Hi There,
I had a SAH in 2018, I was 12 weeks pregnant at the time. I was healthy, no blood pressure issues, non smoker etc.
I got a sudden headache with being sick but didn't have any other symptoms. I knew something wasn't right and went to A&E. Everyone aired on the side of caution because I was pregnant - but everyone thought it was a pregnancy related migraine. The CT scan showed a SAH - which was caused by the artery wall dissecting, it essentially just opened up as if it has been cut.
There was no known reason for this - no aneurysm, no AVM, no trauma. The neurologist explained to me that it was likely the vessel wall was weak from birth and it may have happened before pregnancy, afterwards, during or never.
They suspect pregnancy may have increased the risk due to blood pressure fluctuations during pregnancy, but my blood pressure was always stable throughout my entire pregnancy...so I just don't understand and I don't think I will ever get the answers. I was 28 at the time. The vessel was coiled and is now totally occluded.
My daughter survived the process and is now a healthy 3 (nearly 4) year old. I genuinely had the most amazing pregnancy - despite the SAH I had an amazing pregnancy. I felt so incredibly well and I genuinely loved every second of it - I was just so grateful to be alive, to be well and for my baby to be ok. despite having an area of brain damage - I have no lasting impact (that I am aware of - maybe a bit slower with word finding and some recollection, but nothing which I could say impacts day to day functioning in a huge way)
I feel like a walking miracle (which also makes me feel guilty for being so anxious).
Fast forward 4 years and I am now in a PSTD response. I am incredibly anxious, flashbacks, dreams etc. I feel so frightened by the idea that my vessels can just decide to essentially fart and open up.
I have been told that there is no evidence to say I am going to be prone to this happening again, my cath-angio and MRI scans have all been clear of anything which would suggest abnormalities or risks of further incidents. I want to have another child BUT I am too frightened.
I have spoken to neurology and they have said they cant tell me whether or not I would be fine with another pregnancy in a definitive way, they have said "is the risk zero, no. but is it high, no".
Has anyone else has a similar experience during pregnancy (SAH with no known cause) and went on to have another child?
