Labour and SVT?

Hi all,

I was wondering if someone learned could enlighten me...

I get (or have? not sure of the right terminology) supra- ventricular tachycardia (SVT). I've had it since I was 12, it occurs for a reason undetermined as yet (but it is triggered by dehydration). Most attacks are quite painful and last for up to 4 hours- I generally end up in the ER having my heartrate medically slowed down by use of drugs.

I am curious as to what would have happened had an attack of SVT occured during the active stages of labour- any guesses how the medical staff would have intervened and treated it? I had an attack the morning before my labour begin and some times I wonder if I really dodged a bullet there.

Any insight appreciated. Thanks.

Hi
This is what hapened to my friend who may have had different severity and circumstances to your own and in no way means it will happen to you, but she was advised to have an epidural as if SVT occurs during labour very hard to stop (pain can make it worse) and strongly advised to have a Csection. She ended up opting for the section as had a few runs of SVT in the month before she delivered and got scared which is understandable. If you have a cardiologist I would speak to them about the risks as everyone is slightly different and a cardiologist may have a different perspective than your ob.

My mum had SVT and prolonged VF episodes at random due to damage cause by rheumatic fever as a child. She eventually (aged 60) had a double pace-maker fitted to stop it happening as it was becoming life-threatening (she had to take drugs every day to control it and their effects lessen over time).

She had 5 vaginal births, one emergency c-section and one elective c-section. She never got SVT or VF during her vaginal births or the emergency section, but she did get it after the elective (me) for a few hours. One of her cardiologists said that the raised oxytocin levels somewhat prevent it (one reason they can give beta-blockers for heart problems AND anxiety problems) during labour. It can happen, but i think it's rarer during labour than the rest of the time, iykwim.

Do you have a cardiologist you could ask about it?

Bx

Thanks for those replies ladies. I am only just starting to ask the questions now that i should have asked while I was pregnant with ds, with a view to understanding the whole experience more.

I did ask both my cardio and the hospital ob (who saw me for a whole of two minutes just before his lunch break) what would happenif I did have a run druing the labour and both times I was fobbed off with "It won't happen, you will be fine". I think out of fear- I am the kind of person who would rather be in ignorant bliss, often to my own detriment- I resisted the urge to ask any more questions.

Again, thanks for that info. I'm having a few blood tests done next week- apparentley, in the 15 years iv'e had this condition, noone has thought to check my thyroid for abnormalities. I'm actually hoping that's the cause- it would explain a lot of things.