Nejad Bahareh MD Obstetrics Gynecology

Dr. Nejad delivered my surrobabe via urgent cesarean section on Nov. 25^th, 2008, after I was diagnosed with severe preeclampsia at 29.3 weeks gestation. I was a first-​time gestational surrogate, and was actually a patient of Dr. Gillott, but Dr. Nejad was the doctor on call that night.
After two days of hospitalization due to a rising BP and increasing proteinuria, my kidneys began to shut down and it was decided that I would need to be delivered immediately. At that point, she came into my room and introduced herself and explained the surgery to me in detail, so that I would know what to expect. She told me that due to the baby’s small size and prematurity, she would more than likely have to perform a high vertical incision, which would mean no chance for vaginal deliveries with future pregnancies. Thinking that due to the pre-​e, I would not be allowed to carry again as a surrogate anyway, coupled with the fact that I was nearly 40 and my own family was already complete, I let her know that I had no reservations about this and stated why. Soon after, I was wheeled into the OR and prepped for surgery. After several attempts, the anesthesiologist was unable to numb me with the spinal, so I was put under a general for the procedure.
When I woke up, my husband told me that I had lost a lot of blood during the surgery, due to the fact that the placenta was still so firmly attached to the wall of my uterus. I was in the hospital for four more days, very sick and in a lot of pain. During this time, I didn’t give much thought to what she and I had discussed beforehand about the incision, since I had already in my mind determined that I would not be a good candidate for surrogacy again anyway. Obviously, I was aware that the outer incision was horizontal, but assumed from our conversation that the incision on my uterus must have been made vertically. Out of curiosity, before I was discharged from the hospital I asked my nurse to check in my charts, just for my own knowledge. Much to my surprise, I was told that she had in fact not only performed a low-​horizontal incision, but a double-​closure as well. I thought it rather amazing that even in light of the fact that I assured her I was through having babies, she still made the effort to preserve my uterus for possible future pregnancies as well as VBAC delivery.
I am here to tell you that on Tuesday, March 16^th at 11:30 a.m., I gave birth to a 7lb 11oz baby boy, via *VBAC* as a second-​time gestational surrogate to the same friends I carried for the first time! I delivered at 40.3 weeks gestation with NO SIGNS of preeclampsia, or any other complications for that matter. Due to a change in our insurance coverage, we were forced out of the UCD system, and ended up at Modesto Medical Arts group, and Doctors Medical Center. They were fantastic, and I had a wonderful doctor there as well, Dr. Sean B. Clare. But it is really Dr. Nejad who deserves all the credit and thanks for my ability to not only carry again, but to deliver this baby VBAC after such a traumatic experience with my last pregnancy. Every doctor I spoke to regarding that situation said she DID NOT have to do what she did, especially taking the time to do the double-​closure, which was a huge deciding factor in my being able to deliver vaginally again.
I cannot begin to tell you what an amazing, empowering feeling it was to deliver my second surrobabe by VBAC with his parents there to witness the entire event, and my husband and doula standing by my side. It was one of the most profound moments of my entire life, and I have Dr. Nejad in great part to thank for it! I was robbed of that precious moment of seeing the look on my friend’s faces when their first baby was born, due to the pre-​e and ultimate cesarean under a general anesthetic. But I could not have asked for a more perfect pregnancy and birth than I experienced the second time around, and for that I thank her from the bottom of my heart!
I have since gone on to carry three more surrogate babies, one of which I am currently pregnant with, due on ¹⁰⁄₉. The pregnancy following the aforementioned, resulted in a repeat section, due to a fibroid… but the one after that was a successful VBA2C. We are shooting for VBA2C number two with this one, hopefully it will all work out. Either way, none of this would have been possible if it weren’t for the extra measures Dr. Nejad took to preserve my uterus the way she did. There are (almost!) four more babies in the world with very grateful parents, thanks to her!