Anyone else skipping most prenatal testing?

[sibbis_d]

I'm having the "level 2" ultrasound at 20 weeks for anatomy only (gotta know boy or girl!) and nothing else. The list of tests, genetic and otherwise, that I *could* have was extremely long especially since I'm an older mom. My simplest answer is that I'm just not into it. I have a midwife so there is no pressure to do any testing so that's good. Wondering if anyone else is declining testing as well?

[amaayeh]

I'm not doing anything this time around.  My first time I had everything, last time I only had the level 2 ultrasound, and this time I haven't even heard the heartbeat.  I go back and forth as whether or not to have the ultrasound just to make sure, but part of me can't handle that right now with everything else going on.  I do feel left out, though.  :)

[erigeron]

I took a pass on a lot of it (wasn't even crazy about the early pregnancy blood tests and PAP smear since I'd just gotten them from another doc). I did have the Doppler used briefly just because I wanted to reassure myself there was something in there! We'll get the 2nd trimester ultrasound because hubby really wants to. Other than that I really don't want to subject myself to this battery of blood work testing for super-rare stuff, or a dating ultrasound when I know my dates, etc.

[Mamatoabunch]

I am having absolutely no testing at all, I haven't had any since my first pregnancy. I did have an U/S middle of preg second time. That is it.

[Momsteader]

I am getting a quickie ultrasound (like 30 seconds) at each visit as this office I am using here doesn't use doppler. They also don't check fundal height or anything. They measure one 'part' each time (head, abdomen, or leg) and check that it's grown appropriately since last US and that's it. So, pretty hands off for an all OB, hospital delivery practice. He also asked if I'd like any testing at first visit, and I said nope. So he just wrote that I didn't want any and hasn't asked since. 

I will get my iron checked sometime soon as I can have chronically low iron even not pregnant, so I'll want to know if I need to bump up supplements, and I will most likely do the 20w anatomy scan.

[Buddhamom]

I had a few viability US in the beginning because I am 40 and I just had my level 2 last week, but that is it.  No blood tests or amnio stuff like they offered. My midwife does check with doppler but no measurement of fundus she just feels it's location.  By law I have to have an HIV test

[jshannyn519]

I had the standard blood tests done and a quickie sono at 12 weeks to make sure there was a viable baby in there. I'm doing the level 2 on the 19th, and that's it. I did have a pap done at my last appointment because it's been over a year since my last one. I'm declining the GTT, the quad screen and anything else they offer. I'm seeing CNMs so they tend to do the entire battery of prenatal testing, most of which is totally unnecessary.

[BarefootScientist]

Me! I had the blood count done when I established care, and my midwife has been checking my weight, heartbeat with a fetoscope, and blood pressure, and presumably she will start to measure fundal height after 20 weeks. But no quad screen, nucal translucency or any of that. Haven't even had Doppler. I don't really plan to get an ultrasound, although I'm not entirely decided. I may get one later. I'm also undecided on GD testing, and I probably will do GBS.

[Knittin Mama]

Only thing I've had done is a CBC and antibody screen since I'm O+, which was negative yay!  I've had two quick scans in the room, less than 2 minutes a piece, we're going to do an abbreviated 20w scan just to make sure all major organs are present and proper, I've asked that it be kept to 10 to 15 minutes and my OB is totally okay with that.  Everything else I'm declining.

[Max'sMama]

Nothing here.  No scans. No bloodwork.  No testing.  The midwife and I hang out chat, she listens by fetoscope, I pee on a test strip, she will feel for baby starting at 20ish weeks.  We watch our big kids play.  At 36 weeks, she'll come and hang at our house for a visit.  Maybe she'll ask my weight gain.  Since I don't own a scale, I may or may not have a current weight.  She'll ask about diet, exercise and how I feel.   That is pretty much it.  We haven't done any testing since our first.  With that one it was the whole litany of testing and intervention and stress. I trust our current providers implicitly and cannot imagine going back to OB care or medwife care.  A hands off CNM or a hands off CPM is just fine with me.  And I don't feel left out of anything.  It's liberating to just trust.  

[littleteapot]

No tests: never have, never will. The only things I've requested was a urinalysis (which revealed a completely asymptomatic UTI, so it was good I did that!)  and a blood levels check for my iron levels and storage, as I have a congenital problem with storage that often leads to very, very severe anemia and it's important that I know how that was doing so I can adjust my prep for birth. Other than that?... nope. No swabs, no diagnostic U/S, no nothing.

[kawa kamuri]

Originally Posted by littleteapot 

No tests: never have, never will. The only things I've requested was a urinalysis (which revealed a completely asymptomatic UTI, so it was good I did that!)  and a blood levels check for my iron levels and storage, as I have a congenital problem with storage that often leads to very, very severe anemia and it's important that I know how that was doing so I can adjust my prep for birth. Other than that?... nope. No swabs, no diagnostic U/S, no nothing.

Didn't you have an US done early on for dating? I'm probably thinking of someone else 

[tracymom1]

The only thing I am doing routinely is the urine dip and blood pressure at the midwife's.  I have not done the bloodwork, pap, any ultrasounds, etc... She did listen with the doppler last time I was there because there is a huge variance in timing if you go by my LMP versus when I actually ovulated and she wanted to see if I was a little further along than we thought (which I probably am). She listened for the HB and felt my fundus.  By LMP I am 14 weeks, by ovulation and conception I am 16 weeks.  DH was out of town after we DTD for 2 weeks so I KNOW that is when I conceived, and I am certain I ovulated waaaaayyyyy early in my cycle.  I usually ovulate around day 8 or 9 and only have 20-26 day cycles when I am breastfeeding.

I may do a 20-ish week ultrasound to check the placement of the placenta.  I had some issues with that in my last 2 pregnancies (previa both times - in the first I had a c-section and in the 2nd it moved within days of my ultrasound).  I will probably wait until I am 25 weeks or so to give my uterus a bit more time to grow.  I am still on the fence about it, though.  I won't be doing the glucose, GBS or any of that stuff.  Not having all the tests to worry about and stress over had really freed up my mind and left lots of room for being relaxed and bonding with the little sprout!

[painefaria]

We did the routine blood work at the beginning and a PAP as it had been more than one year. We will be doing or one and only ultrasound on 1/17/11 and will not be doing anymore testing (unless deemed medically necessary due to possible complications). I would consider skipping the US but after 2 M/C in one year and a planned homebirth I just want to make sure that everything is okay in there. After my 1st m/c they had been monitoring a spot on my uterus that may have been a problem and they had recommended a d &c, which I did not do, so just a quick peek to make sure everything is moving along is the goal.

[sibbis_d]

Appreciate all the replies. Now I know I'm not the only one! I think I'm with the right midwife. At my first appointment I told the nurse I was not having any genetic testing and she said "I like you already." That was a relief.

[jshannyn519]

When one of the midwives told me that I was in the time frame for the quad screen, I said "That won't be necessary" and all she said was "Okay. We just have to offer it." and that was it.

[littleteapot]

Originally Posted by kawa kamuri 

Didn't you have an US done early on for dating? I'm probably thinking of someone else 

Yep, but that's not counted under prenatal testing I figured this thread was about (ie. to find deformities, et all). :)

[rach03]

I see an OB and they allowed me to refuse any testing other than the initial prenatal bloodwork.  They offered me the quad screen, the nuchal translucency (probably spelled that wrong, sorry!) ultrasound, CF testing...I think that was it.  I didn't do any of it and they didn't care.  The only thing that aggravated me was when they told me the state requires STD and HIV testing at the beginning and end of each pregnancy...this is my 4th time going through the prenatal bloodwork...I didn't have HIV or STDs the other three times, I am 200% sure I do not have it this time.  Oh well, blood tests are free with my insurance so I really didn't feel like putting up more of a fight on that one.  My OB also let me delay my PAP until my post-baby appointment.

I do have at least one early ultrasound due to my miscarriage history, and I do the anatomy ultrasound at 18-20 weeks.  The early one is also for my sanity and to keep me from worrying myself into a frenzy.

[SGVaughn]

Originally Posted by Buddhamom 

I had a few viability US in the beginning because I am 40 and I just had my level 2 last week, but that is it.  No blood tests or amnio stuff like they offered. My midwife does check with doppler but no measurement of fundus she just feels it's location.  By law I have to have an HIV test

its actually not CT state law ...the HIV test...someone misled you

I know some hospitals require it as part of their protocols...but its actually assault in this state if you refuse and they do it anyway....
I don't see its a bad test to get though...its a simple blood test...no appreciable harm can come from it...and it doesnt exactly have a high false positive rate...and is always followed up with a retest if it is positive...and you can be put on anti virals if youre pregnant and hiv positive to prevent the fetus from acquiring it..lowers the infection risk precipitously

if I was somehow positive I'd want to know

my OB office (multi practitioner group) doesn't actually check fundus...always asks me if I want the doppler, ..and runs testing by me with a lot of info for true informed consent

I didn't think I'd like a multi practitioner group as much as I have...every dr Ive seen has seriously been better than the last and I have a rather complicated hx ...

every dr has asked me how i feel, if I have concerns and has taken the time to go over any with me, and seems genuinely interested in my answers AND questions..and hasn't been the slightest bit patronizing

I did make it clear I was a medic and a pre-med student right from the getgo tho.. :) and they know Ive been pregnant a ridiculous amount of times with both positive and negative outcomes

so maybe that helps

[Buddhamom]

Thanks I will question the on that statement and , for me, anything requiring a needle is harmful in a stress related way.  I have severe needle phobia and I am not talking just fear.  I start to hyperventilate,  panic and get hysterically crying just walking into the office.  It generally takes them 5 sticks, two techs and an hour to get blood because nothing comes out. Needless to say my DH goes everytime!  With my oldest daughter he had to carry me out of there afterward and that was just for a preg. blood test!  I am definitely not worried about HIV so I will try and get out of that.