What is the next step?

[Lauren31]

Just curious bc I see all these people talking about Betas and numbers and u/s and stuff. I have not gotten any of those things... I am getting labs (RH factor, etc) on Tuesday morning along with an orientation to the OBGYN unit at the military hospital and stuff. Besides that the only thing I have scheduled is a Pap (which I am trying to ocme up with a reason why I should not get it! - I just got one in November, is it REALLY necessary?) along with a pelvic exam and possible heart detection transvag u/s at 6.5 weeks. I am confused about what the normal procedure is for this baby stuff....

[wendimarie]

I think it just depends on your history and what you want.

I won't be getting any ultrasounds, blood work, etc. I had my pap done back in April since I knew we would TTC in May. Oh I also had blood work done then to check my thyroid. I don't plan to see my midwives until 10-12 weeks. This is my fourth pregnancy (2 births, 1 m/c) and I am not high risk so I feel for me less is better.

[rajahkat]

If you want a reason NOT to get a PAP, it's a good idea to wait until after pregnancy just because the cervix tends to be really irritable. Also, there is some question about the reliability of a PAP done during pregnancy due to hormonal changes of the cervix.

Oh! You just had one in NOV?! You could totally wait until your 6 week check up. Really, it would be just over a year since your last one, come February. I think even the most conservative HCP wouldn't have a problem with that.

Kat

ETA: As for me, I think I'll get some blood work done this time. I never have in the past because I know I'm RH+ and my Hemoglobin is fine. I won't do the STD testing because I've been in a monogamous relationship for 13 years. And I'm not interested in a pelvic exam, as I know I can birth vaginally, am not interested in having the pregnancy "confirmed" with a pelvic and don't feel the need to have someone poking around for no good reason.

[mtnmoonmama]

I also won't be seeing anyone until 10 -12 weeks. I am in no rush to have any blood work done, probably won't have an ultrasound and would prefer to wait until they can be sure to pick up the heartbeat on the doppler. I have 2 boys and have had 5 miscarriages and am still considered low risk because my pregnancies were both very uneventful and my miscarriages were all very early (between 4 and 5 weeks). I am trying to remind myself that if it's a healthy bean all will be fine and if not, there is not really anything they can do, so the numbers would just make me worry if they came back less than ideal. I know around here, especially for first pregnancies, the midwives don't really want to see you until 9 or 10 weeks....ob's may be a little earlier, as they are trained to intervene a bit more.

[Willowrose]

Don't they recommend PAP's every 3 years now? I never get one done during pregnancy, because with my first pregnancy I had bleeding right after. As a precaution I don't get them now.

[Mommy2Austin]

Just remember it's your body and you don't have to consent to anything you don't think is necessary. Personally I wouldn't consent to an u/s until 10-12 weeks at the earliest so there's no worries about seeing a heartbeat. Of course that's just me and I'm fine with just having my one u/s at 20 weeks.

[tmareeh]

Pap

I wonder about the pap, as well. I noticed that my insurance only pays for one every 3 years, so have the recs changed?

Congrats Lauren... I've seen your posts for a while on the ttc board. You must be thrilled.

Taryn

[FertileMertel]

You do not need a pap if you have had a normal one within the last year. Most obgyns will have the 1st appt with a newly pregnant person at 8-10 weeks unless you are having problems, are considered high risk, or have had problems in the past.

In reference to tmareeh who said her insurance only pays once every 3 years, it has always been standard to do a pap at the first ob/midwife visit in pregnancy.

Paps, in general, typically were done every year for women. Just recently the protocol has changed to once every 3 years due to new, better technology and studies have found there are less false positives when not done so frequently. (This is what my GYN told me at my visit in March when I was concerned she wasn't going to to my Pap every year.)

Hope the info helps!