posted
I am a newbie here on LymeNet and to the disease. I just had my follow up with my LLMD, and I am looking forward to the therapies in the upcoming months.
My question is about pregnancy and Lyme. If I become pregnant, will my children have to deal with Lyme and Lyme symptoms?
I am not currently trying, nor am I in a relationship, but I do want children someday. Given the problems related to Lyme, I do not want to pass the issues on. Can one have healthy children and still have Lyme?
Thank you for your responses!
Posts: 13 | From Los Angeles, CA | Registered: Feb 2010
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posted
It's possible, but risky in my opinion. You must be under the care of an LLMD during pregnancy and most women take amoxicillin for prevention of passing it to the child.
Healthy babies HAVE been born to those with Lyme.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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posted
My mom has had Lyme most (if not all) her life. Myself and my 3 younger brothers all have Lyme and Bart.
Obviously, we believe we were born with this.
That said, I have two children. Both have Lyme and Bart. I also have babesia, and my daughter had a lot of nausea that *could* have been babesia, but she improved w/out treating for babs, so we really don't have evidence of babesia in anyone but me. Lucky me.
I have a good friend who became infected shortly after her 1st was born (so did hubby and baby). She went on to have 3 more children.
Repeat, ad nauseum.
In all actuality, my mother and I feel 99% certain the SHE was born with it (as were her 5 siblings), and quite possibly my grandmother was born with it! She's going to be 78 this year!
Within my mother and downward, though, (just the ones we know of for certain), I and my son are affected MUCH more severely than any of the others.
Each and everyone of us IS affected, though, and HAVE had problems of some sort since birth, just not to the same degree or in the same way as each other. None of escaped the Lyme/Bart. Not one.
My brothers all have serious problems they deal with too, but thankfully none of them have been bedridden for months on end (as I have been) or have such severe brain/pysch symptoms that they have been put on an anti-psychotic and been advised to go through a 2-3 wk "partial hospitalization" program (as my 11yo son has been).
One of my brothers had absolutely no gag reflux when he was born (he's 16 and has since trained himself to gag if necessary). We had to perform the heimlich on him several times a day for the first 2-3 yr of his life.
Another (29yo) can't remember anything of his childhood and realizes that is not normal and it bothers him. He also suffered from encropesis until he was in his teens.
A third has always had horrible problems with rage (though, again, not as severe as my son), and his metabolism is so out of whack he gains weight like crazy no matter how he eats.
All three of them (and myself and both of my kids) were/are severly depressed. Some of us have had horrible anxiety as kids. Bladder and bowel problems, of course, 'growing pains' or joint aches, numbness, tingling, psych issues, HORRIBLE headaches that last forever, the list just goes on... and that's from BIRTH right on up!
There is no rhyme or reason as to who gets what symptoms or how bad they are, or when they show up.
My mom is 53 and definitely has symptoms, but they are not severe at all. She is treating with herbals, but only because she knows now that she's infected. She didn't/doesn't really "feel bad enough" to treat or even go to a doc at all.
Her biggest complaint has been an electrical buzzing/humming in a band around her head. That's after at least 44 yrs of infection, and probaly 53.
I, on the other hand, got REAL sick in a bad way about 3yrs ago. I had been infected for 28yr and couldn't move without my husband's help. I couldn't think enough to even watch TV.
On top of that I had severe joint pain, severe mood swings (anxiety and depression) and horrible shooting, burning, or 'electric needles' pain all over everywhere, and hundreds of muscle twitches or jerks a day.
Balance was atrocious as well, but since I only got up to go potty it didn't get in the way too much. LOL
My son's worse symptoms started around 2-3yr. Well after the scare as an infant with cyclic neutropenia, severe food allergies, and strange eye infections, where he looked like a corpse for a couple of months - as he lost weight by the bundle...
Chris, who personally doesn't think you can keep your kids from getting the infections unless you totally eradicate them in you BEFORE conception...and since total eradication is widely believed to be a pipe dream, is a HUGE believer in adoption!!
--Been living with Lyme and Co. for 31+yrs, been fighting it for almost 2yrs.
Posts: 155 | From Texas | Registered: Oct 2007
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Hoosiers51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15759
posted
Yes, you can do it. Just be sure you are taking baby-safe antibiotics throughout the entire pregnancy and that if you choose to breastfeed, you are taking antibiotics that cross into breast milk.
There is a small chance that even with those precautions, the baby could have Lyme, but I have been told if you take the antibiotics through the ENTIRE pregnancy, a baby born with Lyme is rare (probably less than 1% chance to give you an idea. LLMD's have done studies on this).
If a baby is born with Lyme, treating as soon as possible is the best bet. Young children usually respond well to treatment.
You should wait until you are as better as possible first!!!!! That is the most important part. And the baby should be checked for Lyme and all coinfections upon birth.
Good luck!
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
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posted
Don't take the chance of making a child's life miserable from day one.
I know many people including myself that wish we had never been born since our mothers passed it to us.
Posts: 458 | From Miss | Registered: Mar 2009
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posted
My daughter gave birth to twin boys after undergoing treatment for three years and going undiagnosed for five years. She waited for several years after her treatment stopped and she felt she could say she was in remission. Both boys are doing fine after a year with no signs of Lyme.
Posts: 3 | From Granville, Ohio | Registered: Mar 2010
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djf2005
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11449
posted
My wife and I are both infected and have come to the conclusion that when the time comes we will adpot.
After all the suffering I have been through and continue to endure, I could not bear to watch my child go through that knowing it could have been prevented.
My whole family has also been infected since birth, including my mom.
-------------------- "Experience is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you."
sutherngrl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16270
posted
If you are cured and or go into remission for a year or more, I would say its safe to have children. If you wanted to play it safer, take amoxi while pregnant and don't nurse.
Most ppl that passed it to their children did not know they had LD and thats why it got passed down. If you know you have it don't have children until you know you don't have it anymore.
Posts: 4035 | From Mississippi | Registered: Jul 2008
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Pinelady
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18524
posted
If you have not seen the movie, "Under Our Skin",
there is a woman featured that did succeed with
having a healthy child after treatment and prior losses.
-------------------- Suspected Lyme 07 Test neg One band migrating in IgG region unable to identify.Igenex Jan.09IFA titer 1:40 IND IgM neg pos 31 +++ 34 IND 39 IND 41 IND 83-93 + DX:Neuroborreliosis Posts: 5850 | From Kentucky | Registered: Dec 2008
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posted
Thank you all for your responses. I have heard that it is possible to carry healthy children, but more often than not I see the unhealthy coming forward.
It is a difficult decision and one that I won't even entertain unless I am in remission.
Thankfully, I always thought I would adopt in addition to biological children!
First, I need to get well and meet a man whom I could marry!
Posts: 13 | From Los Angeles, CA | Registered: Feb 2010
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Please keep in mind when you read the above posts that probably most (if not all) of the stories of devastation come from people having children when they DID NOT KNOW they had lyme and coinfections. Hence, they were not treated before and/or during their pregnancies.
It's a COMPLETELY different story when a mother is treated appropriately, knows she has lyme, and she and her doctor take all appropriate precautions.
Good luck to you,
Lymers
Posts: 287 | From Humboldt County, CA | Registered: Jul 2009
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sixgoofykids
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11141
posted
I did not know I had Lyme when I had my five children. I did flare up some when pregnant and was not on medication. I breastfed all of them.
None of my children got Lyme from me. One did get Lyme, but had her own tick that was attached for several days (she thought it was a mole!!).
If I were younger, I would have kids even though I have had Lyme, but I would work under the supervision of an LLMD.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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posted
It is encouraging to here that it is possible with the right precautions. Thank you.
Posts: 13 | From Los Angeles, CA | Registered: Feb 2010
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sutherngrl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16270
posted
Life is always uncertain. If its not lyme it will be something else. I don't think lyme is a reason to stop living. Just take the precautions, hopefully be cured 100% and move on.
Posts: 4035 | From Mississippi | Registered: Jul 2008
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merrygirl
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posted
pinelady.
at the end of the movie that lady says her son (baby) has lyme.... just fyi
Posts: 3905 | From USA | Registered: May 2007
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posted
My doctor says that he puts preg women on amox during the pregnancy and then after the preg, if symptoms begin again he treats again. He says that it happens often that women give birth and then get really sick.
He says lyme won't be transmitted if the woman is on antibiotics and even said breastfeeding is ok.
He said that babs is transmittable so thats why were treating it first.
I could have misunderstood him but he said basically as long as we treat the infection and babs beforehand and stay on antibiotics, the baby should be just fine.
Posts: 319 | From nj | Registered: Jul 2008
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Hoosiers51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
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posted
Lauraisabelle,
That is basically the exact thing I've heard from multiple (3 to be exact,not counting things I've read which brings the total higher) well-respected and famous LLMD's.
All have said to continue the antibiotics while breastfeeding.
I WISH I didn't have to do that (don't like the idea of messing up my future children's GI's), but I guess you gotta do what you gotta do. I will be giving them tons of probiotics and possibly Nystatin if it's baby-safe, which I think it is.
I would recommend women are also negative for mycoplasma before getting pregnant, and taking something like Zithromax before getting pregnant may help with that. If you have a hard time getting the mycoplasma IgM to go negative, try treating your partner with Zithromax too.
I have never heard that it's required to treat your spouse for Lyme. I am mainly concerned with the myco being passed between partners, but I suppose it depends how strong your partner's immune system is. My husband is so resilient, I wouldn't be surprised if he tests neg for myco.
Myco can probably be passed too, that's why I bring it up. My intention isn't to scare, because I think fear does funny things to people. Just be informed. I will probably do a month or more of Zith before pregnancy. The good news is, Zithromax also has an effect on babesia.
My LLMD has seen children with babesia that show no symptoms, so he says that it isn't a health deal-breaker like Lyme. So if you can at least prevent passing Lyme, the baby's body may be able to fight off babesia. People might argue with this, but it's straight from my LLMD's mouth, so I"m just reporting. Some children of course are sick with babs, but they probably have Lyme too.
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
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posted
i remember awhile back someone posted that she was pregnant and she had been a patient of Dr. B. she had said that as long as she was treated with amoxy while pregnant, he had felt there was something like a 99% chance that the baby would not be infected (this is all going by memory though, so please don't "quote" me on this).
anyway, i also remember she mentioned a study he did over many years of babies born from mothers with lyme who were treated with amoxicillan. he followed them through many years with updates and not one had gotten lyme.
hoosiers- how much amoxy does your llmd recommend during a pregnancy? my llmd prescribed 1000 mg 3x a day, so 3000 mg. total. however, she never mentioned blood testing to make sure this is the right dosage and i know you mentioned to me that your llmd did blood testing when you are on amoxy to make sure you are getting enough.
can you tell me how this blood test is given- are you on the amoxy first for so many days beforehand? any info. would be appreciated.
Posts: 871 | From NJ | Registered: Mar 2007
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IckyTicky
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Member # 21466
posted
I have three children, all of them have Lyme. The youngest two are absolutely congenital.. the oldest had tick exposure so I can't say for sure.
My twin sister also has Lyme. It may be that WE were born with it.
If I knew then what I know now, I'd probably have adopted and not risked having a child with Lyme. But.. there ARE those who have children who seem to, so far, have no symptoms.
My husband didn't have any symptoms until two years ago (we've been married 11 years). So I know it's passed on sexually as well.
It's a tough and personal decision.
-------------------- IGM: 18+, 23+, 30+, 31+++, 34+, 39IND, 41++, 58+++, 66+, 83-93IND IGG: 31+, 39IND, 41+ Also positive for Mycoplasma Pneumoniae and RMSF. Whole family of 5 dx with Lyme. Posts: 1014 | From Texas | Registered: Jul 2009
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- As there are fewer and fewer Obstetricians, finding one who is LL will also be more of a challenge.
I wonder if the sudden rise in complications might not also be due to undiagnosed chronic infections. ---------------
Doubling of maternal deaths in U.S. 'scandalous,' rights group says
From Stephanie Smith, CNN - March 12, 2010
Excerpts:
(CNN) -- Deaths from pregnancy and childbirth in the United States have doubled in the past 20 years, a development that a human rights group called "scandalous and disgraceful" Friday. . . .
. . . In addition, the rights group said, about 1.7 million women a year, one-third of pregnant women in the United States, suffer from pregnancy-related complications.. . .
. . . In addition, the group said, a shortage of health care professionals poses a serious obstacle to timely and adequate care, especially in rural areas and inner cities. In 2008, 64 million people were living in "shortage areas" for primary care, Amnesty International said. . . .
. . . "Mothers die not because the United States can't provide good care, but because it lacks the political will to make sure good care is available to all women," said Cox, Amnesty International USA's executive director. . . .
. . . . -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
I, too, believe it can be transmitted sexually (as well as through blood/tissue donations).
My LLMD has said that he does NOT want me getting pregnant, likely because of how sick I am.
He also asked if hubby had symptoms and said that he really needed to be treated as well, or else we would have to use barrier-protection, to keep him from re-introducing more bacteria back into me.
In other words, if we don't both treat, I'll likely never make it to remission.
Interestingly, even though my hubby is 62, he swears up one side and down the other that the symptoms he has did not start until just a few years ago. Probably 4-5yrs into our marriage.
We (incl. my LLMD) do believe I infected him.
Chris
Posts: 155 | From Texas | Registered: Oct 2007
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posted
All these points are valid and interesting.
A few things that entered my mind as I was reading:
1--women who are perfectly healthy can give birth to an unhealthy or premature child
2--even if a child enters the world healthy, he or she can still easily get Lyme Disease, and any number of other illnesses for that matter
3--any woman contemplating pregnancy who is reading this thread is ahead of the game...knowledge is power
4--there are many here who have children suffering with LD who were not born with it
5--guessing that there are many like me who wouldn't trade the awful, gut-wrenching experiences we've endured watching our kids suffer with Lyme/cos for not having them at all and being able to experience so many precious moments and build so many memories with them
6---and guessing too that there are plenty of kids with Lyme/cos who have suffered like mine but still wouldn't trade in their existences for the alternative. The path to recovery can be a long one, but there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes you have to turn a corner or two to see it and it might take awhile to get there.
7---life is unpredictable and full of risks...anyone could get hit by a bus. How many times have we heard about a runner in tip-top shape who suddenly drops dead or someone who was given 3 months to live and ends up living for 10 years?
Shidove, at the end of the day, you have to do what you feel in your heart is the right thing for you. It is a very difficult decision. I applaud anyone, with LD or not, who chooses adoption.
And, good luck with getting well and meeting a man who is worth marrying. You are quite the planner...a good thing!
Posts: 214 | From where ticks flourish | Registered: Dec 2007
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Hoosiers51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15759
posted
Maureen,
When I was pregnant, my LLMD first put me on Amoxicillin, and it was 3 times a day. I can't remember if it was 500 mg X 3 daily or 1,000 mg X 3 daily. I could try to look it up if anyone is really interested.
That Dr. B study you are referencing was published in the special "Children's Edition" of Lyme Times magazine that can be purchased at www.lymedisease.org. No babies were born with Lyme in that study. I lost my Lyme Times after moving though, so I can't look up the dose of Amox they were on. I'm gonna have to re-order another one.
Anyways, back to the Amox, it was my previous LLMD that I had before I was pregnant that was testing my blood levels. He had a certain high blood level of Amox he liked his patients to achieve, and I had to take a lot of Amox to get there, so I"m sure that level is not the same as what they would want a pregnant woman's to be because of how high the dose was. I have no idea if blood levels are important with pregnancy and Amox, but I would take the 3,000 mg daily, spread out over 3 doses (1,000 mg per dose), to be safe, if that is what your doc recommends. Or do Bicillin.
I was on Zithromax when I got pregnant, and I think the initial recommendation was that I could also stay on that with the Amox. But then when we consulted with Dr. J, we learned he normally recommends Cefin or Omnicef plus Zithromax for pregnant women, so I switched to either Ceftin or Omnicef with Zith.
The Zith is for extra protection against Lyme and co's, and I guess for whatever reason, Dr. J seemed to prefer cephalosporans. Or at least that is what the official recommendation from him was, so I don't know if it's arbitrary or not. I seem to tolerate penicillins better though, so when we try for a baby next I may choose Amox or Bicillin instead....I dunno.
Hope that helps! The doses for Zith, Omnicef, and Ceftin were all standard (but not high) doses for adult Lyme patients. **IF** my memory serves me right, it was 500 mg daily Zith with 600 mg daily Omnicef or 1,000 mg daily Ceftin. Hopefully that sounds right as the typical adult dosages.
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
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WildCondor
Unregistered
posted
IF you are going to risk it, them make sure you treat during your entire pregnancy and have your blood levels monitored to make sure your medication levels are high enough.
I have seen babies born with Lyme even when the exact protocol from ILADS was followed.
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posted
Thank you again fro all of your input. It is not an easy choice to make, and I will need to find an understanding partner when the time comes.
Posts: 13 | From Los Angeles, CA | Registered: Feb 2010
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