Preeclampsia

I had preeclampsia with my first, not with my second. I remember reading that you are less likely to have it with the second IF the father is the same. If it's a different father, you're back in the general pool of women who might experience it but you are neither more likely nor less likely than the average pregnant woman. They (you know, those people we don't know but seem to do a lot of studies) don't really know the root cause. One THEORY is that the mom becomes somewhat allergic to the baby. So the next time - with the same father - it's like you've been immunized. That's how "they" explain why it doesn't happen as often with second children with the same dad. It was probably in "What to Expect" or webmd, two of my favorite resources. I never read about the aspirin bit, you might want to run that by your ob.

Good luck!

Hi,
I had preeclampsia with my first who was born at 29 weeks. I just had my second and did not develop PE until 37 weeks. There is a LOT of bunk out there on the internet about what can cause/prevent PE so I recommend looking at preeclampsia.org (Preeclampsia Forum)that has expert articles and opinions from doctors as well as a well moderated forum of people who have been through it all. I WAS on baby aspirin with my second as well as Lovenox injections (seemed to help). I also recommned asking your OB for a referral for a preconception consult with a perinatologist to assess why you got PE. There are a lot of different reasons and you will want to investigate if you have any underlying disorders which can direct the doctors how to manage your next pregnancy. Good luck!

I think it really depends on what sort of shape you are in health-wise when you get pregnant: preeclampsia is one of those things like gestational diabetes that tend to reoccur in subsequent pregnancies if the cause of the problem isn't taken care before the conception of the next baby (such as obesity, high blood pressure without pregnancy,etc etc). I have a close friend that did not have preeclampsia or gestational diabetes with her first daughter, then diabetes AND preeclampsia with #2, nothing with #3, and diabetes now with pregnancy #4 (she's crazy, I know!). While she is obviously pre-dispositioned to gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, but when he is less than 30 lbs overweight, those severe health problems she has experienced in her other pregnancies did not occur.

BEFORE you get pregnant, make your body as healthy as possible: drop the extra weight from baby #1, eat healthier and exercise more often, and prepare your body for the job ahead. If you know you are predispositioned to health complications, it is up to YOU to prepare your body in the best way you know how to grow that baby. It drives me crazy when women, who are so obviously not equipped to carry a child (extremely overweight, poor eating and exercise habits, unresolved or ignored health problems) get pregnant and then are surprised when they are ill and have unhealthy babies. I am by no means suggesting that about you! Im just stressing that, you might still get preeclampsia, but there are a slew of things you can do to try to prevent before you get pregnant. Even during pregnancy: eat healthy, and resist the urge to eat lots of junk. Preeclampsia can be directly related to maternal weight before and during pregnancy, so take care of your body so you can take care of another.

i had it with my first and am 33 weeks with my second the chances of getting it again are very slim the dif between my first and second are many like caffeen 1st non 2nd limited wait gain is another thing and stress i would not worry about it if i was you but read up about it

Hello E.,
I too had preeclampsia. I went in for my 37 week check up and I was perfectly fine and had a really easy pregnancy, went back at 38 weeks and the doctor said, "I hope you don't have any plans today because you're going to have your baby in the next 24 hours!" I had no idea I had it, no blurred vision, no head aches, the doctor said I was swollen, but my husband I didn't see it. I also had a friend who had it and delivered at 26 weeks. My understanding of it that you will more then likely not have it with your next baby. I'm not sure if it's just because you had it with your first one or if your doctor will have you take extra precautions because you had it before. My friend (who had her baby at 26 weeks) didn't have any problems with her second child. I personally do not plan to have it stop me from going for number 2! I can’t to see the other comments you get, I really didn’t look into it too much.

I didn't have it with my first child that was with a previous relationship. I got it with my second child with my husband. I had my baby at 35 weeks. My third child, i showed signs (protien in the urine) but that was it and it was late in the pregnancy. The symptoms get less and less with each prenancy and exercising helps prevent, which what i was doing before I got pregnant and half way through the pregnancy with my third.