Pregnancy after back surgery

[mayamama]

Hi! I've never posted in this forum before, but I had some questions I thought maybe some mamas on here could answer.

I unfortunately have to have VERY invasive back surgery that involves replacing one of my herniated discs with an INFUSE BoneGraft. The procedure is called an ALIF and you can read about it here.

It says not to get pregnant for at least a year after the treatment (which will be January 2009 for us) but that they haven't done any tests (of course) on women who've gotten pregnant AFTER the treatment.

I was just wondering if anyone has experienced this or if anyone knows of anyone I can contact or a webpage I can visit that will make me feel better about TTC in a year. I know that once I get pregnant (this would be #2 for us) I would keep the baby no matter what, it's just that I'm so nervous about the possible effects on the baby, that we're looking even more into adoption if the case is that the baby would be severely affected by the BoneGraft.

I've talked to my doctor and he just tells me exactly what I've read on the webpage and other places and I generally respect the opinions I see here.

Thanks for any information you can give me.

[blue_bug]

i know nothing about this, but why woud it affect the baby??? i can see how it could cause you greater pain since the bones are fused and unable to be flexible/move, but i don't see how it could affect a baby. sorry i'm really no help.

i did find this site: http://messageboard.spine-health.com....php?pid=19064

[mayamama]

Originally Posted by blue_bug

i know nothing about this, but why woud it affect the baby??? i can see how it could cause you greater pain since the bones are fused and unable to be flexible/move, but i don't see how it could affect a baby. sorry i'm really no help.

i did find this site: http://messageboard.spine-health.com....php?pid=19064

Hi! Thanks for that site. It gave some good information.

Well, the reason it might hurt the baby is because the implant that will be used has a synthetic human genome that promotes my own bone growth. Within a year the two vertebrae will be fused together as one.

Studies have shown that in pregnant rabbits, the fetuses have shown abnormalities in their bone growth. This is why they advised women not to get pregnant for one year after the implant. Also, I guess we build up these antibodies when our bones are growing, and when the fetuses grow, but that the effects of an excess of these antibodies in unknown though they've shown no effects on rabbits who got pregnant a year after the implant.

I'm just nervous about having to make a decision in a year about getting pregnant. I mean, if we decide to adopt, we need to start it NOW so that we can get a child before mine grows up and can't relate to a young sibling.

Thanks again mamas!

[blue_bug]

Originally Posted by mayamama

Well, the reason it might hurt the baby is because the implant that will be used has a synthetic human genome that promotes my own bone growth. Within a year the two vertebrae will be fused together as one.

ahhh, i c, i thought they were fusing them at the time of surgery. thanks for explaining it. and i'm glad the site was helpful.

good luck!!!

[sostinkinhappy]

Originally Posted by mayamama

I'm just nervous about having to make a decision in a year about getting pregnant. I mean, if we decide to adopt, we need to start it NOW so that we can get a child before mine grows up and can't relate to a young sibling.

Thanks again mamas!

I don't know much about the back surgery thing, but I have had surgery on my pelvic floor and there is exactly 0 data about pregnancy after the surgery. At any rate, I just wanted to let you know that there are others out there wrestling with similar questions and that I hope you find the answers you need!

About your kids being too far apart and not playing together: my older boy is 11 and my younger one is 3. It has been wonderful having them that far apart! There has never been an issue of them not playing together--my older son was sooooo ready to be a big brother by the time the younger one showed up that he has been totally enamored with him ever since he was born. They wrestle and play and goof around just like I remember my siblings doing. They never seem to quit either--last night I had to tell them repeatedly to STOP TALKING & GIGGLING NOW or else because they would not be quiet once I put them to bed!

He has been such an amazing help too--he's on permanent diaper duty (in fact, one of the good Professor's first sentences was, "Mashew, diaper dooey!") In the mornings when I want to sleep in, Capt. Knuckle is old enough to get breakfast for both of them and knows not to wake the sleeping bear (that would be me).

I look at moms with kids really close and I don't know how they do it!!! How do they get anything done around the house without an older sib to distract the toddlers? How do they go grocery shopping? Take a shower? Have a nap? Having my boys (unintentionally) 8 years apart has turned out to be such an unexpected blessing.

Here's a pic of the two of them about 2 hours after the Professor arrived. They have been head over heels in love with each other as brothers ever since.

No worries mama, your older one will love the younger one, no matter when they show up on the scene or how they get there.