expecting again!

[gayle.pete]

So since we just heard the heart beat on friday I thought I'd just say I am twelve weeks pregnant! Yeah. Here is hoping for a normal pregnancy. Which brings me to a question I had. Those of you who had kids with heart problems and then had other kids did they do any extra ultrasounds or anything. I asked my OB about possibly having an echo once the baby is big enough inside me just to ease my mind but am I going over board? Peter (my first who is 2 1/2) has triscuspid atresia (hrhs) and I just want to make sure nothing is missed because I hear so often people not knowing until the baby is born because the didn't see anything on the regular ultrasound. I dunno what are your thoughts on the subject? Oh and the baby is due in April then in June we are planning for Peter's third surgery of course the name escapes me at the moment (the baby is eating my brain I swear!) So that should be interesting.

Gayle Dowdle (mom to Peter tricuspid atresia)

[Cyndlouwho]

I can't answer your question for sure since Dylan is my last, but I would imagine that your doctor should be willing to check more carefully with this pregnancy. I have a close friend who has had two children after her heart baby and I seem to remember her getting more ultrasounds to check their hearts to make sure there weren't problems.

Congratulations on the pregnancy! Hope things go well.

Cindy Green (mom to Dylan truncus arteriosus, coarctation)

[CHarris]

Congrats! I am also expecting again and I am due in March! I have a 2 1/2 year old that was born undiagnosed with Severe subaortic stenosis and I also have a 5 year old with a minor VSD. So my OB is going to send me to a perinatoligist for an ultrasound at 24 weeks. I could have sworn our cardiologist told us after we had our daughter we need to go there for a fetal echo if we ever have another but when I called cardiology a few weeks ago they said it's up to the OB to order it. At first I think the OB thought I was going overboard with it but by the second visit I think she had thought about it and came to the decision to see perinatology at 24 weeks which I think is a good plan too. But yeah I'm also wondering what others have done with subsequent pregnancies. Anyways good luck!

Colleen
Mom to Kate(subaortic stenosis)

[AngelMom]

My doctor watched me from the very beginning and did an ultrasound at 8 weeks and then at 20 weeks. With Nathan I went to PCMC and had a fetal echo done as well, but the tape I brought with me that was done at my 20-weeks ultrasound appointment was almost better than what they could see with the fetal echo. In the end reinsurance was all I needed.
For me, since Hope was our first, I never once experienced what a blissful pregnancy was like. Even with Nathan and Cole I was always worried that something could go wrong, like a part of the innocence was stolen. Even after their births . . .I really could not feel secure until they passed that 4 1/2month mark that there sister lived. Once I got passed that, I would settle down and really start to enjoy my babies.
So I can understand your concern.

I am so happy for you and I hope that things go well. Congrats!

[cmooredavis]

Congratulations to Gayle and Colleen! How exciting to be expecting.

After having Jacob (TGA) we were told by cardiology that I would need a fetal echo with any future pregnancy. My understanding is that your OB or cardiologist can order it.

Good Luck!

[Lisa Owens]

First of all, congrats!! When I was pregnant with my third, after our heart baby, they didn't do anything extra. They were pretty thorough during the 20-week ultrasound, but because they didn't see any anomalies there they didn't order an echo or any further testing. She was born perfectly healthy! Good luck to you!

[djgatherum]

Congratulations!! I just wanted to give you a heads up. We never really knew anything was wrong with my pregnancy, except that Addison seemed a little small. I went to the perinatologist for four different ultrasounds, mainly checking size, but I also asked them over and over to check her heart. Our nephew Ethan Curtis is also part of this group with HLHS and I was so worried about her heart! Anyway, they didn't ever seen any complications. Addison had both an ASD & VSD. I would really talk with your OB, it might even be worth the peace of mind to do the echo?

Jenn Gatherum
Addison's Mom (ASD & VSD)

thegatherumfamily.blogspot.com

[ksimon]

Hi Gayle and congrats! My name is Kim and I don't usually post but I wanted to answer your question. A little background-my son had Transposition of the Great Arteries. I work at PCMC in the cardiology fetal dept. and our fetal cardiologists tell families to have a fetal echo with subsequent pregnancies. The risk of having a baby with a heart defect is only 1-2% but it does increase slightly with other pregnancies about 5-7%. So I would recommend having a fetal echo. I hope this helps. :)

[gayle.pete]

I appreciate all your responses. I think after my 20 week ultrasound I am going to ask to do an echo just to make me feel better. I really feel like everything is okay and there isn't any history in our family for this besides Peter but just to be on the safe side. Thanks for all your advice.

Gayle Dowdle