27 yrs old, pregnant & newly diagnosed - tx ?s

Hi there. I'm new here as well as newly diagnosed. I'm also 16 weeks pregnant. Not exactly the news I was hoping for as a first-time mom. I'm finding that there's a lack of information out there for younger folks like myself, and especially for pregnant women. I was hoping to get some info on how many of you have undergone treatment, and what prompted you to treat. My labwork came back genotype 1a, viral load 488,960, biopsy showed stage 1 mild inflammation. I'm not completely unfamiliar with Hep C....my Dad has it, got it in Vietnam....but research can only go so far....I'm really just hoping to get info from people who have been there, done that. My doctor thinks treating right after the baby is born would be smart, as I'm young and my viral load is low....but the idea of doing 11 months of treatment with a newborn and a full-time job seems pretty brutal. Thoughts?

[Dannyboi7]

Welcome to the forum,I'm relativily new here too.the Viral load count as very little significance,it fluctuates up and down .And in no way indicates the level of liver damage.I would discuss with a GI all the tests that need to be done after you have your baby to find out were your at and make your choices from there.

[Revalation]

You do understand you can't treat while pregnant?

Reva

[Revalation]

Sorry i did not read the message correctly.
You do plan to have the baby first.
Wishing you a happy and safe pregnancy.

Reva

[belle19]

welcome to the forum.  you'll learn a lot here.  you're young with stage 1 mild inflammation, i'd wait for the all oral meds.  you need to attend to your newborn and enjoy motherhood.  i had hep c for 37 years and was stage 2.  i had 2 boys and i've been with my husband 32 years and they don't have it.  take your time to do research and think long and hard about when you should do treatment.  best wishes.  belle

[BoceprevirGal]

  Hi SocaGirllinSac, I am a NorCalGirl in S.F :)
Ya know...I found out I had Hep C 20 yrs ago, when I was pregnant with my second child, and I was 30 yrs old.
    The pregnancy went well, and I had a beautiful baby girl, now healthy, (Hep C free also) and 20 yrs old now.
   try not to stress out about this, during your pregnancy.  Pregnancy is a time to relax, eat well, and cuddle up in a big downy comforter, reading 'What to Expect While Expecting" and other fun book like that, so enjoy!!
     As for you Treating right after your baby is born...I my personal opinion is: that is a terrible idea. Post Partum depression is something to be watching for after the birth of a baby, and the Interferon in the treatment can cause depression, so Post Partum would be a bad time to Treat.
   Right after you have your baby, is the time for you to be bonding with your baby, and I found it such amagical time in my life. I actually had 3 babies, after I knew I had Hep C, and I never let my diagnosis bother me, and I thoroughly enjoyed MotherHood.
   In a couple years, an Interferon free trearment will be available, which will have much less side affects. It is well known, in the Medical Profession, that Interferon can trigger permanent health problems, such as a Thyroid imbalance, or it may trigger Auto-Immune Disorders, such as Rheumatoid Arthritis.
     Women are less likely to get liver damage, during the child-bearing years. My problems started during menopause.  Hep C tends to be slow moving. Just keep a copy of your labs, and make sure to see what is out of the normal range, as in too high or too low,  and note any changes, etc.
   Most Primary Care Physicians and Obstetricians are not real
educated about Hep C facts, I have noticed. If you are having any serious concerns, than a Hepatologist is your best bet~  Good luck