Little Women‘s Jasmine Arteaga Sorge drops a big pregnancy bombshell
Jasmine Arteaga Sorge of Little Women: LA fame had some exciting news to share on Wednesday. The reality star announced that, as the next glowing mama on the show, she’s expecting a little sibling for her 2-year-old, Mason. She shared the news in a post that linked to her announcement, and she called herself blessed, adding that little Mason is over the moon about being a big brother.
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Yes it is true…… We are expecting baby #2 @chris_sorge thank you lord for this blessing, Mason is so excited to be a big brother! Check out our article on people.com @people so excited to share our journey with all of you!
The soon-to-be mother of two told People that she and her husband, Chris, will wait to learn the baby’s sex, and then she dropped a little bit of a bombshell. Because she has a low immune system, she’ll be monitored closely during the pregnancy — apparently she’s at risk for leukemia.
This particular health concern stems from the specific type of dwarfism Sorge has — cartilage-hair hypoplasia, which, among other things, affects her white blood cell count and limits her body’s immune system, putting her at an elevated risk for leukemia and lymphoma.
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As with average-height women, little people can experience a range of complications in pregnancy, like preterm labor or respiratory problems. There’s no denying, though, that leukemia and pregnancy make for one scary combo.
Another great Baby shower! Showered by my coworkers. Thank you @chari_frances and @debramitchell58 for making it so special
That’s because once a patient receives a diagnosis, doctors don’t want them to wait to begin treatment and will encourage pregnant patients to treat their leukemia as they normally would. The problem, of course, is that the chemotherapy required to treat the disease is heavy-duty stuff. Women who experience pregnancy and leukemia at the same time have dual fears to work through — what their own prognosis is, and how it will affect their growing baby.
The first trimester carries the most risk, and 10 to 20 percent of maternal leukemia cases will result in fetal malformation or miscarriage at that time. Once the patient is into the second trimester, though, things look significantly more positive. The bigger the baby gets, the more likely they will pull through complication free.
The important thing for expectant moms who are diagnosed with leukemia, though, is that they get treatment no matter what. There is a risk to the baby, for sure, but as any OB-GYN worth their salt will tell you, a healthy mom is the key to a healthy, happy baby too.
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Fortunately for Sorge, that’s jumping the gun a little. While her dwarfism may put her at risk for the disease down the road, she hasn’t received a diagnosis as far as we know, which means she’ll likely get through this pregnancy the same way she did with average-height Mason — like the boss she is.
She’s got other factors on her side too. At 31, Sorge is still young enough to not have to be overly concerned about maternal age factoring into the possibility of a leukemia diagnosis but is older than the age that many types of blood cancers develop.
Still, no one can blame her for fretting a little — after all, that’s what moms do! As her pregnancy advances, her fears will likely lessen some, and she’ll be able to focus completely on her exciting new addition. We wish Sorge nothing but happiness and health as she navigates her second pregnancy!
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