"Birth experience"

I have Crohn’s disease, which is active in my rectum. When I fell pregnant, I was referred to a clinic at Wishaw for extra monitoring throughout pregnancy as my medical history made me high risk.

All the way through, my Crohn’s and the immunosuppressants I take to manage it were a key focus. Overall, being managed through the clinic was okay but I did feel like I missed out on the community midwife experience - the clinic was very focussed on my medical issues, and I felt there was less opportunity to speak about how I was feeling.

I also didn’t get a chance to discuss my birth plan with anyone and saw three different midwives throughout my pregnancy. I also received conflicting information from doctors at the clinic when it came to my birth options. Being consultant-led did offer me reassurance because I was worried about the impact my Crohn’s would have on me and my baby throughout my pregnancy but it did feel quite disjointed.

I was admitted to Wishaw to be induced due to high blood pressure at 39 weeks. The staff who looked after me throughout my entire birth experience were fantastic but there was one element that concerned me and which I continue to think about even now.

There seemed to be a lot of interest in the fact that I have Gilbert’s syndrome, a liver problem which affects me in no way and I often forget I even have. I take no medication for it, I’ve never received treatment for it; it was explained to me that it basically makes my blood results look a bit odd. 

While there was a lot of chat about Gilbert’s, there was no mention of my Crohn’s. The board in the delivery room had Gilbert’s syndrome written on it. I raised the fact that I have Crohn’s and it wasn’t added. My Crohn’s was all over my Badger notes and all over my birth plan - including the fact that I was nervous about tearing due to where my Crohn’s is active - but nobody mentioned this. I had to keep raising it to professionals in the room.

When it came to delivery I required an episiotomy. The doctor carrying out the procedure asked if I had any problems with my bottom and I had to say yes, I have Crohn’s and it’s active in my rectum. This felt like new information for them.

I am concerned that this key piece of my medical history - I would argue the most important part - was somehow missed by so many people.

It was a relatively quick delivery once my membranes were ruptured but as a high-risk patient, and one who had been attending a specialist clinic, I would hope that those delivering my baby would take the time to familiarise themselves with my history and speak to me about it. 

I did have a mostly positive experience, but this aspect has stuck in my mind. I was very aware that inflammatory bowel disease can lead to complications in pregnancy and childbirth and felt quite anxious about it all, but it felt a bit like nobody was prepared for it, or interested.