Comments on: In Which Modern Medical Science Freaks Me the Hell Out

By: Know the Problem....

Know the Problem.... — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 23:02:59 +0000

I enjoyed reading your comments about echogenic bowel while frantically googling about it this evening (my baby has it too). Well, that is to say, my baby might have had it last month, but a different doctor told me at a followup ultrasound that it looked normal to him, but he can’t say what the other doctor had seen. So go figure. I had a soft marker for down syndrome with my first pregnancy and thought that was pretty annoying (I was 30 and my odds for DS with all the other testing were something like 1 in 7000, with the soft marker supposedly increasing those odds to 1 in 3000, but I still had the “well, if you want to terminate you can go out of state” with a genetic counselor at 27 weeks) and this time, of course, I get one that is not only entirely non-specific but also completely subjective! They don’t know if it’s really there and they don’t know what causes it or what it means. Great. First I freaked out about Down Syndrome, then I freaked out about cystic fibrosis (even though I had already tested negative. The doctor: “but there are thousands of mutations and we only tested you for 25. Let’s test for 5 more.”) Now I’m worried about CMV, because of course I have antibodies to it and no one knows exactly when I got it. I think if I ever have another baby I will refuse all ultrasounds and prenatal testing. Hey, that’s how most of the world does it, and that’s how my parents did it. Will I get a two-headed baby that way? Horns?

By: Brad K.

Brad K. — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:35:13 +0000

Yay! A girl!

By: Carbonel

Carbonel — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 03:28:56 +0000

…and one of my dearest friends got a false postive, and her OBGYN tried to convince her to abort. Thankfully, she refused, as the little guy (not so little anymore.. I think he’s going to be 10 this year. Oy.) is just fine.

Godspeed.

By: MoDLin

MoDLin — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:46:04 +0000

Not to diminish your concerns or chuckle at your paranoia, I get a very large charge out of the way you write. It brings back so many memories – and hindsight helps highlight the hilarity.

Yes, echogenic bowel can be the sign of a few not-so-lovely situations, but it also can mean a big fat nothing and resolve itself over time. All your other tests/signs look great. I’d go with the “resolve over time” scenario. That being said, I’m totally aware of how difficult the waiting game will be and I’m sorry you’ll be put through that. Thinking of you.

By: Chandler

Chandler — Tue, 26 May 2009 13:35:00 +0000

I had our 3rd at 39 3/4 (turned 40 3 mths later) and had the joys, stresses and tribulations of the “advanced maternal age” bs. They have to say all those things but I agree they could learn a little bedside manner when dealing with hormone-crazed moms. You’ve had healthy pregnany before so this one should be too. Don’t worry too much.

By: Locomotive Breath

Locomotive Breath — Tue, 26 May 2009 13:15:56 +0000

“Well, your odds are good, but they aren’t zero. Still, if you aren’t planning to terminate, no sense in doing amnio.”

Han Solo said, “Never tell me the odds”. Don’t blame the doctor for telling you this stuff. Blame the lawyers who circle the OB’s office just looking to file a lawsuit because the patient didn’t get full disclosure.

If you would not terminate a pregnancy under any circumstance then all this stuff from the docs is a waste of time. Just ignore them and all their tests.

It WILL be fine.

By: Sarah G.

Sarah G. — Mon, 25 May 2009 01:27:03 +0000

Please excuse the horrible types above. It’s been a long day.

By: Sarah G.

Sarah G. — Mon, 25 May 2009 01:26:07 +0000

During my last pregnancy I had the double pleasure of advanced maternal age (36) and twins. We opted for no amino, because we could have: A no problems with the babies and no miscarrage, B only one fetus has problems, but we could loose (and not necessarily the one with issues) one or both, C the fetuses could have no problems and lose one and most likely both. Since I had already had three miscarriages before (two before my first child and one before the twins) there was no way in hell I was going to ride on that fun filled trip.

I had a level two ultrasound and called it a day. Oh and the twins, they are seven years old and both smart as a whip.

By: Roberta Smith

Roberta Smith — Sun, 24 May 2009 08:26:54 +0000

All I can say is OMG, there should be a Doctors’ oath that goes beyond the promise to preserve life — a equally balanced oath to provide comfort and guidance with as little distress as possible.

I am just so thoroughly appalled. But at the same time, I am sending hand-holding, pillow-fluffing, positive vibes, and encouragement that all will be well. My mother had eleven kids with no pre-natal visits, no doctors, all delivered by my father, and we were all fine. That tells me that pregnancy is natural and is meant to be accomplished with little interference.
I’m not a doctor, but I sincerely wish I were so that I could give good solid reassurance that could ease your mind from all this scary stuff that sounds more like it was given to you to prove to you that your medical advisors know all their stuff rather than given in the vein of a ‘positive, encouraging, and helpful bedside manner.’

By: Dr. Davis

Dr. Davis — Sat, 23 May 2009 23:29:53 +0000

I had very hard pregnancies and my babies are both fine. My sister was told after testing that she would have a Downs baby. She didn’t. So… I can’t really give you any comfort other than that.