high risk pregnancy

Photo by ButtrflyTattoo

All moms-to-be share a common hope -- the desire for a healthy baby. Having a pregnancy that's been deemed "high risk" may add a little uncertainty to things (although many, many women go on to deliver babies that are just fine), which is why it's so wonderful to get support and encouragement from other pregnant moms in a similar situation. You can connect with them in High-Risk Pregnancies and Moms Who Have or Had a High-Risk Pregnancy. I spoke with lovemykids72704, group owner of the latter, about why she started the group and what moms are talking about. She shared some very personal, moving details.

Tell me a little about why you started the group.

I started this group because I had two high-risk pregnancies and was very lonely and could have used the support of other women who were going through similar experiences.

Are you pregnant now?

I'm not currently pregnant but would like to try for number three when the time is right. Both of my pregnancies were high-risk. With my first, I got an intrauterine infection that exposed the placenta and the baby -- I went into preterm labor at 25 weeks and the baby girl (her name was Heather) was stillborn. We don't know how I got the infection and why I didn't show any signs of an infection until it was too late.

With my son it was different. I had preeclampsia and was on bed rest for five months of my pregnancy due to contractions, but everything turned out fine in the end despite the bumps in the road.

What would you say are the most common reasons moms in the group are considered high-risk?

Most women are considered high-risk if they've had a high-risk pregnancy previously -- and there are many reasons a pregnancy can become high-risk, including a blood clotting disorder, incompetent cervix, diabetes, and preeclampsia.

What are the most common concerns of the moms in the group?

The main concern is to have a healthy baby, of course! However, a lot of them just want to be understood and to find the reasons and causes for their situation. They also want advice from other mothers -- companionship and support, which is what the group gives.

Do moms typically report back after the birth to let others know how things turned out?

Some mothers do report back -- you can make life-long friends in this group and we love to know how everything went.

Anything else you'd like moms to know?

I guess I'd like other moms to know that you are not alone. There is someone in this group that has -- or had -- the same issues that you might have. It helps to talk about them. I felt considerable loneliness when going through my pregnancies and would have loved to have had this group then. Pregnancy is not always an easy thing!