PREGNANCY-BIRTH Messages for August, 2002: Re: (no subject)

Re: (no subject)

From: William F. von Almen, II, MD, FACOG

anonymous@obgyn.net

Sun, 18 Aug 2002 17:36:46 -0500 (CDT)

I am so sorry for your loss. This circumstance certainly sounds like some kind of viral sequalae, maybe one you will never find. Be sure to check for parvovirus titers. It could also be some kind of antibody incompatibility, not just rh, possibly kelly or duffy or one of the other rh loci. I know none of this discovery can bring your daughter back, but understanding the confusion can help us all through it. Please write back if I can be of further assistance.

At Sun, 18 Aug 2002, Margaret wrote: >
>My husband and I recently (July 1) delivered a baby girl in an
>emergency c-section at 34 1/2 weeks after I had become concerned that
>I wasn't feeling enough fetal movement--confirmed by my ob/gyn who
>found the baby's heart rate to be 90. When she was delivered she had
>lost her heart beat and was revived after 3 minutes. At delivery she
>had a hematocrit level of 6. Sadly our baby died a day and a half
>later. She was over six pounds (before being transfused) and
>approximately 19 1/2" long. Initially our doctors thought I had had a
>placental abruption, but have ruled that diagnosis out for various
>reasons, including no fetal blood detected in my blood or in the
>amniotic fluid, no clear rupture site in my placenta aside from a 1
>cm clot. Most common viral and bacterial causes of death have been
>ruled out, such as parvo virus, cytomegalo virus, toxoplasmosis
>bacteria, syphilis. The initial autopsy report has shown that our
>baby had an enlarged liver with much fatty tissue--a sign, we're
>told, of chronic anaemia--and a-cellular bone marrow.
>
>This was my first pregnancy at 35 years of age. I am a healthy woman
>and I had a (seemingly) healthy pregnancy. I exercised regularly
>(walking and prenatal yoga) and ate a 2000 calorie/day, high-protein
>diet. I had gained approx. 40 pounds at 34 weeks. I had an
>amniocentesis at 20 weeks and all reports came back normal.
>Ultrasounds were all normal during the pregnancy as were all other
>standard tests. Heart rate at each visit was normal. I am mildly
>(considered sub-clinical) hypothryroid for which I am been treated

-- William F. von Almen, II, MD, FACOG Chairman, Editorial Advisory Board Pregnancy and Birth Section Private Practice New Orleans, La.

*Please understand I can not respond to private emails.

*These comments are for educational purposes only. They are not meant to take the place of an examination by a qualified health care provider. They are not intended to be the start of a physician-patient relationship.

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