Pregnancy and Pacemaker

Hi all,

I'm back I'm still not too happy with my little metal heart babysitter and I have a horrible scar even after using vitamin e and mederma... big nasty keloids on my bust wonderful. But at least my spirts are up. Its my 25th birthday today and I'm feeling great!

Anyhoo, my partner and I are considering having a child. Does anyone know of any good resources for women with pacemakers and conception/pregnancy. With my problem my gyno does not think that I will have any problems if I do concieve especially because the pacemaker has completely eliminated my fainting spells but I'm still curious.

Anyway, If anyone has had children with a pacemaker if you could share your stories or any resources you have I'd really really appreciate it.

Thanks so much!

6 Comments

Happy Birthday!

by scadnama - 2008-12-02 07:12:04

I know nothing about pacemakers and pregnancy. I just wanted to wish you a very happy birthday. I am 24, and am also curious about your question.
Glad you are feeling better!

Amanda <><

Happy b-day!!

by jennyb - 2008-12-02 08:12:19

just wanted to say make sure you talk to TraceyE on here, she has the best information!!

no problem!!!!

by Tracey_E - 2008-12-02 09:12:47

I had two babies after I got my pacemaker! There's no way I could have handled pregnancy without it. My cardio didn't have any other patients my age and my ob had never had a mom-to-be with a pm so it was a first for all of us. I didn't find any resources at all, but my oldest is will be 12 tomorrow so that was pre-internet and the options were more limited.

It will have absolutely no effect on your ability to conceive, it's totally unrelated to your reproductive system. If the pm has eliminated your symptoms, odds are good you won't even be considered high risk but that's up to your doctors. My ob and cardio had a chat early in my first pregnancy, the cardio assured the ob that I was perfectly healthy as far as he was concerned and I was not referred to a high risk specialist. I was even cleared for exercise and did a prenatal aerobics class right up until the week I delivered.

My pregnancies were normal but they kept a little closer eye on me when I delivered
-they put me on a heart monitor when I delivered just to make sure my heart wasn't getting overly stressed.
-they said they would not let me have a long and drawn out labor, that if I showed any signs of distress they would immediately do a c-section. Both labors were just fine, it didn't come to that!
-I had prophylactic antibiotics in my iv in the hospital

There are two schools of thought on epidurals. There are a few other ladies here who had babies with pm's and were told to do epidurals because it reduces the mother's stress and would be easier on her, and therefore, her heart.

I looked at the list of possible side effects- slower labor, lowered bp and hr- and decided I wasn't taking a chance so I chose to deliver without it. I'm one of those people who can take a drug with 10 possible side effects and I'll get 9 of them, that tends to make me overly cautious about taking anything stronger than an aspirin! That was 12 yrs ago and the cocktail they use now has probably changed so I have no idea about how it is now. When it's time, discuss it with the anesthesiologist and decide what's right for you.

Good luck!!!! If your fainting has gone away, there's no reason why having a pm should have any impact on your decision to have a baby. If you have any other questions or want to chat, just let me know!

Yay thank you!

by Megherbst - 2008-12-03 05:12:52

Thank you so much! Your comment made me feel so much better. I don't think my cardio and gyn will label me high risk either and said I will be better off with a PM and concieving b/c otherwise I'd probably be fainting all over the place. I too have crazy reactions to all sorts of drugs...(short side story: when I got my PM they gave me versed to sedate me and instead it made me extremeley agitated and more aware... miserable experience to say the least they had to basically hold me down) Anyhoo I was thinking I might have to have an epidural even though I don't want one at all but maybe now there is a possibility I won't! Yay. Thank you so much for the information. We just started our first cycle of trying to concieve and won't know till this weekend if it took. I'm now looking forward to it with a little less worry about my silly heart and its temper tantrums.

Thanks again,
Herbst

epidurals

by Tracey_E - 2008-12-04 07:12:15

I can see them recommending it but I can't imagine anyone telling you you'd have to have it, esp since your fainting is under control now. My doctors left it entirely up to me. It was available if I changed my mind and wanted it, no one pressured me when I said no thanks. After your reaction to versed, I'd be cautious also!

My first pm surgery turned into a three day hospital stay when I had an allergic reaction to darvocet. I reacted to codeine a few years before when I got my wisdom teeth out, that got me two days in the college infirmary. And last battery change, I got sick on the morphine they gave me in recovery, they wanted me to stay overnight but let me go home when I pushed it. They gave me a percocet prescrip but I never even filled it! Just tylenol for me, thanks, lol.

It sounds like you're getting some help ttc? I've been down that road, also. It's a rollercoaster, but it works! Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!! I hate those last few days before you can test, they drag on and on and on!

2 kids...

by sweetkozy - 2008-12-09 01:12:15

I am 28 and have had two children since my implantation. I received my PM when I was 21 and by the time I was 22 my first child was born. My son is now 5 and my daughter is 3.

I had complications with both pregnancies (pre-eclampsia) but it never affected my PM.

My first pregnancy I was induced, in labor for 15 hrs, pushed 3 hrs and then ended up having a c-sec. They did not limit how long I was in labor for nor for how long I pushed. The baby just wasn't coming out, which led me to the operating room. I also had an epidural for half the labor....yeah....I'm a weak...lol.

My second pregnancy I was induced, had an epidural, in labor for 9 hrs, pushed 1 hr, had a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After C-sec) with no complications.

My EP told me I shouldn't have any complications in regards to the PM and being pregnant. He did change a few settings to allow my heart to get faster without the PM jumping in. I was never hooked up to a heart monitor either. You are better off having the PM and being pregnant than not having a PM!

Cheers,
Jenny :)

You know you're wired when...

Your favorite poem is “Ode to a Cardiac Node”.

Member Quotes

Yesterday was my first day mountain biking after my implant. I wiped out several times and everything is fine. There are sports after pacemakers!