I had my 16 Week check up today and second hematologist visit. I have been referred to a hematologist by my O.B because when I got sick with mono in college I was diagnosed with a type of hemophilia called Factor 7 protein deficiency. At the time of my diagnosis I was told I would only ever need treatment for this if I were to have major surgery, be in a bad car wreck, or you guessed it...have a baby! So when I got pregnant, off to the hematologist I went! I thought this was going to be no big deal. I would go to the Dr., get checked out, get some blood drawn, and then get told I have a very mild case, and go about my pregnancy. WRONG! When I saw the Dr. today he informed me that what I have is so rare he has only ever had two other patients with it apart from myself. I am 1 in 700 people in the United States that has this blood deficiency. Not only that but my levels are actually on the low end of moderate. 0-35 is severe and my levels are at a 40. He assured me that this will not effect my pregnancy but that my delivery will need to be closely controlled and monitored. There is medication that I can be given before delivery to get my clotting levels up, but that requires my blood to be closely monitored because if they don't give me enough I'll bleed and if I get too much I run the risk of getting a blood clot. Unfortunately, because Factor 7 is so rare, most hospital labs don't have the proper equipment to run blood to check for it. It usually has to be sent out and takes 2-3 days to get the results. And when a baby is on the way there won't be time for a 2-3 day wait. He said the only hospital with the right lab equipment would be Emory so I would need to deliver there, and deliver by C-section. This is not good news....that means a whole new set of Drs. A new O.B (I've been seeing mine for like 10 years) and a new hematologist, and I really wanted to experience labor and a vaginal birth!
I left very down in the dumps, but my good spirits returned when he called me back saying he spoke with an expert at Emory who specializes in Factor 7. I need to see her in January and depending on what she says there may be a chance I can deliver vaginally and at the hospital I had planned on with MY doctor! So everything is kinda in limbo right now until I see this new hematologist after the first of the year, which sucks! I am a planner and I like to know the plan. If I need a new Dr. I want enough time to find a good one and get to know them. If I have to have a C-section I want enough time to prepare and learn about it. I don't like not knowing what's going to go down.
Other then that my 16 week check up went great! I'm getting some nasty varicose veins that make my legs look disgusting, but I was finally able to hear my baby girl's heartbeat through a doppler. We go back in 3 1/2 weeks for the anatomy scan ultrasound! I am looking forward to that one!
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