Lupus and Birth
Question: I have a lupus and I an considered high risk. I had a completely healthy first pregnancy except for a few preterm labor scares, but I never tested that I was going to deliver within the next two weeks. Anyways I ended up having a c-section due to the doctor leaving the hospital when I was ready to push and them giving me medicine to stop contractions. I want my next pregnancy to be natural and I want a vaginal birth. Do you think that this is possible for me? My previous doctor told me I had to be induced due to lupus and not wanting my placenta to rupture prematurely. I really want a natural birth.
From Bridget
A: Dear Bridget,
If you are aware of the potential risks to VBAC with lupus, and considering that your first pregnancy was healthy, it would seem that treating you as an individual rather than a high risk time bomb waiting to go off and developing a relationship with a provider willing to monitor the situation with an open yet cautious mind is essential. I can’t see how induction would be a remedy for placental abruption in any case, and of course it presents additional risks in VBAC births. Consulting more than one obstetrical provider could give you a better feel for what your local options may be. I wish you all the best.
Eden G. Fromberg, DO, FACOOG, DABHM
SOHO OB/GYN
430 West Broadway #2A
New York, NY 10012
(212) 941-0011
fax (212)941-5977
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