'I trusted my doctor when I had preeclampsia during my twin pregnancy'

Getting pregnant will never be easy. Soon-to-be mums become more and more uncomfortable as the fetus in their tummy keeps growing. However, no one could ever deny that the nine-month pregnancy journey can be more difficult when you experience complications. There are a few severe complications of pregnancy, one of which includes preeclampsia.

If you're ever diagnosed with preeclampsia in a twin pregnancy, you'll probably break into a panic. Fortunately, a certain mum who experienced this case found a way to deliver her twins safely.

The mum posted on Reddit and shared how her preeclampsia journey occurred during the last days of her pregnancy. She is a living testimony that it is best to trust your medical providers when you experience pregnancy complications.

A mum who had preeclampsia in twin pregnancy

A few days before the mum gave birth to her lovely twins, she found out she had preeclampsia. Her medical providers quickly responded and immediately decided to admit her to monitor her condition.

Preeclampsia is a complication of pregnancy. Pregnant women with preeclampsia might have high blood pressure. They might also have high protein levels in the urine that indicate kidney damage or other signs of organ damage.

Unfortunately, they noticed more symptoms of preeclampsia the next day. Because of that, they decided to return to the hospital to receive proper care and medication.

Getting ready for delivery

The woman experienced rapid changes in her condition. While preparing to give birth, she was diagnosed with severe preeclampsia. She was given more medication and induced with Pitocin. The doctor agreed to perform a vaginal delivery even though one baby had her head down while the other was in breech position.

“Please trust your medical team”

The mum was grateful that she trusted her medical team. For her, it was the best decision that saved her and her babies.

According to her, “The girls and I were stable and I had a successful vaginal delivery with an amazing doctor and medical staff!”

The first baby came out in just two pushes. Afterwards, the doctor quickly reached in to break the sack and pull out the second baby by the feet.

It was a quick delivery for them; the birth interval of the two babies was just four minutes, and the mum was hardly torn with two tiny stitches required.

“We were able to have an hour alone with the girls despite [them] being early because they’re rockstars,” said the mother, who was just 35 weeks and five days pregnant.

Overcoming her preeclampsia in twin pregnancy

The mum was more than grateful that her girls were "getting gold stars all over” despite being born in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU).

After no more than a week, the woman was off her medications. She felt great to be discharged and expected that her babies would 'graduate' from NICU in the following days.

“I went from being totally healthy to severe preeclampsia very quickly,” she said. “I trusted my medical team, and we came out the other end with the best-case scenario, and everyone is doing great.”

Things you should know about preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is one of the more serious complications women could experience during pregnancy.

It commonly occurs after 20 weeks of pregnancy in women whose blood pressure was previously in the standard range. When the condition is left untreated, it could lead to severe and even fatal complications for both the mother and the baby.

Doctors usually recommend the delivery of the baby. However, the delivery timing depends on how severe the preeclampsia is and the current duration of the pregnancy.

Prior to the delivery, there is a specific treatment the pregnant woman must do to manage complications. It includes careful monitoring and medications to lower blood pressure.

Symptoms of preeclampsia

The first signs of preeclampsia are often detected during routine prenatal visits with health care providers. Along with high blood pressure, signs and symptoms include the following:

• Excess protein in the urine (proteinuria) or other signs of kidney problems
• Decreased levels of platelets in the blood (thrombocytopenia)
• Increased liver enzymes that indicate liver problems
• Changes in sight such as temporary loss of vision, blurred view or light sensitivity
• Pain in the upper belly, usually under the ribs on the right side
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fluid in lungs resulting in shortness of breath
• Severe headaches or migraines

This article was first published in theAsianparent.

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