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Future pregnancies in women with Peripartum Cardiomyopathy is a controversial subject. Some research shows that future pregnancies, in women who have had complete recovery of PPCM within 6 months of diagnosis , can be tolerated without reoccurance of PPCM. Other studies show that women with PPCM, recovered or not, should avoid future pregnancies due to the high risk of reoccurance and death. The bottom line is that it is the decision of the woman and her family. Whatever the decision may be, it is a very emotional topic. On this page, women can express their decisions, concerns, or opinions. To submit your view click here. To read more research about PPCM and pregnancy by Karen Sundfors, PPCM member, click here.
Kim Sebastian- When I was diagnosed I think the hardest thing to deal with was not that I was in heart failure but that I couldn't have anymore children. It was the second thing out of my doctors mouth after telling me I was in heart failure. My husband and I are still very young. We've been together for 6 yrs and married for a year and a half. We were parents in our teens. Our oldest daughter just turned 5. I discovered I was pregnant a second time shortly after coming home from our honeymoon. It certainly wasn't planned, but we were excited and anticipating an addition to our new family. My doctors highly suggested that when I was physically able, I should have a tubal ligation. I waited 6 months until my EF had improved more than 10%. It was a hard thing to deal with, but I knew that I had to have it done. The risk of dying with a future pregnancy was not worth leaving behind the two beautiful girls and husband that I already have. I made it through the surgery without complications and recovered fully in a week. I am very thankful for the children I do have and I enjoy every moment of their lives.
Karen Sundfors-
When I found out I was pregnant with twins, I started thinking
that two children just might be enough for us. However, my pregnancy
ended up being very difficult (5 weeks of bedrest, preterm labor),
and I ended up with an emergency C-Section and two three-pound
preemies in the hospital for 23 days. In the middle of this came
the PPCM diagnosis.
Six months later, when my repeat echo showed I was recovering,
I started
to wish I could have another child. I really wanted to experience
a "normal" pregnancy and experience the joy of holding
my baby right after delivery, breastfeeding, etc... Although I
felt overwhelmed by the needs of two babies, I was surprised at
how strong this wish for another baby was. I also was angry that
part of the choice of whether to have more children had been taken
from me. My cardiologist believes it is not worth the risk. Still,
I've done enough research on PPCM to be sufficiently scared to
try another pregnancy. Plus, although my heart size and ejection
fraction are considered fully recovered, I know my heart is not
the same as it was before the pregnancy. As I watch my daughters
grow, I also know they need a mom a lot more than I need to gamble
with my heart and my life. It's a slow process. Most of the time,
I'm at peace with the idea that I'm not meant to have more children.
Amy Gilbert- I was only 22 years old when I was diagnosed with post partum cardiomyopathy. I was shocked that I could no longer do the things a normal 22 year old woman could do. But what shocked me more was that I was told that I could have no more children. I had always dreamed of having 2. I was crushed when the doctor told me that I should have a tubal as soon as I could be stable enough for surgery. I had remained unstable with a very low Ef along with multiple hospital visits for the next 2 years. During these 2 years everytime I went to a baby store I was hurting inside. After a long conversation with my husband and a lot of thought I came to the conclusion that I should have the tubal. I believed and I still do that it wasn't worth leaving my husband and my brand new daughter along with another child. I am much happier for this decission.
Joy Fulgham-Well
after the crisis situation was over... actually the night I went
home from the hospital, I had been in the hospital over a month...
and incredibly infertile up to this point, I got pregnant. I only
have two cycles a year so when I started taking birth control
pill and never had a cycle nobody realized we had slammed the
barn door shut a week too late. We just figured
that it was in response to the stress. Well we finally figured
out that I was pregnant at 18 weeks.. the strain begins at 22
weeks. My OB/Gyn turned pale as he told me. We are both Christians
and after my pregnancy from hell and had not recovered from my
PPCM and CHF Crisis he knew what this meant.
There was no way that I could survive long enough to give my third
son Arick
a chance at life. He Sent me to the University med. school clinic
where he had gone to see the high risk OB team as well as the
CHF team. They along with my personal physician and the transplant
center where I had been evaluated at told me the same thing. "
you might as well jump out of a 20 story building as continue
this pregnancy." My EF had been less than 15% by MUGA Scan
during my hospitalization and at that point an echo (which is
less accurate than a MUGA) showed only a 25% EF. Basically My
child had no chance at all. I would never be able to carry him
long enough for him to survive and my only chance was to abort.
I was devastated. I had strong convictions against abortion but
had never quite decided what my conviction was in that circumstance
and here we were forced in to that decision. I had twin 13 mo..
old babies at home who needed me. Since our son Arick would die
either
way... I was an ashen gray and my heart was skipping beats constantly...
we
decided to allow them to take him. We buried him next to his sister
Icia Anna who had been born severely premature in 1988 and died
after only 3 hours (this was 1993). We also bought our own plots
there. I would love to have another child. Short of a surrogate
or adoption I don't see that happening so I pour myself into the
beautiful boys I was bless with and try not to dwell on who was
lost. It is hard. The depression that followed Arick's loss caused
me to gain well over 100 pounds. I am still here and recently
had a Gastric by pass to help me lose the 155 pounds that was
further aggravating the situation. So far I have lost 50% of my
excess weight and am much more active. It is good to be alive.
Though one day I questioned whether I would ever see my twins
in enter kindergarten now I feel there may be a chance for a granddaughter
some day. It is frustrating to have your sense of control taken
away from you but I am pushing 40 now and it does get easier to
become resigned to the fact that I will have no more biological
children. Maybe some day we can adopt internationally. Who knows?
God does and his is in charge and everything will work out the
way He has planned.
Robin Putney- I was diagonised with Cardiomypathy when I was 25 years old. It was during the pregancey of my daughter. It was a very difficult time dealing with it because at the same time my daughter had a hole in her heart at time of delivery. I thought every thing was going to be alright because we both made it through deliverey and then they told us that Ashley had a hole in her heart. She turned out alright but it was a rocky first year, she was sick a lot. Plus after she was born the doctor told us that we couldn't have anymore kids. It was hard to deal with at first. But then i started think about it, God gave us two pretty much healthy kids and they needed a mother and a father. I didn't want to risk it. It is a hard decision to make, especially if you are still young. But I still feal that I made the right one. I don't regret it at all. Every women has the right to their own choice, but I know I made the right one for me. Don't feel bad about any choice you make.
Zora Fernandez-When I was diagnosed with PPCM at 2 1/2 months post-partum with my second baby, the first thing the doctor said was what I had and the second was " Do not have anymore children.". My husband and I were deeply saddened. We had two beautiful, healthy girls and had basically already decided before we had ever heard of PPCM that we wanted to have just 2 children. It was still very difficult and painful to be told not to have anymore if we wanted the best chances for me to be around to raise the ones we already had. We really felt like our choices had been taken away from us. My husband had a vasectomy 1 month later. We decided that with all that my body had been through this was the best choice for us. We are truly blessed to have our two girls and cherish all of the time we have with them.They are my inspiration to take the best possible care of myself .
