Home Birth and Blood Thinners
I was recently diagnosed with a blood clot in my right lung. I'm 16 weeks pregnant and taking Lovenox (blood thinner) injections.
I'm still wanting a natural birth, I've had 2 previous home births. But the only options I've currently heard about are an induction (so they can time when i've had my last injection and when I'll give birth so to avoid hemorrhaging.) and a c-section - which seems really backwards if they don't want me to have clots or hemorrhage.
So far I've talked to one other mom in the UK who had a home birth even though she was on blood thinners during her pregnancy to prevent clots.
She mentioned to the ob she was seeing, her worries about any risks (hemorrhaging) and he told her that everything would be fine and there wouldn't be any risk other than what could normally happen during birth.
But when she brought up home birth, he changed his tone and said she could die from a hemorrhage.
She had her home birth anyway, and everything went fine.
My plan for now is to stop my blood thinners a week or two in advance and have a home birth, then continue the blood thinners for the required 6 weeks post partum
Any other home birth moms out there in my situation?
I'm still wanting a natural birth, I've had 2 previous home births. But the only options I've currently heard about are an induction (so they can time when i've had my last injection and when I'll give birth so to avoid hemorrhaging.) and a c-section - which seems really backwards if they don't want me to have clots or hemorrhage.
So far I've talked to one other mom in the UK who had a home birth even though she was on blood thinners during her pregnancy to prevent clots.
She mentioned to the ob she was seeing, her worries about any risks (hemorrhaging) and he told her that everything would be fine and there wouldn't be any risk other than what could normally happen during birth.
But when she brought up home birth, he changed his tone and said she could die from a hemorrhage.
She had her home birth anyway, and everything went fine.
My plan for now is to stop my blood thinners a week or two in advance and have a home birth, then continue the blood thinners for the required 6 weeks post partum
Any other home birth moms out there in my situation?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Janelle Green on -
Michael -
I am not planning a home birth but have similar concerns to yours. Am also on Lovenox due to a history of blood clots before pregnancy. I am receiving collaborative care from midwives and a perinatologist who plans to switch me to heparin later on in my pregnancy due to its shorter half-life. According to my MD, I will be able to await spontaneous labor on the heparin injections and then stop them once labor begins, rather than have a planned induction. My midwives have informed me that they would like to have IV access and administer pitocin after my placenta delivers in order to prevent hemorrhage. I know this isn't a home birth plan, but thought you might like to hear about other options besides induction or c/s. Good luck!
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Permalink Reply by Michael R. on -
Yes! Thank you. Just the fact that some MD other than the maternal fetal medicine doc says that women can wait for spontaneous labor. =)
It's very encouraging. I don't have many options to change doctors.. but I plan on sticking with my homebirth midwife as long as things are safe with me and baby. ie no other problems arise.
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