It is always best to talk to your midwife/OB/GYN about any medical conditions you may have or may feel you have. Dealing with depression/suicidal thoughts, alcohol/drug abuse, even smoking during pregnancy is harmful to your unborn child. If it is to hard to talk to your midwife/OBGYN at this time, that can be understandable - please contact (dial) 2-1-1 for a local number to call in your area for a confidential person to talk with.
I deal with depression and can tell you that none of my doctors ever judged me. It was hard at first to talk about things - but when I finally did, after a few visits, I started to feel better about talking to my doctor and he really helped guide me with my choices and didn't force any one decision or another on me. Again, even if at first you talk to a friend or bring a friend with you to help you talk to your midwife/OB/GYN, that is OK.
Chronic Illness During Pregnancy
Source: http://www.kinderstart.com/ for a complete list - visit this site.
| • | Asthma When asthmatics become pregnant, about 25% find that their symptoms get worse, 25% report that they improve and 50% report no change. |
| • | Cancer If you're currently being treated for any form of cancer, be cautioned: There are two very important reasons to avoid pregnancy. |
| • | Diabetes and Pregnancy Doctors used to warn women with diabetes not to become pregnant. Modern medicine has changed that. Now most women with this condition can expect healthy outcomes, for themselves and their babies. |
| • | Epilepsy and Pregnancy If you're among the 800,000 American women of childbearing age with epilepsy, you and your obstetrician will have some medical decisions to make. |
| • | Heart Disease and Pregnancy If you have a history of heart disease, heart murmur or rheumatic fever, consult with your cardiologist before conceiving to see if there are any special medical precautions you should take. |
| • | High Blood Pressure and Pregnancy Seven of every 100 women are affected by high blood pressure, or hypertension, during pregnancy and most did not have a previous history of this condition. |
| • | Lupus and Pregnancy About half of all lupus pregnancies are totally normal, whereas 25% end with the premature delivery of a normal baby and another 25% end in miscarriage or stillbirth. |
| • | Multiple Sclerosis and Pregnancy Pregnancy and childbirth don't have any negative long-term effects on women with multiple sclerosis. |
