Conference moira::parenting

Well I heard that you should not fly in an unpressurized plane when 
pregnant becaues of oxygen levels (potentially).    Maybe that's the 
same reason given the altitude. 

    There are correlations with higher altitude and low birthweight.
    This is a normal request by OB's in this state.
    
    The OB from hell also asked me not to leave the higher elevations after
    25 weeks of pregnancy as she had seen a cooretion with going to sea
    level, coming back up to altitude and preterm labor.
    
    meg

    
    I live at 6500 ft.  During my 1st pregnancy I asked my OB if I could 
    take a weekend trip to an altitude of 9-10K, he said ok but that I 
    should not physically exert myself at that altitude and to get plenty
    of rest. I had no complications.
    
    During my 2nd pregnancy, I took a week long trip to a sea level 
    altitude and did not think to consult my OB before doing so.  He was
    quite displeased with me and said something regarding the increased
    risk of premature labor when going to a lower altitude. not higher.
    I still had no comlications.
    
    If the majority of your pregnancy is spent at high altutude, then you 
    are at increased risk to deliver a low birth-weight baby.  (Although in
    my case, my kids were 8.0 and 8.10 lbs so that blows that theory).  
    
    Paula 

    
     I'm about 2 1/2 months pregnant and I just asked my ob if I can climb
     14 thousand ft peaks this summer.. He thinks that's pushing it just 
     a little.  He said I should go ahead and continue hiking through
     out my pregnancy but keep it below 12,000 ft..
    
         Kim

For those who are wondering why those of us at high altitudes are at more
risk for low weight babies, it's because we get less oxygen here.  Same reason
why smoking pregnant moms tend to have lower weight newborns.  When the mom
breathes in less oxygen, then the fetus gets less, too.  My Ob told us 
(several years ago; don't know if this has changed) that babies in 
Colorado Springs average about 1 pound less than babies elsewhere at birth.

Babies here are also usually born with some degree of jaundice.  Nurses and
doctors who are trained closer to sea level tend to freak out a lot about it.
Our pediatrician said she has mellowed quite a bit after seeing that it is
so *common* here, and not such a thing to panic about.

      Carol

     
      I've heard that too.. I guess I was lucky..My son was 8lbs 3 1/2 oz
      and had no jaundice whatsoever. Hopefully we will be as fortunate
      this time..
    
    
                                        Kim...

    Kimmie,
    
    When are you due?  I hadn't realized that you are expecting again.
    
    meg
    
    FWIW my two older babies jaundiced, but nuimber 3, (also my largest),
    had almost none.  
    
    meg

    I'm the person Ginny originally asked the question for. I called my
    family doc yesterday (the OB was out of town) to ask his opinion on
    going camping in an area 3000 ft higher in elevation at 6 months 
    pregnant, and his response was interesting... He had his nurse call
    me back to tell me "The doctor refuses to take responsibility for
    anwering your question...period". I'd seen this doctor for about 14
    years and had a good relationship, but the last year or so he's been
    very abrasive - probably a good time to find a new doctor with perhaps
    a more tactful approach?!! Its likely hes trying to protect himself
    from a lawsuit with a pregnancy involved, but I thought the way he
    has treated my family the last few visits has been unprofessional.
    
    On the brighter side, I called our local hospital's prematurity 
    preventions center, and they were very helpful. Their staff held the
    opinion that it is not recommended to travel from 6500 ft to 9500
    ft because of the increased risk in premature labor - especially
    after 6 months. So...I think I'm going to err on the side of being
    too cautious.
    
    I have a 13 year old son that when I was pregnant with him, the OB
    never said anything about travelling to different altitudes, so when
    I was 7 months along with him, we flew to California for a couple
    weeks, and some time before that we hiked Pikes Peak at 14,000 ft.
    He ended up weighing 10 1/2 lbs at birth so maybe it was a blessing
    if he did weigh less than if I lived at sea level!
    
    thanks for all the information!
    -Adrienne
    

    Is there a definite association between "oxygen" and jaundice?  I find
    this very interesting because when I was pregnant with my first 2, I
    smoked some.  And they were both Jaundice.  I didn't smoke at all with
    my third, and he wasn't jaundice at all.  
    
    The 3rd was quite a bit bigger too ....
    1st - 6lbs 2oz (4-5 wks early, smoked about 5 cigs/day, jaundice requiring 
    	treatment at 7 days old)
    2nd - 5lbs 2oz (2 wks early, smoked about 10 cigs/day, very jaundice 
    	requiring treatment and addtl blood tests (for 2 weeks) at 6 days old)
    3rd - 7lbs 15oz (1 wk early, didn't smoke, no jaundice)
    
    In the interest of "fairness", the 3rd child also has a
    different/larger dad than the 1st 2.  All pregnancies were planned to
    be delivered early, though #s 1 and 2 were earlier than originally
    planned.
    
    ...guess I shouldn't have smoked!

    I quit smoking with my older son and he was still jaundiced, but that
    could have been attributed to my travelling to higher and lower
    altitudes during the pregnancy...
    
    -Adrienne
    

    Adrienne,
    
    It has been my experience that over 2/3's of newborns born at altitude
    have newborn jaundice.  I asked my DO about this, and she says it
    matches what she has seen.  
    
    meg

    I lived at an elevation of about 8500 feet when my first son was
    born ( I also smoked - not much, but some!).  He weighed 6 1/2
    pounds and had jaundice.  With my second son we lived at a lower
    elevation (Colorado Springs, which I think is around 6500 feet)
    and I did not smoke - He weighed 9 pounds 1 ounce and was not
    jaundiced.  My first son also was born with a low red-blood cell
    count which they told me could be due to lack of oxygen from
    smoking/altitude.  So being at higher elevations during your
    entire pregnancy can contribute to jaundice, I believe.  I was told
    during my second pregnancy to "take it easy" if going to higher
    elevations and to not go at all during my last month due to the
    increased risk of bringing on labor?  My experience!   Lila