HEP C...Baby Blues!

[needamiracle34]

  I am truly desperate to have a child at 43. I was diagnose with mild Hep C back in 2006 age 36.I found out at that time by my parents that I had a blood transfusion as a baby in the 60's due to RH factor by a disclosed donor. My first husband and I were devastated and had one miscarrige.I finished grad school for special needs & in 2008, he died of cancer at a young age. I remarried in 2010 and we have been trying naturally for a year..nothing. My hep C is still mild but, now I also have hypothyrodism (hasimoto disease) autoimmune kind:(  We tried IVF. 1st one failed, 2nd one low pos preg, but lost it, 3rd one failed. I asked about gestational surrogacy with this Dr and he said they don't suggest it because the person could get infected. We decided to go to a new Specialist. Waiting to go thru IVF # 4 once we get clearance. As having Mild Hep C...can  a gestational surrogancy be an option? If so, is there an agency for this type of service? All we can do is stay positive, pray... and hope for the best ....that things will turn around for us.... to be parents.I am truly scared and very upset!:"( Thank you for listening!
                                                            
                                                                          

                                                                                          

[rivll]

Sorry for some reason I misread your genotype thought it was 2. Anyway, with the new drugs coming out, you will have some options for treatment in a few years unless you join a study beforehand.

[rivll]

I had 4 children while I was infected (and nursed them each for a long time). I didn't know I had Hep.C until the year 2000.
All my kids are healthy and never got the virus. I had my youngest when I was 44 years old.
So, I think it unlikely you will infect your baby. Genotype 2 responds well to TX and the new oral and Ribivirin (that I am currently on) so if your liver is still healthy, it seems to me you can treat later.
I don't know if the HCV is affecting the problems you are having getting pregnant or not. But do remember that the disease accelerates as we age and it will not stay 'mild'. At some point, you will have to get rid of it if you want to live. Sounds strong, but I remember when I was younger and felt so well, I never thought I would be feeling the way I do now. I choose to say I am fighting for life, but I know now, what it is to be dying. Not pretty. So as you go on with your life feeling good, remember to stay close to your gastro or hepetologist- monitor your liver.

[needamiracle34]

Hi,
  I visited my gastro Dr. and my genotype is 1B and my viral count is low. I had a biospy done after I was diagnose in 2006 and my liver was fine. My dr at time ...told me to go ahead have kids, but I declined and started treatment in 2007 to get rid of it. I was on interferon and ribivirin for a yr and it went undetected. My husband died in 2008 of cancer and the hep c came back as the same low viral load. Now with my age, I am in a catch 22 and my Dr says it is very a... low risk that my baby would get it. My blood work came back and everything is normal with my liver enyzmes, but have mild hep c.  It really hurts that my hep c came back after all I went thru, now I'm afraid if I don't try and start treatment again....I will never be able to have them. :(  Thank you for responding. It is truly appreciated.

[rivll]

Your information is so incomplete it is very hard to know what is really happening with you. "Mild Hep. C" is a meaningless term. First you need to know how damaged your liver is (biopsy). If you are going to get treated, the pregnancy will have to wait awhile-even when you clear the virus the meds will be in your system for 6 months and you cannot risk a baby to that.
If you have no or little liver damage (You must see a specialist to determine this) then it is your choice. Treatment after birth, hopefully when the baby is a child may be an option but no one can tell you for sure but the Drs. who test and treat you.
These are major choices that I sympathize with, but you need to get more information about the condition of your liver.