Written By: Debjani Arora | Updated : October 9, 2014 5:13 PM IST
If a woman is a carrier of hemophilia gene or suffers from the condition, there are chances that she might birth a baby who would end up being born with the same condition. But proper planning and precaution can help an expectant mother avert troubles in the fetus.
Here's what you can do while planning for a baby while when you suffer from hemophilia:
Go for genetic counseling: Start your preparation with talking about the pros and cons of having a baby with a bleeding disorder like hemophilia. Gather all information and know about the options of family planning and get support from your counselor to wade through the troubles. Go with your partner for the session so that you both are on the same page when it comes to dealing with the troubles and consequences of having a baby born with a condition like hemophilia.
Do the requisite screening tests: If you are a carrier of the gene ask your doctor if you can opt for an invasive test during pregnancy like chorionic villus sampling (CVS) or amniocentesis, to determine if the fetus carries the gene for hemophilia. You can then consider whether to continue or terminate your pregnancy, if you can get the tests done during the early days of your pregnancy. Alternatively you may choose not to have your own biological children. You can adopt or become foster parents.
Take help of IVF treatment: You can choose to try to conceive using an assisted reproductive technology method. For example, you can try in vitro fertilization (IVF), using either your own eggs or donor eggs. If you use donor eggs, any child born will not carry the hemophilia gene, assuming the donor is not a carrier of hemophilia. If you use your own eggs, then during the IVF procedure, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) testing can be performed to determine the presence or absence of the hemophilia gene. This knowledge can be used to choose an embryo without the hemophilia gene to minimize the risk of having a child with a bleeding disorder. Also check if your partner can undergo artificial insemination with donor eggs, provided the donor is devoid of the hemophilia gene.
Get your vaccinations on time: If you are a carrier of hemophilia make sure that you take vaccinations for hepatitis A and B during your pregnancy which is highly recommended. Talk to your doctor to find out if you need any more vaccination to sail through your pregnancy and labour smoothly.
Plan for a natural birth: Try and plan for a natural birth as far as possible. Episiotomy, cesarean section or using of vaccum extractor, forceps during the birth can cause pregnancy complications and give rise to bleeding in the expectant mum. Also these assisted labour methods have a high chance of injuring the baby during the birth process.
Get your baby tested after birth: Tell your doctor about your condition well in advance, so that a proper planning is in place after the birth of your baby to test for the condition. Testing can also be done from blood drawn from a vein soon after birth. It is important to know as soon as possible after birth whether a baby has hemophilia so that special care can be given to prevent bleeding complications.
Though a genetic disorder like hemophilia cannot be prevented but taking requisite steps like mentioned above, it can ensure better management and make you more prepared to deal with its consequences.
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