[Maria]

Hi Christina,
I'm glad to hear you're checking into some other consultations/opinions re ADR if you're a candidate. I think for your age that's a better option to investigate. It's not to say that any spine surgery comes with guarantees re outcome however at least best to get a few more opinions and try to make the best decision possible given information you obtain.

I've seen some women that had ADR come back on this forum and others reporting uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery so I think providing the outcome of the surgery is good there shouldn't be anything to prevent pregnancy/delivey and ability to care for your baby/child (this is a big part of having kids w/bad back).

I've also seen women who have had fusions report getting pregnant and doing Ok so it's really depending on the outcome of the surgery it seems.

I'm one of those persons that didn't have kids because of my back. I injured my low back in my late 20's at work. I went thru all kinds of back pain until my early 30's until I felt I finally had to have back surgery (used to work in Neurosurgery). First discectomy had a pretty good outcome but it lead to the dominoe affect and not too long later had surgery on disc level above which failed miserably. Back then there weren't good options available here in the states re spine surgery and I hadn't really heard anything about artificial discs in Europe (the early 90's). I was counting on that 2nd surgery to work because I too wanted to have children however after the failed surgery the pain was so unmanagable and pain meds weren't really given back then that I decided to not have a family. I couldn't have taken care of anyone back then and would venture to say even now it would be difficult.

Then again there are women with really bad back issues that do have families. If one does I would advocate having a strong support system around you that can help with taking care of your baby/child when you cannot.

All that being said hopefully things will work out well for you once you decide with whom you want to have surgery/what type.

Wishing you the best with upcoming opinions.