Heart Disorder & Pregnancy

[Jamora]

About 3 years ago I found out that I was pregnant, about 22 weeks into the pregnancy I started to have a hard time breathing when I walked more then a block. I also had rapid heartbeats. Sometimes I felt as if my heart was going to come out of my chest. My doctor sent me for some tests and when I saw her a week later for the results she told me she could no longer treat me and that I had to go to a different hospital that was know for high risk pregnancies. With that she told me my heart was very enlarged. I went into the hospital that same day. I was diagnosed with Dialated Cardiomyapathy. My heart was only pumping 15% of the blood out and the left ventrical was very weak. At that point I was told that if I decided to carry the baby any further that I would not survive and neither would the baby. To make this choice was the hardest thing in my life. Two years before that I had given birth to my son and he passed away when he was nine months. Those nine months were truelly the greatest days of my life. He was a angel! When I found out that I was pregnant it was hard for me cause I was afraid that I would lose this one too. After meeting with so many specialist and docs I made the decision to terminate. I have been on Coreg, Digoxin, Altace, and Coumidin for almost three years now. My heart function has improved . I got married to my high school sweetheart three months ago. We both love children so much and want to have a family more then anything. The doctors say that it's too risky. I don't know what to do. I've gotten 2nd opinions and some say yes some say no. Are there any ladies out there with my same health problem that have been able to carry a child? I see my husband with our nephews and nieces and it breaks my heart because I know how much he would love to have a child with me. Any thoughts out there?

[Kitten1980]

I honestly don't know what I would do in that situation, but I was told that I shouldn't try to have kids because if the pregnancy didn't kill me the delivery almost certainly would. But I can't take birth control either, and when I get married I am not going to have to use a condom with my husband all the time (okay, this is starting to become TMI). So I've always pretty much felt like, if God gives me a baby, I'll leave the pregnancy in His hands. I love kids too though and plan on adopting, whether or not I have a biological child.

[jenn.e]

I am sorry to hear about your losses. You are in a tough situation. My 25 yr old sister was recently diagnosed with heart failure that occured towards the end of her last pregnancy. Although she has children she still wants more and I know from the families point of view we would rather her not. We couldn't live without her and it would be even worse for us and even more for her husband and children if a baby was lost. Have you talked to your husband about other options? How does he feel?
Im sorry I dont know the answer, but I wish you well.

[Jamora]

Kitten1980 & Jenn.e thank you both for your replies. My husband and I have spoken about this so many times. He has a differant response all the time. He himself was adopted and did not have a great upringing. He is pretty negative about it. Sometimes he will say that we will do it if it's the only option. He wants to keep seeing doctors and getting there opinions. He just doesn't want me to put my life on the line. I have kind of gotten it into my mind that if its Gods will that I have my own child then he will allow it to happen. But then at the same time I am so afraid that if it does happen what the out come would be. It's a hard decision, cause I have promiced myself that if I did become pregnant and was faced with the same situation as before that I would not choose my own life over the baby. I just feel as all the chances that I have had in my life to be a mother have been taken away from me. To be my age and be told that I should never have my own child is hard because when I had my son in those nine months that he was here my heart felt so full and it's like having this empty feeling in the pit of my stomach. I guess I can only wait and see what my future has in store for me now.

[Kitten1980]

It's a hard decision, cause I have promiced myself that if I did become pregnant and was faced with the same situation as before that I would not choose my own life over the baby.

I didn't want to say it because I was afraid of sounding judgemental before, but I don't think I could ever choose my own life over the life of my baby. That's not to say there's anything wrong with someone who does make that decision; it is a hard one to make and I don't think there are any clear-cut answers. I just know that if I had to terminate a pregnancy to save my own life, it would be pointless in the end because I could not personally live with myself and the knowledge that I had essentially killed my child, which is how I would feel about it.

((((((hugs)))))))