Today was our 30 week appointment. And if you are wondering - I am currently on a 2 week appointment schedule. My weight gain was still right on track. Blood pressure and urine tests fine. Measurements where they need to be. We listened to Carder's heart. It was what you would consider a normal OB Appointment. After the normalcies of the appointment, he went on to discuss what we can be expecting in the next several weeks.
During my first visit with our OB (Dr. Marvelous - or Dr. M for short), he mentioned that he considered our pregnancy to be higher risk. He has read studies (and has seen collaboration for these studies in his patients) that pregnancies achieved via ART tend to have a higher risk of 3rd Trimester Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes. From what I understand, the majority of the time, this risk is associated with issues with the placenta. The Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes are most frequently seen with babies that aren't getting enough nutrients from the placenta and aren't growing at the appropriate rate. However, in some cases, the adverse outcome has been stillbirth. Obviously, hearing this scared me quite a bit.
I am taking some comfort in the fact that Dr. M is aware of these higher risks and is going to treat me appropriately. If he feels that there is any risk that our son is not growing appropriately or that there are any other issues, he would rather give him a better chance to survive outside of me rather than chancing trying to get me to full term. My OB office in Georgia didn't even consider me to be at any higher risk - so I truly believe we are in good hands.
So, his plan of treatment for the last 10 weeks of my pregnancy is to begin to see me weekly beginning with my next appointment at 32 weeks. During these weekly appointments, I will be having a non-stress test at each appointment to monitor Carder's movement and heart rate. There will be an ultrasound at 32 weeks to measure his growth. And, according to Dr. M, "if" I make it to 36 weeks, there will be another ultrasound at that appointment.
I didn't think to ask him if he phrased it that way because he thought I wouldn't be making it to 36 weeks or if that was just a slight of the tongue.
Regardless, I will be spending a lot more time at Dr. M's office in the coming weeks. I can't wait to see him on the big screen again in 2 weeks and see just how much he has grown. And I will be treasuring every movement I feel and loving every last minute of the last few weeks of this pregnancy - the days are quickly passing and he will be joining us before you know it!!!
Showing posts with label OBGYN. Show all posts
Showing posts with label OBGYN. Show all posts
Monday, May 9, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
24.5 Weeks
This afternoon, I had an OB appointment. At 24.5 weeks, everything is measuring just as it should be. (I got my first fundal height measurement - which feels odd since I have had multiple OB visits now. Blood pressure was fine and my total weight gain (according to the doc) was right on track - which is great since I freaked when I stepped on the scale. I saw a different doctor this time, but he was fabulous as well. I really do think that I picked the right OB office. So far, I have absolutely no qualms with that decision AT ALL.
After the appointment, I headed over to the lab for some bloodwork (TSH levels and etc.) AND the 1 hour glucose test. When the lab tech handed me my orange colored drink, he asked if I wanted ice and told me I had 5 minutes to drink my coctail and then he walked off. I took a tentative sip and decided that I was not a fan of the orange nectar. So, I downed it. I quickly followed the lab tech out of the room and asked where my empty bottle should go. He called me a champ. I guess that some people nurse the stuff. I can't imagine why anyone would want to drag that out. So, hopefully in the next couple of days I will get some great news about my lack of gestational diabetes. I really hope to avoid the 3 hour test.
In other news, I have 2 baby showers in the works in Georgia. I will be heading back to the ATL area at the end of April for these showers. I am super excited about seeing my family and friends. And I am super excited about getting our nursery set up.
I have worked tediously on creating a couple of baby registries. I have always looked forward to the day when we could create our registries, but this has proven to be more stressful than I would have thought it would be. First of all, the big box baby store is over 2 hours from us, so making it in there to scan the items we want hasn't been an option. Most of the registry has been created online. It is much harder to compare 2 or more similar products when you can't pick up the box and read the difference in the two items. I did venture to the local big box toy store (which has a small baby section) and also to the local chain store (which also has a small baby section) and used the scanners. WAY MORE FUN.
The other thing I didn't anticipate was for the choices to be so confusing. I didn't realize how much thought that I would be putting into our travel system or crib or baby bedding or _________. It always just seemed like it would be fun - but the research required to make sure that you are getting the best bargain for your $ and the safest option available isn't as easy/fun as I had hoped. I still have a couple of items to decide on, but the bulk of the registry is finished.
My mom (who is organizing a shower for family members so that it coincides with my other shower) asked me to take some pictures for the invite and send them to her tonight. So, I leave you with a picture of the belly at 24.5 weeks...
After the appointment, I headed over to the lab for some bloodwork (TSH levels and etc.) AND the 1 hour glucose test. When the lab tech handed me my orange colored drink, he asked if I wanted ice and told me I had 5 minutes to drink my coctail and then he walked off. I took a tentative sip and decided that I was not a fan of the orange nectar. So, I downed it. I quickly followed the lab tech out of the room and asked where my empty bottle should go. He called me a champ. I guess that some people nurse the stuff. I can't imagine why anyone would want to drag that out. So, hopefully in the next couple of days I will get some great news about my lack of gestational diabetes. I really hope to avoid the 3 hour test.
In other news, I have 2 baby showers in the works in Georgia. I will be heading back to the ATL area at the end of April for these showers. I am super excited about seeing my family and friends. And I am super excited about getting our nursery set up.
I have worked tediously on creating a couple of baby registries. I have always looked forward to the day when we could create our registries, but this has proven to be more stressful than I would have thought it would be. First of all, the big box baby store is over 2 hours from us, so making it in there to scan the items we want hasn't been an option. Most of the registry has been created online. It is much harder to compare 2 or more similar products when you can't pick up the box and read the difference in the two items. I did venture to the local big box toy store (which has a small baby section) and also to the local chain store (which also has a small baby section) and used the scanners. WAY MORE FUN.
The other thing I didn't anticipate was for the choices to be so confusing. I didn't realize how much thought that I would be putting into our travel system or crib or baby bedding or _________. It always just seemed like it would be fun - but the research required to make sure that you are getting the best bargain for your $ and the safest option available isn't as easy/fun as I had hoped. I still have a couple of items to decide on, but the bulk of the registry is finished.
My mom (who is organizing a shower for family members so that it coincides with my other shower) asked me to take some pictures for the invite and send them to her tonight. So, I leave you with a picture of the belly at 24.5 weeks...
Monday, January 17, 2011
Welcome to the Second Trimester
I am now safely nestled in the second trimester! (Queue the Trumpets!) I am now 14 weeks and 2 days and I am psyched.
My morning sickness (or evening sickness as it was) seems to have abated. The only time I get nauseous now is when I don't eat when I should. I have always been super sensitive to being hungry and very easily get hunger headaches. This has not changed with pregnancy. Now, I tend to get these hunger headaches easier and they tend to be accompanied by the nausea. Prior to pregnancy, this only happened in dire situations. Now it is when I don't eat every 3 hours or so. The exhaustion also seems to have eased up. I can now stay up later than 7 pm without feeling like I am going to fall over. I think that this is probably the best part about sliding into the second trimester.
Today, I had my first appointment with my new OBGYN. I was told to be there at 1:15 and I arrived a few minutes early. Things got off to a rocky start when I still hadn't been called back by 1:45 and other patients (who had arrived the same time I did) had already been seen and walked out before I was even called back. And my bladder was full but I knew better to empty it before I gave them my urine sample. Things began to look up when my name was called. I was sent back to speak with a nurse. Instead of having to fill out all of those questions about your health and your family's health on a questionnaire, they actually had a nurse meet with me to go over the questions with me. She asked for details on the questions that I answered yes to and she was able to answer most of the questions I had. And I got this great journal to record my pregnancy in. Things were looking up.
Then she took me to the room to meet with my doctor. Let me just say that I LUV HIM. He was really awesome. He took plenty of time to review my chart, talk to me about my history, and answer any questions I had. He explained that they consider IVF patients to be considered "Higher Risk" than spontaneous pregnancies and that for that reason, they would be monitoring our pregnancy closely. This means we will be getting more ultrasounds than the normal patient and that we would be starting the weekly appointments a little earlier as well. Add to this the fact that he did another ultrasound for us AND the fact that he didn't write it on the chart so I was not billed for it. * And then add in the fact that he told me I could feel free to come by ANYTIME, without an appointment, if I needed to hear the baby's heartbeat for some reassurance. And now you know why I LUV my new doctor. Wouldn't you?
And now, for some baby pictures. Our last ultrasound, the baby was posing just perfectly for the camera. We got a marvelous profile picture and got to see it's little arms and legs waiving around. This ultrasound, the baby wasn't lying to where a profile picture was really possible, regardless of how hard the doctor tried. He attempted all over my belly and from several different angles and pressures, but this was the best we could get. I did get to see a close up of the baby's feet (crossed at the ankles) and I also saw the baby do a move that appeared to be reaching up and scratching it's head. Too cute!!! Our baby is about 3 1/2 inches from head to rump now - it is amazing how fast they grow!!! Just 6 more weeks until I get to see our baby again!
And now, some pictures of me. Just because...
* Since Derek has changed jobs, we are in that in between period for insurance. Our Cobra paperwork hasn't even arrived to be able to get the Cobra coverage and the new insurance doesn't kick in until March 1st. All of the OB visits are billed by this clinic at the end of the pregnancy EXCEPT for labs and ultrasounds, which are payable when the service is rendered. Since we have no insurance, I fully expected to be shelling out some cash for this ultrasound. But apparently the doctor didn't list it on the billing sheet as I had no balance due when I checked out even though I asked about the bill for the ultrasound 3 times.
My morning sickness (or evening sickness as it was) seems to have abated. The only time I get nauseous now is when I don't eat when I should. I have always been super sensitive to being hungry and very easily get hunger headaches. This has not changed with pregnancy. Now, I tend to get these hunger headaches easier and they tend to be accompanied by the nausea. Prior to pregnancy, this only happened in dire situations. Now it is when I don't eat every 3 hours or so. The exhaustion also seems to have eased up. I can now stay up later than 7 pm without feeling like I am going to fall over. I think that this is probably the best part about sliding into the second trimester.
Today, I had my first appointment with my new OBGYN. I was told to be there at 1:15 and I arrived a few minutes early. Things got off to a rocky start when I still hadn't been called back by 1:45 and other patients (who had arrived the same time I did) had already been seen and walked out before I was even called back. And my bladder was full but I knew better to empty it before I gave them my urine sample. Things began to look up when my name was called. I was sent back to speak with a nurse. Instead of having to fill out all of those questions about your health and your family's health on a questionnaire, they actually had a nurse meet with me to go over the questions with me. She asked for details on the questions that I answered yes to and she was able to answer most of the questions I had. And I got this great journal to record my pregnancy in. Things were looking up.
Then she took me to the room to meet with my doctor. Let me just say that I LUV HIM. He was really awesome. He took plenty of time to review my chart, talk to me about my history, and answer any questions I had. He explained that they consider IVF patients to be considered "Higher Risk" than spontaneous pregnancies and that for that reason, they would be monitoring our pregnancy closely. This means we will be getting more ultrasounds than the normal patient and that we would be starting the weekly appointments a little earlier as well. Add to this the fact that he did another ultrasound for us AND the fact that he didn't write it on the chart so I was not billed for it. * And then add in the fact that he told me I could feel free to come by ANYTIME, without an appointment, if I needed to hear the baby's heartbeat for some reassurance. And now you know why I LUV my new doctor. Wouldn't you?
And now, for some baby pictures. Our last ultrasound, the baby was posing just perfectly for the camera. We got a marvelous profile picture and got to see it's little arms and legs waiving around. This ultrasound, the baby wasn't lying to where a profile picture was really possible, regardless of how hard the doctor tried. He attempted all over my belly and from several different angles and pressures, but this was the best we could get. I did get to see a close up of the baby's feet (crossed at the ankles) and I also saw the baby do a move that appeared to be reaching up and scratching it's head. Too cute!!! Our baby is about 3 1/2 inches from head to rump now - it is amazing how fast they grow!!! Just 6 more weeks until I get to see our baby again!
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| 10 Week Ultrasound (Posed Perfectly for a Profile Picture) |
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| 14 Week Ultrasound (A Little Camera Shy, Best Profile Picture Available for this Photo Shoot) |
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| 12 Weeks Pregnant (In Our Georgia Rental) |
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| 14 Weeks Pregnant (In Our Michigan Rental) |
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Cancer and You - Volume Two (and other random thoughts)
So today was my annual appointment with my OBGYN.
Sidebar - Why didn't someone remind me just how much I despise the OBGYN's office???? I had forgotten just how terrible it was to be the only non-pregnant woman in the waiting room (unless you count the woman who was way past childbearing age who was there with her preggers daughter). I mean, seriously? Couldn't they segregate the place - you know, have a pregnant waiting room and a non-pregnant waiting room? The pregnant waiting room can be filled with magazines regarding babies and pregnancy and the likes. The non-pregnant waiting room will have People and Entertainment Weekly. Ahhh, bliss.
So, as I am sitting in my lovely paper gown that opens in the front with the oh-so-fashionable paper drape over my lap in the exam room that must be as cold as the Arctic Circle, doc enters room and wants to converse with me before my exam. Now I don't know about you all, but I have a problem conversing with my doc I see once a year when I am not hiding behind layers of actual fabric. He asked how things were going, I giggled nervously and told him we were officially infertile. (No shit, Sherlock. Don't you think he already knew this LAST year when you saw him after the 2 failed fresh cycles? Did you really think he thought you stuck yourself with all those needles just for shiggles?) Then I filled him in on our Adoption plans that were now superseded by the Donor Embryo cycle in October.
He added the additional STD cultures to my PAP with no arguments. He suggested adding the HPV virus testing to the PAP as well (sure, what is another test at this point???) and sold me on the benefits of knowing your risk for cancer is much lower and not having to have a PAP but every 3 years if you are negative for HPV. (Really? 3 years before I have to put my feet in stirrups again if this FET doesn't work? And you think you need to SELL me on this? Where do I sign???)
Sidebar #2 (or 5 if you count the other random thoughts in italics already in this post) - Maybe the non-segregated waiting rooms were actually part of his plan to convince me to have the HPV test added to my cultures)
Anywho...
So, I followed up the HPV cancer conversation with my burning questions regarding ovarian cancer.
Basically, he indicated that my risk is indeed greater due to all of the risk factors I had read about on google. (Delightful.) He explained that hyper stimulating your ovaries is probably what causes the majority of this increased risk - not necessarily the meds themselves.
The good news was that he didn't think the risk was great enough to schedule me for surgery to remove my ovaries (Ahem, they really aren't doing me any good, doc. Remember at the beginning of this appointment when I told you I am officially infertile??? Well, it isn't because of my hubby's swimmers...If you were asking me for my uterus, we might have a problem. But Dr. C is prescribing replacement hormones for anything those bitches would be providing, so if you want to rip them out, by all means...No wait, you are right. No need to get all jumpy there. After all, everyone gets pregnant after they adopt or give up, so perhaps I should hold on to them for a little longer.)
His suggestion? Birth Control. (Perhaps I stuttered earlier. I know I was having a hard time speaking clearly since I was naked. Or perhaps you didn't hear that part of the conversation because you could see through my stylish paper suit and my rockin' hot body was distracting you. Regardless, I really want kids...Birth Control will really F*#K with that "OOPS" baby after we just relax.) He indicated that being on birth control early in life may have offset some of the risk I have taken on by all of our efforts to expand our family. He also suggested that perhaps I should spend about 5 years in my 40s on BC to lower my risk some more. (Glad I didn't have to explain to you the fact that I wasn't ready to hang up my hat on my child bearing years just quite yet.)
So, all in all AND in all seriousness, it wasn't all bad news. I am glad I asked about the increased risk and I will definitely plan on adding some sort of BC to my life after we finally become parents. (Maybe even the kind that keeps Aunt Flow from visiting. I think that bitch and I have spent plenty of time together.)
Sidebar - Why didn't someone remind me just how much I despise the OBGYN's office???? I had forgotten just how terrible it was to be the only non-pregnant woman in the waiting room (unless you count the woman who was way past childbearing age who was there with her preggers daughter). I mean, seriously? Couldn't they segregate the place - you know, have a pregnant waiting room and a non-pregnant waiting room? The pregnant waiting room can be filled with magazines regarding babies and pregnancy and the likes. The non-pregnant waiting room will have People and Entertainment Weekly. Ahhh, bliss.
So, as I am sitting in my lovely paper gown that opens in the front with the oh-so-fashionable paper drape over my lap in the exam room that must be as cold as the Arctic Circle, doc enters room and wants to converse with me before my exam. Now I don't know about you all, but I have a problem conversing with my doc I see once a year when I am not hiding behind layers of actual fabric. He asked how things were going, I giggled nervously and told him we were officially infertile. (No shit, Sherlock. Don't you think he already knew this LAST year when you saw him after the 2 failed fresh cycles? Did you really think he thought you stuck yourself with all those needles just for shiggles?) Then I filled him in on our Adoption plans that were now superseded by the Donor Embryo cycle in October.
He added the additional STD cultures to my PAP with no arguments. He suggested adding the HPV virus testing to the PAP as well (sure, what is another test at this point???) and sold me on the benefits of knowing your risk for cancer is much lower and not having to have a PAP but every 3 years if you are negative for HPV. (Really? 3 years before I have to put my feet in stirrups again if this FET doesn't work? And you think you need to SELL me on this? Where do I sign???)
Sidebar #2 (or 5 if you count the other random thoughts in italics already in this post) - Maybe the non-segregated waiting rooms were actually part of his plan to convince me to have the HPV test added to my cultures)
Anywho...
So, I followed up the HPV cancer conversation with my burning questions regarding ovarian cancer.
Basically, he indicated that my risk is indeed greater due to all of the risk factors I had read about on google. (Delightful.) He explained that hyper stimulating your ovaries is probably what causes the majority of this increased risk - not necessarily the meds themselves.
The good news was that he didn't think the risk was great enough to schedule me for surgery to remove my ovaries (Ahem, they really aren't doing me any good, doc. Remember at the beginning of this appointment when I told you I am officially infertile??? Well, it isn't because of my hubby's swimmers...If you were asking me for my uterus, we might have a problem. But Dr. C is prescribing replacement hormones for anything those bitches would be providing, so if you want to rip them out, by all means...No wait, you are right. No need to get all jumpy there. After all, everyone gets pregnant after they adopt or give up, so perhaps I should hold on to them for a little longer.)
His suggestion? Birth Control. (Perhaps I stuttered earlier. I know I was having a hard time speaking clearly since I was naked. Or perhaps you didn't hear that part of the conversation because you could see through my stylish paper suit and my rockin' hot body was distracting you. Regardless, I really want kids...Birth Control will really F*#K with that "OOPS" baby after we just relax.) He indicated that being on birth control early in life may have offset some of the risk I have taken on by all of our efforts to expand our family. He also suggested that perhaps I should spend about 5 years in my 40s on BC to lower my risk some more. (Glad I didn't have to explain to you the fact that I wasn't ready to hang up my hat on my child bearing years just quite yet.)
So, all in all AND in all seriousness, it wasn't all bad news. I am glad I asked about the increased risk and I will definitely plan on adding some sort of BC to my life after we finally become parents. (Maybe even the kind that keeps Aunt Flow from visiting. I think that bitch and I have spent plenty of time together.)
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