first OB visit in sixteen years

Eucharius_Rößlin_Rosgarten_Childbirth

Today I went to an obstetrician. I haven’t been to an obstetrician since Faith was six weeks old, and she just turned sixteen. So it’s been a while. It wasn’t that much different except she wanted to do a lot more tests. One of the tests is an ultrasound, like, next week. It’s a “dating scan.” The younger the baby is, the less variability there is in the size, so they say it’s to determine the date of conception, and hence the due date. But I was charting, so there’s really not much chance that I’m off by more than 24 hours. Also, it’s to check and see if there is more than one baby. But even if I don’t measure large for dates (me, my uterus, which is measured at every visit as soon as it peeks over the edge of my pelvis) and therefore show twins, I’m planning on a full anatomy scan midway through, to look for anything that might rule out homebirth.

So I don’t see much reason to get an 11 week ultrasound. I haven’t decided yet.

Also, she wanted to give me a full pelvic exam and pap smear. I declined.

BUT! The whole reason I went is because I wanted the fetal DNA test, the one they use MY blood for, no invasive needles for baby. And I got it! The Harmony test. YAY! So in two weeks or less we’ll have a good idea whether the baby has a greater than usual number of chromosomes (and therefore needs a different birth environment, see above) and the baby’s SEX! Super exciting for everyone in that regard.

Although it felt a lot like Gattaca when they took blood to assess the baby before they’re even born. Kinda creepy. And not helped by the future-retro airline terminal feel of the hospital. The doctors are all in one long hall, with little registration kiosks staffed by identically dressed employees. Each little alcove is like a airport gate. Then, the offices of each doctor are behind doors that open with a keycode.

It was kinda weird. Pretty though. Very Brazil.

So, that’s the rambly update. The doctor said she couldn’t see me if I was planning a homebirth. I told her I was neither planning nor not planning a homebirth, but was waiting on the information from the Harmony test to decide. That satisfied her. And it’s true. She seems like a very good doctor, just, I don’t much like the whole mindset. We’ll see what we get in a couple weeks.

11 thoughts on “first OB visit in sixteen years

  1. The WHO agrees with you on early ultrasound.
    http://apps.who.int/rhl/pregnancy_childbirth/fetal_disorders/prenatal_diagnosis/cd007058_belizanjm_com/en/

    Are the results of the Harmony test skewed if you unknowingly have twins?

    You’ve been followed by midwives. What in the world would a pelvic and pap now provide that you didn’t already have? Doctors can be funny. But thank goodness they’re there for when they’re needed.

    I’m so excited for you and your little pea. Or should I say kumquat–for 10 weeks? 🙂

    1. You have summed up exactly how I feel about doctors. But this OB seems pretty okay. She does VBACs, for one. That’s cool.

      I’m excited too! I think the fruit n veg comparison on my app is a fig, this week 🙂

      1. The good news is that you wouldn’t find out the possibility of boy-girl twins until the anatomy scan at which point you’d be able to see their sexes anyway. And same-sex twins wouldn’t have the possibility of skewing results, I would think. So the anatomy scan would fix the problem it created all in one! 🙂

  2. You are so confident. All my births were induced and super medically by the book
    I’m jealous you’ve had all these homebirths.

        1. I get it. And I hope I didn’t minimize any feelings you have about their births, or seen dismissive. The way they get here is important. I wish you could have had something different, too.

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