Having a birth plan in place as a first-time parent is important to bring yourself a sense of peace while entering this new phase, especially if your infant is at risk of a rare disease such as fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT).
Most expectant parents desire a positive birthing experience, whether that be at home, a birthing center or a hospital.
In 2018, my birth plan for my first delivery was simple: to have an epidural and a healthy baby delivered in a hospital!
During delivery with my first baby, things intensified after pushing for two hours, which resulted in an episiotomy and the OBGYN using a ventouse, or vacuum cup, to keep my baby safe. Only minutes after delivery, my daughter was rushed to the NICU to scan her head for a potential hematoma and to also receive a platelet transfusion. Thankfully, there was no hematoma and her platelet transfusion miraculously worked, bringing her platelet levels up.
It wouldn’t be until two years later, when I received my FNAIT diagnosis, that my questions surrounding this birth experience were finally answered.
Learn more about FNAIT causes and risk factors
Choosing a C-section despite my original birth plan
In 2020, while pregnant with my second, my FNAIT diagnosis not only brought about drastic changes to my pregnancy but also my birth plan. My high-risk OBGYN advised me that a cesarean would be the safest option to keep my son safe. This was another hard reality to accept, along with my FNAIT diagnosis and the daily prednisone, weekly IVIG infusions and a worldwide pandemic.
C-sections are usually recommended for mothers who have been diagnosed with FNAIT. I am not a doctor, but I knew that from the trauma I experienced from my first delivery, that this was not something that I wanted to go through again. My daughter barely survived the vaginal birth, and unfortunately, some FNAIT infants do not make it during birth or shortly after. I knew that this recommendation from my doctor was meant to keep both me and my second baby safe.
Although a C-section was not what I had wanted, I knew it was the right decision. After the date and time was set for surgery, I did experience a lot of anxiety around this procedure. I knew it was an intense abdominal surgery that would come with a painful recovery. Most of my anxiety came from hoping that my IVIG infusions really did work and that my son would be delivered safely, unlike my daughter two years previously. My husband and I were blessed that the c-section went smoothly and my son was born perfectly healthy with no cause of concern for a hematoma andnormal platelet levels.
I am so happy I chose to do the C-section like my doctor asked! I am also happy that I was given the option and presented with the upsides and downsides of both types of deliveries while also having FNAIT. At the end of the day, I only wanted my baby to be healthy and happy, no matter what kind of delivery that meant.
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