A high-risk pregnancy or pregnancy with complications like fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) can be stressful, and it’s important to give yourself sufficient time to recover after delivery.
This stress can include an emotional toll that may look like uncertainty, anxiety and even powerlessness or fear. If you are recovering from a medically complex pregnancy, consider taking time to reach out to your support network and prioritize your healing, both physically and emotionally.
What is FNAIT?
Fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) is a rare but serious condition that affects 0.1% of pregnancies in which a pregnant mother’s immune system produces antibodies against the platelets of her fetus. This occurs when a fetus inherits platelet antigens from the father that are not compatible with the mother, typically involving a protein called human platelet antigen (HPA). The mother’s immune system recognizes the fetal platelets as foreign, attacking and destroying them, leading to low platelet levels (thrombocytopenia) in the fetus or newborn.
FNAIT’s effect on mental health
A medically complex pregnancy can create anxiety in many areas, some of which may be unexpected. If your child was diagnosed with FNAIT, you may have experienced some of the following:
- Having to quickly come to terms with a medical condition you were unfamiliar with.
- Feeling guilty that you may have somehow caused or contributed to this condition, even though you haven’t.
- Feeling helpless and unable to ensure a positive outcome, causing feelings of frustration or anger.
- Making difficult medical decisions.
- Having intrusive thoughts that explore worst-case scenarios.
- Coping with a state of constant anxiety.
- Undergoing medical procedures and close monitoring throughout your pregnancy.
Learn more about FNAIT resources and helpful links
Asking for help
Postnatal treatment of your newborn with FNAIT will likely include spending time in the NICU. You will want to be present during this time, but try to be proactive about sharing the load of hospital visits with your partner and immediate family. Once you and your baby are discharged, you will create a new routine and settle into life at home. Don’t be afraid to ask for help during this time, especially from those closest to you.
When you’re home and no longer living in a state of hyper-vigilance, you may want to carve out some time to reflect on your experience and process your emotional response. You might even find it helpful to speak to a professional postnatal counselor or therapist who is experienced in supporting the emotional recovery of postpartum women from pregnancy complications, traumatic births or postpartum depression.
Prioritizing self-care
When you are out of the hospital and no longer in a state of stress, you may find that you have trouble sleeping, your mood is low, you worry too much, or have trouble concentrating or relaxing. Caring for your mental health and emotional well-being includes defining your own self-care strategy.
In addition to good nutrition, quality sleep and regular low-impact physical activity, do things that bring you joy and that you might not have done during your high-risk pregnancy. Consider taking some time to enjoy some hobbies you may not have been able to do during your pregnancy or eat foods you haven’t had since before you were pregnant.
Be sure to prioritize yourself and your family during this time, and try not to neglect your own needs–most other things can wait until you and your baby have had a chance to bond and recover.
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