Pregnancy and Pacemakers

Question

I am 25 years old. I have a a pacemaker for 24 years. My current pacemaker is located on my left side just below my rib cage. I want children. I am afraid that the placement of it will become an issue if I am pregnant. I am on day 37 of my cycle, it usually is an average of 30 days long. Although this past 2 years have been very unusal for my cycle. In the begining of last year I used to get period and then bleed again 2 weeks after I got it. This happened until Sept. Then it went to a normal 28 day cycle for the next few months, now it seems to be getting longer. Although for Dec. my cycle was 38 days long. Feb. was 33. So I am questioning weather or not I am pregnant. I think I am going to wait until the weekend to take a HPT. Is there anyone who has been through this or known someone who has gone through it? I am in need of some answers and support. Thank you

gito · Answer

Hi princess4485,
I noticed you posed that you have had a pacemaker since you were 1 yr old? I am 20 weeks pregnant and the baby has been diagnosed with a heartblock needing a pacemaker right after birth (if it can make it to term). How many operations did you have to go through? Was your childhood affected by the pacemaker in any way or were you oblivious to it? We are offered to terminate the pregancy now, but cases like yours give me hope.

Ashelen · Answer

Have you talked to your doctor about becoming pregnant with your pacemaker being placed where it is? You have to talk to your doctor NOW about it, if you haven't. It could absolutely be a problem, because the uterus will eventually occupy the place where your pacemaker is! If your doctor has okay'd becoming pregnant, then all you can do is keep trying, but if you haven't spoken to him/her yet you need to do it ASAP, and I mean like this week. You should be able to get a test by now if you're 7days late for your AVERAGE period, so I would take a test now and see what comes up. If it's negative you can wait and see if it comes by CD40 and test again if it doesn't, but if your periods don't usually average that long then you should get a result by now. Good luck.