Interesting stuff Rhonda. Preeclampsia is one of those issues in pregnancy and birth where care givers preexisting notions as to its origins definetly affects their care. If you look it up in medline data bases etc. (as I am sure you have) some researchers chase diet, others genetics and so on. They all seem to agree that it is possibly some underlying problem with placental implantation probably at the trophoblast stage. These problems have been linked to immune responses and also to familial/genetic tendencies. But like everything in this disorder, not always. Which allows some caregivers (midwives as well as OB's) to chase their own theory around.
Anyway, I think handing down familial tendencies in prenancy and birth is an invaluable source of knowledge for our daughters. My own grandmother birthed her 5 children at home in the bush some miles out from Mareeba in the far north. Her doctor and midwife rode out for the births, only the first in a normal position, the others were 2 breeches, one sunnyside up, and the last my mother, was a transverse lie who was pulled out footling. And they all did just fine. Nanna must have had a roomy pelvis. Anyway my mother just had me, normal position, but of my three girls the first was OP/sunnyside up, the second breech, and my third was OA normal position. So, I think there is a bit of a familial tendency there. Amazingly enough I didn't have unusual labours with any of my babies, they were efficient and progressed quite nicely, it was just a little tricky at the end and I am sure it was the same with my grandmother. Regards, marilyn -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
