I have 2 beautiful children and we really wanted to have another, but since I have been diagnosed with MG we are very skeptical, What are the complications? Anyone have any experience with this?

Here's what I know. Among myasthenics who get pregnant, a third find their symptoms improve, a third find their symptoms get worse, and a third find there are no changes. So, that should clear things up!

About treatments while you're pregnant: CellCept is dangerous for the unborn child. It raises the risk of miscarriage and birth defects. Don't take CellCept if there's a chance you could get pregnant, or for six weeks before conceiving. CellCept can also make the Pill less effective.

Imuran is classed as a dangerous drug for pregnancy, but there is excellent evidence that it is actually safe. If you're interested, I'll dig up the study.

Prednisone and IVIg are safe during pregnancy.

Sometimes babies of myasthenic mothers are born with their mothers' antibodies, so they have the symptoms of myasthenia gravis when they're born. But they're not making those antibodies themselves, so after about a month the symptoms go away and they're fine.

I hope you can have another baby, if not now then eventually.

Abby

The risk of children getting MG later in life increases.
Mike

KimmyF, I hope you will weigh all of the risks to you, and your baby, before taking a course of action. Many people here have had children while they had MG. The change in hormones in your body will effect your MG to some degree. There's no way to predict that. And that huge change in hormones after giving birth may require something like plasmapheresis. I say "may" because, as Abby pointed out, there's no way to predict who will get worse or not. Maybe you'll get better!

Whoa, wait a minute please, Abby! Steroids taken internally are NOT considered safe when taken during pregnancy. Topical maybe. Inhaled sort of. But any steroid that is swallowed, inhaled or placed on the skin can affect a fetus. It's not only the short term effects but the long term ones you have to take into consideration. I don't have time to gather up all of the studies, KimmyF, but you can easily do a PubMed search on your own. Perhaps Mrs. D. wants to weigh in on this.

IVIG may not be safe either. It all depends upon what complications a person has while having it, such as fluid and electrolyte imbalance, meningitis, allergic response, etc.

It might be a good idea to have your neuro consult with you about this and give any suggestions to your OB. Even talking to a pharmacist would help. It all depends upon the stability of your MG, if you have backup plans in place "just in case" and, heck, what YOU want to do!

I might be a bit more concerned about caring for three kids but Abby has 7 and others have more, so what do I know. I don't have any kids. But please go over all of the possibilities with your doctors so you can be confident in your decision.

Annie

Thanks, Annie. I'll try to be more careful.

Abby

Thank you all so much, I had my first visite with my Neuro and it went great! I will be having a Thymectomy ASAP as they are very concerned about how bad my MG is! I did address the pregnancy issue with him and he said as soon as I recover from surgery, go right a head and get prego, that he didn't see why it would be a problem. I will re-address it when the time comes! I just like to get a second opinion which brings up situations I can ask my Neuro about. I will definitely ask about any meds I'm on before going ahead.

Have you all had your Thymus removed? Did it out you into remission? Or help the symptoms? He told me 1 out of 3 people will go into remission! I can only hope!

Hi kimmy!
I was 7 months pregnant with my 3rd son when my symptoms started. We had no clue as to the cause... It started in my mouth, and I had been having a lot of dental work at the time so I thought it was a side effect of the Novocain. During the following three months my symptoms spread to my throat, nasal area ( it became impossible to clear my sinuses) breathing, arms and back. Being heavily pregnant and having trouble breathing is pretty common. I did get a referral to a neuro, but they wanted to see me after delivery. Delivery is where it got bad. I've always been an excellent pusher and delivered both my other babies in less than 20 minutes. My 3rd took over an hour and had to be assisted by the vaccume and a nurse pushing from above, he was blue and not breathing when he arrived. My pushing muscles had completely given out, and I was crying that I couldn't breath and something was wrong. Thank god my baby was ok and my breathing stabilized when I was able to sit up and relax. Within 3 days of his birth, I couldn't walk, sit myself up, hold him, shower or eat without choking. I was able to see my nuero on an emergency visit and he diagnosed me immediately. The morning I saw hI'm my left eye started to droop. During my thymus scan they found I had pneumonia from asperating at night.
Also I was induced two weeks early with pre eclamsia and very very low amniotic fluid, which I had never experienced with my other pregnancies.
Worse than my symptoms, was my complete dependence on my family for care. Even taking mestinon I couldn't care for any of my kids on my own. The first two months I was able to nurse with help but couldn't burp,change, bath or carry my 7lb newborn, much less play with my 3 and 4 year olds.
I remember becoming suicidal and thinking I would be spending the rest of my life as a burden and watching my kids grow up from afar.
My baby didn't have MG when he was born thank god!
Ive wanted another baby myself but the risks and consequences are too high for me.
I'm not trying to discourage you, I just wanted to share my story. Being that you are already undergoing treatment and your pregnancy, delivery,and recovery will be better monitored and understood than mine, you may have a healthy beautiful experience!
Also, the first two years after diagnosis tend to set the stage for your illness.. I don't know how long you've been dealing with MG , but I highly recommend waiting until you feel "stabile" before making your decision.
Currently I'm experiencing a pretty stabile period. Doesn't mean I'm always strong or feel capable to be a stay at home mom while hubby works. There are days my kids miss school because I just can't get them up and ready on my own. We have a housekeeper weekly to do the real cleaning, and frozen dinners are a staple in my freezer for nights I'm too tired! But I'm happy and my kids are taken care of and well loved.
Recently because of the baby fever we have decided to look into fostering and possibly adopting. We aren't looking for a baby tho, just a child or children that need a loving family. My baby, Judah will be 3 in July, and I've been diagnosed for two and a half years. We are still trying new treatments to try for medicated remission. I did have a thymectomy when Judah was 5 weeks old, and it actually did help! My symptoms stopped progressing. I do have complete generalized MG, legs and embarrassingly bladder and every other muscle involved. But my legs don't collapse on me! I can walk as much as I want... They become like 200 lb weights and hard to bend, and my breathing gets labored and my back and stomach bend and pooch... But if I have to make it to a bench I can! But once I sit down it's all over... Could take two days to be able to walk again... And add extreme muscle pain...
Anyway now I'm rambling. I hope you do have remission from your thymectomy and are able to
Have as many babies as you want! I hope this finds you healthy and strong.
Jessica

Hi kimmy!
I was 7 months pregnant with my 3rd son when my symptoms started. We had no clue as to the cause... It started in my mouth, and I had been having a lot of dental work at the time so I thought it was a side effect of the Novocain. During the following three months my symptoms spread to my throat, nasal area ( it became impossible to clear my sinuses) breathing, arms and back. Being heavily pregnant and having trouble breathing is pretty common. I did get a referral to a neuro, but they wanted to see me after delivery. Delivery is where it got bad. I've always been an excellent pusher and delivered both my other babies in less than 20 minutes. My 3rd took over an hour and had to be assisted by the vaccume and a nurse pushing from above, he was blue and not breathing when he arrived. My pushing muscles had completely given out, and I was crying that I couldn't breath and something was wrong. Thank god my baby was ok and my breathing stabilized when I was able to sit up and relax. Within 3 days of his birth, I couldn't walk, sit myself up, hold him, shower or eat without choking. I was able to see my nuero on an emergency visit and he diagnosed me immediately. The morning I saw hI'm my left eye started to droop. During my thymus scan they found I had pneumonia from asperating at night.
Also I was induced two weeks early with pre eclamsia and very very low amniotic fluid, which I had never experienced with my other pregnancies.
Worse than my symptoms, was my complete dependence on my family for care. Even taking mestinon I couldn't care for any of my kids on my own. The first two months I was able to nurse with help but couldn't burp,change, bath or carry my 7lb newborn, much less play with my 3 and 4 year olds.
I remember becoming suicidal and thinking I would be spending the rest of my life as a burden and watching my kids grow up from afar.
My baby didn't have MG when he was born thank god!
Ive wanted another baby myself but the risks and consequences are too high for me.
I'm not trying to discourage you, I just wanted to share my story. Being that you are already undergoing treatment and your pregnancy, delivery,and recovery will be better monitored and understood than mine, you may have a healthy beautiful experience!
Also, the first two years after diagnosis tend to set the stage for your illness.. I don't know how long you've been dealing with MG , but I highly recommend waiting until you feel "stabile" before making your decision.
Currently I'm experiencing a pretty stabile period. Doesn't mean I'm always strong or feel capable to be a stay at home mom while hubby works. There are days my kids miss school because I just can't get them up and ready on my own. We have a housekeeper weekly to do the real cleaning, and frozen dinners are a staple in my freezer for nights I'm too tired! But I'm happy and my kids are taken care of and well loved.
Recently because of the baby fever we have decided to look into fostering and possibly adopting. We aren't looking for a baby tho, just a child or children that need a loving family. My baby, Judah will be 3 in July, and I've been diagnosed for two and a half years. We are still trying new treatments to try for medicated remission. I did have a thymectomy when Judah was 5 weeks old, and it actually did help! My symptoms stopped progressing. I do have complete generalized MG, legs and embarrassingly bladder and every other muscle involved. But my legs don't collapse on me! I can walk as much as I want... They become like 200 lb weights and hard to bend, and my breathing gets labored and my back and stomach bend and pooch... But if I have to make it to a bench I can! But once I sit down it's all over... Could take two days to be able to walk again... And add extreme muscle pain...
Anyway now I'm rambling. I hope you do have remission from your thymectomy and are able to
Have as many babies as you want! I hope this finds you healthy and strong.
Jessica

Thanks Jessica

That's what I was looking for, someone who had been through it and had some examples of what could go wrong, and we always have to plan for the worst!! I was only diagnosed on Dec 28' 2011, but my weakness was so severe I could barley walk or take care of my children, they have been fast tracking me through the process and I'm hoping to have my Thymectomy next month. This had all happened so fast that I have no idea what is ahead of me anymore, I'm just taking it month to month right now, although I love being pregnant and having babies, i might just have to stick with the two healthy ones I have