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| Do my prior pregnancies impact the one I'm planning to have? |
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Yes. Obstetrical history is very important. If you have had a difficult time
conceiving in the past, the same factors may come into play (if your tubes
were blocked and you needed assisted reproductive technology like IVF, you will
likely need it again, if you have never had regular menstrual cycles
and needed ovulatory assistance in the past, you may need it again).
If you had an ectopic pregnancy in the past your risk of having
another is much higher (one in ten) and this is critical information
for your doctor to have. You will need to take a pregnancy test as
soon as you suspect you are pregnant, and once confirmed, you must alert
your doctor right away and blood levels of pregnancy hormone must be
followed regularly, along with appropriate sonography to confirm that
the pregnancy is in the uterus. An undiagnosed, untreated ectopic pregnancy
can be a life threatening situation.
If you have had pregnancy losses in the past, testing and evaluation
should be carried out preconceptually and the pregnancy should be
followed closely from its inception.
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Wendy Fried, M.D., FACOG, FACS, is an OB/Gyn with Northern Obstetrics and Gynecology, PC in North Hills, New York
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