hep c and a fetus

I am in my first trimester of pregnancy and last week i found out that I have hep c. The nurse said that this could cause many problems with my unborn child such as brain damange and physical deformities. I am very scared for my baby. I havent been able to find any information on the effects hep c has on an unborn child. Does any one know something on this subject. I am scared for my child.

[mikesimon]

Are you treating for hep c - taking interferon and ribavirin?
If you are then stop treatment.
If you aren't treating then I think your nurse is wrong and reckless too if that is what she told you. The biggest risk that I know of is that your child may be born with hep c and that risk is rather small 5 to 6% I believe.
Mike

[meki]

I was HCV positive during my pregnancy - daughter came out fine --- no HCV.

Your nurse is the stinky pooooooo.... And is WRONG.

Although the treatment medications CAN and DO cause birth defects ---- don't take them during pregnancy.

But regular old Hep C??? Nahhhhh --- kid will be fine unless there are other issues at stake here...

Much luck to ya --- and read through the forum - get to know folks... We're a helpful bunch here --- with lots of info and good times to be had by all.

Take care of you - and hope you'll hang around to learn more about HepC and all that good stuff.

Meki

[Fl_Gator]

I have two healthy Monsters...both full grown and doing very well...youngest tested neg for HCV after I was diagnosed...oldest still needs to get tested but seems fine...Unless sassyness is  a birth defect...mine are normal.

[rita863]

i could have had hep c during my pregancy(i don't know when i contracted it), my daughter who is now 18 does not have hep c.  she has "i was born a princess syndrome!

[Fl_Gator]

OMG!!! is that what happened to my kid??? she is a Princess too

[meki]

Youse guys are so very lucky...

Mine skipped the Princess phase and skyrocketed to "I AM THE QUEEN OF THE UNIVERSE"....

Sigh... Some people... You should all be counting your blessings...

And on her Royal Highness' time off - she is Wednesday from the Addam's Family.

I swear... SNEER and all.

[Fl_Gator]

I get the sneer every day...every time I open my mouth...just now I got home from the grocery store with yummy dinner for her...did she help me bring in the groceries...oh heck no...she sneered at me cause she had to back her car up to get around me on her way to class....snippy, snippy, snippy...

[booocooo]

Hi - I'm 26 years old and am in my 12th week of Tx.  My mom was HCV positive at the time of my birth and they (being doctors) are pretty sure that's when I contracted it.  I'm part of that SMALL %, and even having it this long, I've been really healthy! :)

[GreatBird]

Both kids were born clear and I'm sure I had HCV when pregnant.

Daughter (now 26) never was a princess . . . she's just always known everything. (Really.)

However, since *I* am Queen of the Universe, I allow such things.

[mommaglow]

Your nurse is stupid and ignorant- There is less than a 3% chance of hep C being pased on to an unborn child, and that is a load of **** about brain dammage and deformities.  People who are ignorant and scared of the disease say crazy things like that

I had hep C with my last baby, and he is 2 now when I found out he has tested negative.

God bless you and your baby and do more research with a Dr before getting scared. Please - you do not need the extra stress on you and your baby- this should be a blessed time not a time of panic- everything will be OK.

[mommaglow]

I have two monster boys- They swear they rule the world- and when they give me the right smile- I believe they actualy do- but they are both hepC clear, but hey is it did cause brain dammage then heck that is why they are both CRAZY!! -= oh wait they are boys, boy for a moment I thought I could actualy ahve an excuse for the insanity.

[ksk3926]

I had hep c when I was pregnant and I did not know about it. In fact during the delivery my son was nicked with the forceps and so when I found out about my diagnosis I had him tested right away. He is fine, no hep c. I really wouldn't worry about this too much.  Congratulations on the baby!
Kathy

[Marcia2202]

I'm really sorry to hear that your nurse told you such incredibly dumb and stupid lies. I have 5 children and none of them were born with deformities nor brain damage. They are actually all quite intelligent and physically healthy.

You have not been able to find any effects of hep c on the unborn child, because there aren't any. So sit down, take a big breath and relax. Enjoy your pregnancy and be happy.

As to the hep c, you will have to address that problem for yourself, as once your child is bigger and you might want to treat.

Now, I do not want to tell you that it is impossible for your child to be infected during birth. There is a 6% chance that you child might become infected, it's about 8 % for a baby girl and 4% for a baby boy. 35-40% of people who get infected with hep c clear the virus themselves. So the chance of your child ending up actually having hep c is even smaller. But, yes, there is a slight chance. IF your child is born with hep c, it will be tested at several intervals. I will try to find a link to some good info I read some while ago. Can't promis I'll find it again though.

As said, I have 5 children, all tests came back negative for antibodies, except for one of my twin girls. When she was tested further, it showed she had no viral load, meaning that she had cleared the virus herself.

I wish you all the best. Hugs, Marcia

[Trish77]

Your nurse would be right IF you were on treatment for Hep C.  Since you only found out last week, that isn't the case I'm assuming.  That's a pretty reckless thing to tell you and I'm sorry for the distress it has caused you to hear something like that.

When you found out you had Hep C, had you tested positive for the antibody AND the viral load or the antibody only?  You might want to ask .. if the antibody only, it doesn't mean you have Hep C.  It means you did at one time .. and you MAY have cleared it.  I'd suggest you clarify that with your doctor, which you are positive for.  

Good luck.

Trish

[nerja2007]

Rachel, I found out I have hep c just after my baby was born and I most likely have had it all my life. My daughter is extremely bright, well developed child. That nurse didn't know what she was talking about. Now if you get pregnant while taking infesteron or ribavirin, then complications can be awful. Maybe that what she had in mind and just got mixed up. Oh yeah, my child has no Hep C. Good luck with the pregnancy and enjoy the best time of your life, girl. LOL

[Marcia2202]

*bump*

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Marcia