Well. In spite of my expectation of not even hearing from my new OB/GYN’s office for another couple weeks… the OB/GYN called me today.
She sounded more than a little freaked out.
“You had PIH and a clot before? Both your children were premature? You’re 40?!?”
Yes, I did have both children early – by C-section for medical reasons. Yes, I did have PIH with one, we’re not sure about the other… but it was atypical and we still don’t know what was really going on - it could be because of my first child’s massive issues in utero. Yes, I did have a PE (pulmonary embolism – the clot moved to my lungs) after my first delivery – but I’ve had every single test for a clotting disorder done by a specialist and the verdict was that 3 major surgeries in less than six weeks (one of which was the C-section) and a transfusion postpartum was just too much trauma and that’s why I had a clot.
“But you could have died, a lot of women die!”
I said I knew that, better than most.
“Well, I hope you have prescription coverage because I’m putting you on Heparin shots”.
What? Oh, fabulous, I thought.
I explained to her I didn’t have a single clotting issue they could find and that my second pregnancy was perfectly healthy with no anticoagulation (afterthe clot with the first pregnancy). She’s just too freaked out that I’ll have another DVT (deep vein thrombosis) and didn’t listen.
“Your first baby had birth defects?”
Yes. It was proven to be inherited from his biological father – we went through extensive genetic testing. My second child is perfectly healthy. This baby has a completely different biological father. It’s a non-issue.
She still didn’t like that.
“Why did you get pregnant?”
That question made me angry. I told her that we were using birth control and it still happened, so we’re dealing with it… but the implication that my being pregnant was such a horrible, risky, unworthy situation made me angry. And a little frightened.
Until now I didn’t think I was in imminent danger. My second pregnancy was wonderful with only a little problem at the very end when my liver tests were only slightly abnormal.
“You’re having an amnio…?”
No, I said. No amnio, no invasive tests. We weren’t comfortable with the miscarriage risk. If I somehow manage to carry this baby I’m not going to risk the baby’s safety with a test that would give me results I wouldn’t use. If this baby has a problem I still wouldn’t terminate. I already have a special needs child, so it isn’t the unknown, horrifying possibility it is for many pregnant women.
I did ask to have an NT scan and a quad screen… and a biophysical profile or fetal echo if necessary.
“We don’t do quads – it’s too expensive. Taxpayers don’t want to pay for that.”
So, the new OB/GYN ordered an ultrasound scan – for tomorrow, to be sure of my dates (I am sure, but she isn’t) so the NT scan later will be accurate. I was also told to come to the doctor’s office to pick up a “package” including my prescription for Heparin and requisitions for a whole bunch of tests.
Why do OB/GYNs never seem to realize that the vast majority of mothers work? I had to do a bit of professional gymnastics to get the day off for all this. Thank goodness there were no major meeting on my calendar for tomorrow.
I asked her what do I do when I travel for business with injectible drugs? She said she’d put a note in the “package” for me to use when I travel.
So, my plan is to have the ultrasound first and see if this pregnancy is healthy and likely to continue. Then I’ll pick up the package and deal with the prescriptions and tests – but only if the pregnancy looks viable. I was instructed to tell the ultrasound technician that I needed to know the date so I could phone later tomorrow to book my NT scan.
I also have to schedule a Pap with my GP sometime in the next couple weeks.
The new OB/GYN will then see me for the first time at 12-16 weeks.
At least I’m getting an early scan out of this.
I am not looking forward to injecting myself every day.
