Taking a Healthy Pregnancy for Granted

An expecting mom gets an unexpected reminder that she needs to take care of her health.

By Meagan Francis

Having gone through 4 easy, normal pregnancies already, I guess I've gotten to be a little bit blasé when it comes to my health. When asked if I'm experiencing swelling, headaches or unusual symptoms, I can always say "no". My blood pressure has always stayed nice and low right up until I go into labor. I dread the poke of the needle during routine blood draws, but hardly give a second thought to what the results will be.

So I was surprised last week when I listened to a voicemail from my midwife with these scary words: "Your 28-week blood panel had abnormal values."

As it turned out, my glucose (blood sugar) levels and iron were fine.  However, the lab found anisocytosis, or abnormally-shaped red blood cells.  My midwife informed me that it could mean anything from a metabolism problem (not enough protein in my diet), lack of B-6 and B-12 vitamins, or a possible trend toward pre-eclampsia.

Oh crap.

My midwife recommended that I increase protein in my diet and start taking magnesium, B-vitamin complex, and Omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acid supplements, along with plenty of rest and fluids.

And while she didn't indicate any cause for panic, I had to fight the urge to freak out after reading the words "abnormally shaped red blood cells" and "pre-eclampsia", which has led to the premature births--and subsequent hospitalizations--of several babies in my family.

I realized that I've been taking my pregnant health a little too much for granted. Lately, I haven't been keeping much of an eye on my protein intake (those Christmas cookies were always filling in the spot where a nice piece of lean meat might have gone) and almost as often as not over the last month or so I've been forgetting to take my prenatal vitamin.  "You have to take care of yourself," my midwife said. And when I thought about it, I knew that lately, I really hadn't been.

None of us can be really perfect during pregnancy, and I know it's not a good idea to stress out over every little decision and meal. And yet I think I've gotten a little cocky about my ability to eat what I want, do what I want, and still end up feeling fine and having a normal birth. My blood test was a reminder that I'm not entitled to a perfect pregnancy.

Dr. Google informed me that if the body is fighting off an infection, it can result in a false diagnosis of anisocytosis. Considering I came down with a stomach bug the very next day, that's a likely scenario. But I've got my supplements lined up on the kitchen counter and I'm working hard to get all the protein I need (80-100 grams a day...that's a lotta meat, eggs, nuts and dairy, let-me-tell-you.)

Maybe it'll make a difference; maybe not. Maybe the blood test was wrong or the blood issue will resolve as my diet improves. But I know one thing: I'm feeling a lot more vulnerable than I was just a couple of weeks ago.

Perhaps that's a good reminder, though. In pregnancy and childbirth, we only have so much control--just like with parenting. We do the best job we can, hope for the best, and try not to get too smug when things are going well. After all, most of the time, it's just the luck of the draw...and there's no guarantee we'll get as lucky the next time around.