Jane,

I would like to thank you for your article in Huisgenoot, about Hughes syndrome. 

In 2004 I lived in the UK, Torquay. When I became pregrant, I felt so blessed.  At 13 weeks I started bleeding, and after a sonar the doctors confirmed that the baby is dead, and has been dead since 8 weeks.  Everybody said miscarriages happen, no need to worry.

In 2005, I moved back to South-Africa and again became pregnant, again the baby's heart only beated for 2 weeks, at 8 weeks I was admitted to hospital to have have the baby removed.

Knowing something was wrong, I asked my doctor to do tests.  I wanted another baby and nothing would stop me.  I immediately became pregnant again.  My doctor tested for everything, and still could not find the problem.  It cost me thousends of rands for all the tests, with out a medical aid. 

As a last resort my dr. spoke to a professor friend of his, whom suggested we test for anti-cardiolipin syndrome.  I was so scared and at the same time so relieved when I tested positve. Now we know what is wrong. 

My dr. started me on 40mg of Clexane injections - daily, for the full duration of my pregnancy and half a disprin.  When people heard I was using Asprin, and I am pregnant, they went crazy!

I went to see a spesialist in Kimberley, whom said that only 1 in more than a million people will have this syndrome, and that if I have it the rest of my family will not have it.  Now after reading your story, I am going to pressure my family to go for tests, they all suffer from these syntomes.

My son, was born September 2006, at 37 weeks, I had a difficult pregnancy. I was more in the hospital from 30 weeks, than out.  My blood pressure - normally low, was escalating very fast.  And at my bloodplatelets started to fall and the acid in my blood started to rise.  After 4 inductions he was born, and had to stay in intensive care for 12 hours, since his heart rate and breathing was not normal.  Today he is a happy, healthy todler. And I will have him tested for this as well.

The problem is that the doctors are not really educated in this field. They all said it does not run in the family.

No one really knows which medication should I use when I am not pregnant.

I am now pregnant again, after having had another miscarrige, early this year.  I started on 40mg of Clexane again, and are using my disprin.

If only we knew about this earlier, it could have safed us so much heartache.

All the best with the campaign.  I will talk to every one I see!!!

Thank you