The Only Way Is Out...!

I thought it was about time for a long overdue update. Everything had been going great with the pregnancy up until the 32 week mark. I went for a routine scan and the babies were measuring very large for dates. Twin 1 was estimating the size of a 34 weeker and Twin 2 around 35 weeks. The question of gestational diabetes and high blood sugars was raised again so I was booked in 2 days later for the long curve glucose tolerance test. After a few days wait for results I was called back to the hospital where they said one of my results was a little high. While it wasn't indicative of GD they decided I needed a closer eye kept on my blood sugars and was sent away with a blood sugar monitor to test before and after each meal.

I thought that was enough to cope with until I started itching like crazy! At the back of my mind was obstetric cholestasis an uncommon condition in pregnancy affecting the liver. I went to see my private doctor for tests and sure enough they came back confirming OC. This is not a condition to be taken lightly as it has risk factors to both mother and baby:

http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Obstetric-Cholestasis.htm

My doctor wrote a recommendation to the consultant at the hospital for close monitoring and an earlier delivery, preferably before 37 weeks, and I was put onto medication.

So, just as I was getting over the shock of that one, I went to a routine midwife appointment where my blood pressure was measuring 150/100 and was sent in to the hospital for monitoring. I spent 3 hours strapped up with a trace put on both babies and had blood and urine samples analysed, looking for the onset of pre-eclampsia. After the blood results came back favourable and my blood pressure was showing to be within limits I was allowed to go home on rest and given a large container to do a 24 hour urine sample in. Not the easiest thing to do when you are very heavily pregnant with twins! My bump is currently measuring 46 weeks pregnant so even finding the toilet is getting harder without having to collect wee into a container as well!

I went back in to the hospital this morning at 35+3 for a scan and some more monitoring and to have further analysis done on the wee sample. Both babies were fine on the scan with steady growth. Twin 1 is estimating 5lb 11oz and Twin 2 6lb 6oz. They were both very active. Unfortunately Twin 1 has now turned from transverse to bottom first so there is no way to consider a natural delivery anymore. After I had monitoring for half an hour to check the babies weren't stressed and my blood pressure was right back down to 130/70, the consultant came back with my consent forms for a C-section and a choice of dates for us. I'm gutted that I won't be able to deliver these two naturally, but I believe everything happens for a reason and perhaps it is because a CS is the safest method for them.

So, the date we'll be meeting our babies is Wednesday, 9th February 2011!!!