Elenapap11 Posted November 5, 2009 Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 I was wondering what happens if you are pregnant when you have POTS.Do the symptoms go away and if not how do you deal with them?Before i was diagnosed with POTS i was planning to have a baby but now i don't know if this will ever be possible.Can women with POTS have a normal pregnacy and healthy babies? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoGiuliana Posted November 5, 2009 Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 Yes, many women with POTS have healthy, normal pregnancies. There was a recent, small study published that concluded that POTS is not a reason not to attempt pregnancy.You would want to be under the care of a specialist as well as ob/gyn, in case medications are needed to manage the POTS during pregnancy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aprilmarie52 Posted November 5, 2009 Report Share Posted November 5, 2009 I was diagnosed with POTS 9 years ago and have since had 2 children. Both of my pregnancies were normal with no complications. I was never considered high risk. I saw my cardio once or twice during each pregnancy just for follow up visits. If you are concerned, talk with your POTS dr and your obgyn about any questions/concerns you might have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lissy Posted November 6, 2009 Report Share Posted November 6, 2009 mine got worse with every pregnancy after delivery , during pregnancy had fewer symptoms but after every baby it had brought on more symptoms unless it was just progressing anyway but I doubt it since the drastic changes in hormones and blood volume have alot to do with POTS. They also said after last delivery that I had some sort of postpartum cardiomyopathy and to never get pregnant again or it could kill me. My heart was very weak at that time I took a stress test and couldn't get me heart rate over 130 fast walking and now lol it gets that high from just standing. Its all kinda bizarre do alot of research and talk to specialist not just the basic docs.Lissy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elenapap11 Posted November 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2009 My POTS symptoms get really bad before and after my period and i m worried that my body will not tolerate a pregnacy unless a miracle happens and i get cure before i become pregnant.Plus i have GERD which is supposed to get worse during the last months of pregnacy and causes breathing problems.Since i already have breathing problems i wonder how worse it can get.And then i m thinking that if what i'm going through is too much for me then how is it going to be for the baby i'll be carrying.My gynecologist told me that we'll deal with it when it happens and that i should stop worrying but i don't think he knows much about dysautonomia and he's just trying to be reassuring. I do want to have children but if that means that my health will deteriorate and that i might harm the baby i prefer to abandon the idea altogether.Thank you all for sharing your views and experiences.You give me more answers than any of my doctors here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted November 6, 2009 Report Share Posted November 6, 2009 Hi Elena,Many women with POTS do have normal pregnancies. Here is a link to the article to which Katherine referred: Outcomes of Pregnancy in Patients with Preexisting Postural Tachycardia SyndromeFour years ago I had a very healthy pregnancy. I felt better than normal the whole time I was pregnant, especially once I got to my second trimester. The increase in blood volume helped a lot. I now have a healthy, happy, almost-4-year-old. I am also currently pregnant (due in just a few weeks). This pregnancy has been harder in some ways. My symptoms didn't improve this time like they did before. Most of my symptoms have stayed the same as pre-pregnancy. I have been more fatigued than normal, though. I had problems with mild anemia a couple of months ago, but that is a common pregnancy problem; it isn't POTS related. The fatigue is better now that my iron level is back to normal. I've also had some flares in my gastroparesis during this pregnancy, making it hard at times for me to consume enough calories. However, despite not being able to eat as much as I need to, the baby is growing very healthy and very strong. She is doing so well that it is truly amazing. I hope this information helps a bit. And, by the way, welcome to the forum!Rachel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoGiuliana Posted November 6, 2009 Report Share Posted November 6, 2009 B/c everyone's situation is so different, it does make sense to talk to your ob-gyn and to a specialist before making your decision. My doctors didn't tell me another pregnancy would be dangerous, but I decided not to have another pregnancy b/c I was so sick with POTS during the first pregnancy and b/c I also developed PIH late in the 3rd trimester and ended up having an abruption that would have killed both my child and myself if we had not be in the hospital at the time it occured. Abruption is not related to POTS but to me the combination of the two problems was too over-whelming to try again. Also, I have to work. My family depends on my income and the health insurance I receive for all of us. It would be a huge blow to my family's well-being if I became disabled. So, in my case my decision is based on a combination of health and personal issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elenapap11 Posted November 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2009 Rachel thank you for the article.i read the statistics which are quite enlightening.I wish you an easy delivery and all the best for the new member of your family.MomtoGiuliana i m sorry to hear that your pregnacy was such a traumatic experience. I'm sure that the baby compensated you for all the ordeal.I would like to ask you another question though.Were you working while you were pregnant?And how bad was your POTS before you conceived the baby? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted November 7, 2009 Report Share Posted November 7, 2009 I should also add that while pregnancy is relatively easy for me, the postpartum time was very difficult. I was so tired after labor and delivery. Tired really can't even describe it. Being a mother is physically very hard. I have been blessed to have a LOT of help from my husband, family, friends, church, and neighbors. There is no way I could be a good mom without all of the help I have received.My health is worse with pregnancy this time around (it was already worse before I got pregnant, though). I expect that the postpartum period will be even more difficult than last time. My husband is planning on doing all of the midnight feedings. I would like to do as many as I can, but I know that realistically I definitely won't be able to do even half. He'll have to do most of them.I don't want to discourage you. I don't know what your health and level of functioning are like. I just thought that I should come back and paint a realistic picture of what after pregnancy is like for me. Pregnancy has been great, my son is healthy, and I have a very healthy baby girl on the way. The pregnancy is the easy part for me, though. It's the postpartum period and the toddler years that are so tough. I'm so glad that I have the support system that I do. In my situation that makes all the difference. The support I have makes being a mom possible in the first place.Rachel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elenapap11 Posted November 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2009 Thank you for the update Rachel.I believe that having support is what makes a difference in our lives.I have a family and a partner that are there for me andi know that if i have a baby i will not be alone.However because in the past i was the one who stood by everyone else-always the strong one and very independent-it is really difficult to adjust to this new reality.I sometimes feel guilty for not being the partner,daughter or sister that i used to be. I have postponed my wedding plans because i m not sure that i'll be able to walk down the aisle and stand up during the ceremony. I have abandoned my plans for an academic career.I m not ready to abandon the plan of becoming a mother but i don't know if i should.I suppose time will tell...Having said all that,i still feel blessed for the family that i have been given and for the people i have met in this forum.The information and advice you have all given me here is invaluable....not to mention the psychological support.I truly wish the best for you all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoGiuliana Posted November 7, 2009 Report Share Posted November 7, 2009 To answer your question about work and pregnancy--in my case I was able to work full-time until week 32. At that point I was just too exhausted and had mulitple POTS symptoms, including episodes of light-headedness. I also did not have a diagnosis. Possibly if I had, I would have felt better during pregnancy b/c some medication might have worked. However, not sure anything could be done about PIH, and my risk for abruption. Ironically, I wonder if resting so much in the last 2 months allowed me to have my daughter at term, and helped mediate PIH. Post partum was even worse for me--as Rachel has also indicated, the early weeks of caring for a newborn are exhausting for anyone. For someone with POTS it is even more so, generally. Many women with POTS feel worse post partum than they did during pregnancy, from what I understand. I was able to breastfeed around the clock, but very little else. Fortunately, my mother was able to live with us for the first 2 months. It took me months to recover. I finally returned to (part-time) work when my daughter was 10 months old.Again, not trying to discourage you. My daughter is the greatest joy in my life and all the struggle was worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aprilmarie52 Posted November 8, 2009 Report Share Posted November 8, 2009 I was able to work full time with both of my pregnancies. I actually went into early labor at work with my oldest. Everybody is different though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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