor will take this course of action.

I had started to lose faith that my MD would get back to me with his own findings. I planned on pursuing a specialist appointment sometime this week. Then, he called me today and left a message with something to the effect of "Turns out there are some blood tests we can do. I will send an order over to the lab and you can get blood drawn at your convenience. " Ha! It feels good that I was serious about researching this on my own and I turned out to be right. The situation reminded me that general practitioners do not often have all of the specialized information-even in their own field. It made me happy that he was willing to look into it and not just write me off.

Needless to say, I will be going to the lab tomorrow to have the blood drawn. I have heard they take 15-20 tubes. Fun! I'm also in the process of donating some of my breast milk that I pumped while Bennett was in the NICU. More blood to give for that on Thursday. Hopefully they leave me with enough.

On a happier note...Bennett's eyelashes are growing in! For the longest time he didn't have any. He is relaxing in his swing right now halfway between awake and sleep.