High blood pressure in cord

Has anyone had this? I had an ultrasound today at 32 weeks, which found low amniotic fluid, and increased blood pressure in umbilical cord. Baby does not appear to be distressed at the moment, however I have been given a steroid shot today, and go back for another tomorrow. I go back for another ultrasound on Tuesday, where they will decide whether to continue regular monitoring or to deliver baby...

I can't find much about it online, apart from where the mother has had high blood pressure too. Mine was spot on today, and baby looks like it is measuring fine for age.

Does anyone have any stories to share about this?

Sorry I can't help answer your question. I hope that bubs stay in a little longer for you.

I could not read and not reply, and give you a few of these! :hugs: :hugs:

Thanks purplepixie :) I'm such an impatient person normally, and I can't wait to meet our baby, but not before it is ready! Each day extra that it stays in is going to be a bonus!

I haven't had this personally but I imagine that the continual high cord BP would eventually result in a baby thats growth slows down, so I guess they will be looking at your baby's growth and fluid levels next week. Once the baby starts getting affected he/she will be better out than in so its good that you have had the steriods for his/her lungs and hopefully you can get a few more weeks out of the pregnancy. Its great that they picked it up, must be a bit of a shock though, good luck to you and your baby!

How are you feeling frog?

We had a pretty worrying night after the first steroid shot, they didn't tell us that it would make baby move less for a little while, so I barely slept because it didn't have its nightly party, and in the morning it didn't move at all, so back to hospital we went for more monitoring (in another city as we had gone away for the night). All was well, and then a few hours later the consultant at my hospital called to let me know, by the way, steroids will make baby move less :/ bit late to tell me that! Had second shot in the afternoon and more monitoring, baby is breech and my hospital doesn't do vaginal breech births (I know I can argue and push back on this, but unless the other two issues resolve, I'm not willing to take more risks). Baby seems happy and healthy, so on Tuesday I'm going to ask about moxibustion if all is well to try and turn baby. I'm also drinking like its going out of fashion, opinions seem divided on whether that will increase fluid, and I figure it doesn't present any higher risk, so I'll give it a go! Fingers crossed I can keep baby in for another couple of weeks. I have packed my bag for hospital, and will get car seat installed this week, and try and restore some order to my house! I just wish my family lived nearer, I'm in Tassie, my bro is in Sydney, my sister is in Gladstone, QLD! My brother is so worried and wants to come home, but I said there's no point until baby is here at least. It's funny how the people in your life that you least expect to react that way, are the ones that go out of their way... He has been calling to check on me, trying to reassure me that everything will be ok and offered to contact everyone with updates, so that we don't have to deal with everyone if something happens. Probably sounds pretty standard behaviour I guess, but for me to put it in context would take all day! We lost our Dad a few years ago, right at a critical time, as my brother was just starting to have a 'friendly' relationship rather than dad and son. He became very aggressive and harsh towards the rest of the family, and in the last 12 months or so (since moving in with his girlfriend and her parents) he has just become the most gentle, caring person. Makes us all so happy, and he can't wait to be an uncle!

Well, after all that, I'll keep you posted once I know more on Tuesday :)

Try to hang in there, frog.

I know about decreased movements after steroid injections. I only had one single shot with my ex 29 weeker! it had me freaking out that she wasn't moving.

I hope that bub grows and blood pressure returns to a normal range by Tuesday. Crossing everything for you.

Just an update- 33+3 today, have had another couple of check ups. Amniotic fluid index was at 4.8cm at 32+4, today it was 3.2cm, so that's now definitely classified as oligohydramnios. Baby seems to still be growing fine, their guesstimate today for weight was 4lb 10oz, or about 2100g, up 300g in 6 days. Other measurements are around the 25th percentile. Maybe just a petite baby? Blood pressure in the cord normalised a little after the steroid shots, today it was increased again to the higher end of normal. S/d ratio about 3.9, doesn't mean a whole lot to me but gives me a number so I know what they are comparing it against next time. Baby is very active, and I feel fine apart from a headache (been checked, BP is still perfect, no puffiness etc). I have had headaches almost daily since about 13 weeks.

So the dr on duty today wanted me to stay overnight, but the consultant said baby is not in danger today and that I can go and come back tomorrow to see my normal dr. Feeling like we are on a very specific path, I have no chance of vaginal birth at this stage, as baby is still frank breech and is highly unlikely to turn with such low fluid. They won't do an ECV, and honestly, I don't want to take the risk. I had my heart set on vaginal birth but I know that it's not even a distant chance unless everything suddenly comes right, baby turns etc.

Will update again tomorrow after I see the dr again! Baby really only needs to stay in another 2 weeks or so, encouraging it to hang in there! And I have just booked tickets to the midnight screening of Twilight on Wednesday night, so hopefully I don't get out in hospital and have to waste the tickets :P

Oh thats good news frog, at least your little one is still growing and doing ok. ( To compare weight, I had a scan yesterday, at 32 wks, and mine was around 2kg so similar weight).

Don't beat yourself up about the vaginal birth, a baby with low fluid will go into distress easily in labour as there is no 'buffer' of fluid around the cord to stop it getting compressed ( which makes baby's heart rate drop) so it would be dangerous to attempt a labour, and no doctor in the world would let you do a breech birth or an ECV in those circumstances!! I know it is hard when the option is taken out of your hands but you have to do what will be best for both of you and it doesn't mean you have to have caesear next time.

I have seen heaps of babies born at 33 wks onwards and do beautifully, esp at a good weight like yours so hopefully your little one will get a chance to stay in for longer but even if not, I think things will be fine. I'm glad you are getting good monitoring too. You have done so well getting through this stress, hope you get to see Twilight!!

Hi frog

The SD ratio was the reason my DD was born early. One week it was 3 then the following week it was 6.2! I was admitted that day with steroids started and she was born 2 days after the scan by a c section. I was advised that if I wanted to attempt an induction I could buy not to expect a good outcome. Obviously I opted not to stress her out anymore than she already was.

Hope your appt goes well.

Oh forgot to mention, my BP was perfect all the way through my pregnancy..

Just went back through my u/s reports to check my SD ratio to see if it helps you.

22w: 5.3
25w: 3.6
27w: 5.7
28w: 4.4
29w: 5.9
31w: 4.7
32w: 5.2
33w: 6.9
And DD was born shortly after. :)

ETA: I had oligohydramnios, too. When you say your fluid is 3.2cm, is that the Index or Deepest Pool?

Thanks ladies, that really helps to have something to compare to! I wasn't sure whether it was a small change that they are looking for or a big one, so it looks like it has room to almost double, all other factors aside. Last week it was 2.9.

3.2cm is amniotic fluid index, I wish it was deepest pocket! It is dropping fairly quickly, and I have been keeping really well hydrated too, whether it is making a difference or not I don't know, if I wasn't drinking so much water it might be lower, who knows...

You sound like your doing a great job trying to do your best for your baby

I hope everything goes well for you and baby your at a pretty good stage now that if baby has to come early should cope quite well :)

How exciting you will get to meet baby soon

I had to see a different dr today, and he ended up going and seeing my normal dr for advice anyway! This dr explained to us that there are different factors in the decision to induce, amniotic fluid index, baby's movements (as reported by me and as seem on ultrasound), something to do with its limbs (movement?), the Doppler results on blood flow in the umbilical cord, brain, heart and liver, the estimated weight and gestational age. Baby is measuring a week behind (which is neither here nor there at this stage, I know when baby was conceived down to date, time and how the weather was that day :P) but weight is at the 50th percentile, which the dr is very happy with. He told us again that they can't figure out why this is happening, I have no risk factors and the usual explanations (ruptured membranes, malnutrition etc) don't apply. By the sounds of it, once the fluid gets lower, baby will start to show other signs of distress, which contribute to the scoring they give to those factors, and their decision to deliver. This dr though said that if baby turns, I may still be able to have a vaginal birth, but I got the impression that it is still highly unlikely due to risk of cord compression...

So back again Friday for CTG, Monday for ultrasound (dopplers and AFI). We will have fortnightly growth scans. He said to make it to 34 weeks will be helpful, 36/37 weeks would be best case scenario. I'm becoming part of the scenery at the hospital! Oh, and my baby shower is on the 9th Dec, so I'll be 37 weeks... At this stage it looks like baby will be guest of honour at its own shower!

It feels a bit unreal that at any time now we might have to deliver, I thought I was ready but now I feel I'm not... There is so much to be done around the house, and I just have no energy, and keep getting dizzy. I think I'll just make it presentable and be done with it. People shouldn't be judging me on my house given the circumstances, and its not like its dirty or unclean, just a bit disorganised!

I have had this for all four bubs. The drs always freak me out. But guess what it's just normal for me. Babes are about 3-3.5kgs and born vaginally healthy and happy around 38 weeks. Good luck Hun!

Hopefully you can go a few more weeks :)

DD was IUGR but no one could tell me why the SD ratio was doing what it was doing. They sent it away after birth but no reason to be found unfortunately.

Bit of an update- had growth scan yesterday and saw the dr today to review results. Baby has only gained estimated 250g in 2 weeks, and head and abdo circumference have remained about the same. Femur length is spot on for dates...

Cord pressure was about the same, high 3's, however it should be decreasing at this stage of pregnancy (35 weeks), so staying the same is not a good thing, we are well above the 95th percentile now for the pressure.

Baby is moving around happily, no decels and while we have days where movement is decreased, we go and get monitored and it is all good, baby just has some quiet times!

Baby is still frank breech, and AFI was up to 10.8cm this time. I have been eating like I've never eaten before and have gained a couple of kilos in the last 2-3 weeks, so I don't know whether that has helped with the fluid. I didn't find that drinking lots helped, I just had to get up every 2 hours to go to the toilet! The fluid didn't increase until I went back to drinking like normal...

So the dr decided today that it is time to book me in for delivery, and no sooner than he said that, he called admissions and set the date. Baby will be delivered on 6th December, booked in for 10am. I'll be 36+6, he would have preferred to do it a day later but being a Friday, they didn't seem keen on doing it right before the weekend, maybe lower staff numbers on weekends? He didn't want to leave it any later either because baby just isn't growing well anymore.

Apparently I'll be in hospital 4-5 days, which means I'll miss my baby shower! I have left that with mum to sort because we don't want to tell people that we are booked in, we want to wait until we are ready for visitors before we announce it to anyone other than immediate family. Otherwise people will be there beating down the door on Thursday afternoon to visit, which will annoy me! We have already had a few nosy colleagues (people we don't even socialise with outside of work) contact us to see what's going on because my partner had to come home from work to take me to hospital the other night... I woke up to missed calls, texts and FB messages from nosy parkers. While I appreciate that they are concerned, do they think they should know anything before family does? I just find it rude that people feel they have the right to intrude on pregnancy like that, they wouldn't do it for any other type of illness or surgery (asking for details, 'have you had the baby yet', etc), but to me, pregnancy is a personal journey and you share the parts that you are willing to, by offering them, not because it is asked of you...

Anyway, could rant on for ages, but this is long enough as it is!

Awesome news about getting to 36+6! Close enough to term :-)

Did they say anything about SCN for baby after birth? Hope you guys dodge that!

Best wishes for your delivery. Hoping everything goes smoothly for you and baby.

Looking forward to seeing your announcement xx

Thanks purplepixie :) I asked the dr about SCN and he said that baby should be ok and not need to go there, but to be prepared for that just in case. I feel much more positive about that knowing that it isn't really any more likely to need to go there than other babies born at this stage, and we have been shown the SCN so that we are familiar with it. I can sleep in there with baby if I want to as well once I have recovered a bit (unless it is in high dependency or intensive care). I have also been expressing colostrum unde the midwives instruction and have a nice stockpile, so baby won't need any supp feeds.

I'm just excited now, which is helping to reassure my partner too, when I worry he worries too so I'm glad to see that he feels better about it all. Funny to think that this weekend will be our last weekend as 2 instead of 3!

Oh that's a good thing that SCN probably won't be needed.

Best of luck. Xx

Good luck. 6 December is the best birthdate :) And it's almost full term. You've done really well to get this far.

Hope all went well, Frog.

Let us know how you went.

I hope your enjoying newborn.snuggles xx

Thanks PP, all went very well, Ava Susan was born at 11:09am by c section. She weighed 6lb 4oz, 48cm long and 34cm head circumference. Apgars were 8 & 10, so we could hold her straight away and she came with me to recovery and fed like a little star! We have had lots of mucousy spit ups during the night (which is why I'm awake now!) and she hasn't really been hungry, but after seeing the amount of mucous that is coming up, I'm not surprised!

She has been so spoilt by her nannas already, and her daddy is just enthralled by her. I couldn't be happier!

Thanks for your well wishes and for checking up on us, we couldn't have possibly hoped for a better outcome, and we feel so truly blessed that she arrived so healthy (and gorgeous, if I do say so myself!) :)

Congratulations of the safe and happy arrival of your DD :-)

Congratulations on miss Ava Susan ... Well done, Mummy :-) xx

Congratulations and I am glad everything went well, enjoy your little Ava xo

Congratulations!! Been thinking of you!

Congratulations frog, I'm in hospital at the moment with threatened pre term labour and my baby shower is meant to be the 9th as well. There must be a no baby shower rule on that day haha!

Enjoy your newborn cuddles!!! Xxx

Thanks ladies!

Amy, that sucks about your baby shower! Hope they get you sorted so you can still go, and more importantly, so you can bake your bubba a bit longer! Maybe we jinxed ourselves by choosing that date! Will be thinking of you, hope your hospital stay is short :)