Lately, it seems as if all I've been going through is every conceivable prenatal test that exists. And of course it doesn't help to change doctors somewhere in week 10 of the pregnancy. I will speak about that later on or in a later post because it is something that upsets me. So back to the testing.
Combined with my new doctor and the one I had before, I've been to the/a doctor's office 5 times and have had blood drawn on 3 occasions and I'm only 14 weeks!
I am hoping that if I do decide to have another baby after this one, that the records will be there for these genetic markers and all of the extra testing will not be necessary.
So far, the most unnecessary test I had was an ultrasound on the 8 week mark to determine my due date. Unless you have totally irregular cycles or you had some kind of amnesia, this is a totally unnecessary test and at the 11-14 week nuchal translucency screening (a necessary ultrasound) they estimate the due date based on the baby's size, etc. In that way, you and the baby are not exposed to that many ultrasounds and you stay on the safer side of the ultrasound research. Some studies suggest that the high frequency waves may cause some sort of neurological damage and the number of ultrasounds/sonograms should be limited.
Otherwise, at about 8 weeks, I also had a series of blood tests. Well, I went to the LabCorp location and they took 8 vials (seemed endless). Thankfully, I've never been afraid of giving blood or having blood drawn but I can imagine the scene if I were or if Ami came along. Turns out that all of those screens came back okay and I was not a carrier for any genetic condition:) That eliminated another source of worry.
Last week, I had a nuchal translucency ultrasound and I got to watch for more than 30 minutes while my little one kicked up a storm and refused to get into a cooperative position. It was the best summer movie I saw so far and I cannot describe the happiness I felt. Ami hasn't been able to accompany me on any of these visits as he started a new job and he is on probation right now so he relies on me describing everything to him. Come to think of it, I never suggested to him that he needed to go except for the one where we find out the gender. I got four little pictures from this sonogram and today, I saw him pick up the picture and speak to it. The great news about this ultrasound is that the nuchal size came back within range so the risk of down syndrome is much lower. I also had two vials of blood taken at that visit since the new doctor ordered an integrative scan. I am not sure why she ordered the blood works as well but I think this was "new non-invasive research" from what I read.
Finally, I had another necessary test yesterday. There is a strong history of diabetes in my family. I thought that it was a bother having to go through it though but the doctor suggested that I take an early glucose screen. I had to be fasting so I scheduled an 8:30 appointment and sure enough, I was starving when I got there. I had to drink a 10 oz bottle of fruit punch flavored yuckiness with 50 grams of sugar. In the hour I sat in the waiting area, I prayed that this test turned out okay. Otherwise, I would be rescheduled for a 3 hour test that would require a blood draw every hour. Joy joy joy! After the hour, the phlebotomist took three vials (the doctor had also requested a thyroid and vitamin D scan). I drove to my parents house after, part because I was hungry and also because I wanted to test my blood sugar. It was about 15 minutes after I left the place and the reading was 105. Hopefully, it wouldn't be much different from what the LabCorp place reports and I am tolerating glucose well so far or either my baby has quite an appetite:)
It occurred to me while talking/venting to a friend yesterday that the reason why they were doing so many tests was because I have been married for 5 years and this is my first child at 30. Am I an anomaly? Do people have children sooner? At the time Ami and I got married, we did not think of having kids (really at the time we got married, neither of us wanted to have kids until a few years along) and we were still trying to become a little more established in life. I wondered if the doctors thought that I had been trying for a while and never conceived? That will be something for me to ask at my next visit (which is sure to come!). In the mean time, I thank God that I have insurance coverage and at the same time, I wonder if I would be going to the doctor so many times if I didn't.
Combined with my new doctor and the one I had before, I've been to the/a doctor's office 5 times and have had blood drawn on 3 occasions and I'm only 14 weeks!
I am hoping that if I do decide to have another baby after this one, that the records will be there for these genetic markers and all of the extra testing will not be necessary.
So far, the most unnecessary test I had was an ultrasound on the 8 week mark to determine my due date. Unless you have totally irregular cycles or you had some kind of amnesia, this is a totally unnecessary test and at the 11-14 week nuchal translucency screening (a necessary ultrasound) they estimate the due date based on the baby's size, etc. In that way, you and the baby are not exposed to that many ultrasounds and you stay on the safer side of the ultrasound research. Some studies suggest that the high frequency waves may cause some sort of neurological damage and the number of ultrasounds/sonograms should be limited.
Otherwise, at about 8 weeks, I also had a series of blood tests. Well, I went to the LabCorp location and they took 8 vials (seemed endless). Thankfully, I've never been afraid of giving blood or having blood drawn but I can imagine the scene if I were or if Ami came along. Turns out that all of those screens came back okay and I was not a carrier for any genetic condition:) That eliminated another source of worry.
Last week, I had a nuchal translucency ultrasound and I got to watch for more than 30 minutes while my little one kicked up a storm and refused to get into a cooperative position. It was the best summer movie I saw so far and I cannot describe the happiness I felt. Ami hasn't been able to accompany me on any of these visits as he started a new job and he is on probation right now so he relies on me describing everything to him. Come to think of it, I never suggested to him that he needed to go except for the one where we find out the gender. I got four little pictures from this sonogram and today, I saw him pick up the picture and speak to it. The great news about this ultrasound is that the nuchal size came back within range so the risk of down syndrome is much lower. I also had two vials of blood taken at that visit since the new doctor ordered an integrative scan. I am not sure why she ordered the blood works as well but I think this was "new non-invasive research" from what I read.
Finally, I had another necessary test yesterday. There is a strong history of diabetes in my family. I thought that it was a bother having to go through it though but the doctor suggested that I take an early glucose screen. I had to be fasting so I scheduled an 8:30 appointment and sure enough, I was starving when I got there. I had to drink a 10 oz bottle of fruit punch flavored yuckiness with 50 grams of sugar. In the hour I sat in the waiting area, I prayed that this test turned out okay. Otherwise, I would be rescheduled for a 3 hour test that would require a blood draw every hour. Joy joy joy! After the hour, the phlebotomist took three vials (the doctor had also requested a thyroid and vitamin D scan). I drove to my parents house after, part because I was hungry and also because I wanted to test my blood sugar. It was about 15 minutes after I left the place and the reading was 105. Hopefully, it wouldn't be much different from what the LabCorp place reports and I am tolerating glucose well so far or either my baby has quite an appetite:)
It occurred to me while talking/venting to a friend yesterday that the reason why they were doing so many tests was because I have been married for 5 years and this is my first child at 30. Am I an anomaly? Do people have children sooner? At the time Ami and I got married, we did not think of having kids (really at the time we got married, neither of us wanted to have kids until a few years along) and we were still trying to become a little more established in life. I wondered if the doctors thought that I had been trying for a while and never conceived? That will be something for me to ask at my next visit (which is sure to come!). In the mean time, I thank God that I have insurance coverage and at the same time, I wonder if I would be going to the doctor so many times if I didn't.
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