Joining the "I hate Ultrasounds" crowd - Page 3 « Back to Group Discussions

[Masel]

My baby is a ninja. He's always jumping around doing martial arts but likes to hide from dopplers and ultrasounds. Sneaky baby.

I've had 7 ultrasounds. (One was because the doppler's batteries died and the u/s machine was right there. All she did was use to establish the heartbeat.) I had 12 u/s with my last pregnancy and unless something crazy happens I don't think we'll make it to that. There is a level of concern due to my endocrine issues and advanced maternal age but overall the doctors seem more chilled out about me than last time. They had me see a different doctor in the practice from 6 months on last time since my doc doesn't deliver anymore and maybe she was just more anxious. That doc was always on me about weight and this time I'm sure I'm tracking exactly the same if not slightly more and my current doctor says great. 

I guess I'm okay with u/s because they've told me all good things so far. I have three friends for whom serious issues were detected via u/s and they could put themselves in the best position for care. (This was stuff like polycyctic kidneys and a heart condition that required a pacemaker.) I hate that there is a political implication that we, as women, should have less information, be less informed. I'd want to know and I'm not going to blame the messenger ultrasound. 

[casmer]

Originally Posted by Masel 

I hate that there is a political implication that we, as women, should have less information, be less informed. I'd want to know and I'm not going to blame the messenger ultrasound. 

I'm not really sure what you mean by "political implication", but I think it's important to remember that we're all trying to do not only what's best for ourselves, but for our growing babies.  What's "best" will mean different things to different people and there's nothing wrong with that. 

[rozziemama]

Yes - there are always many sides to these stories - I mean, as someone who had a perfectly pleasant experience with ultrasound my last pregnancy - I had 3 - one at 8 weeks to establish heartbeat and confirm pregnancy, one at 18 weeks, and then another at something crazy like 39 weeks to confirm baby was head down - all were positive and really, quite joyful experiences - I didn't expect to end up so angry/frustrated because of ultrasounds this time around. And I have no DOUBT that u/s is amazing technology - able to detect serious problems and save mother/baby lives, etc. I definitely don't want to discount that. Thank god for our technology, seriously. 

At the same time, the experience I have had this pregnancy i think speaks to the more negative side -- it's more about hospital/medical system interpretation of results and reliance on ultrasounds for more questionable things like measurements... ultimately meaningless results that sent me for more interventions (just blood tests, but I nearly had an amnio at 20 weeks because of the femur measurement issue that ultimately was nothing) ... so it's been frustrating. For me. 

Amazing to see the little guy on the screen, but clouded by anxiety and fear when it (*hopefully*) shouldn't have been ... my pregnancy is still full of anxiety as a result of all of it. :( 
 

Originally Posted by casmer 

I'm not really sure what you mean by "political implication", but I think it's important to remember that we're all trying to do not only what's best for ourselves, but for our growing babies.  What's "best" will mean different things to different people and there's nothing wrong with that. 

[Just1More]

Here's the thing, imo.

I'm okay with whatever anybody wants to do.  It's a free country.  Well, it's supposed to be. 

But, liability and standards of care have infringed, in many, many cases on true freedom.  Doctors, etc, are so stuck on doing whatever they can, that they forget they are not and should not be the enforcer of "what is best."  So, the tension, and the talks, and the extra testing, and the "high risk" label, and so on.  Or, like vaccines.  It is maddening to me that in order to secure an exemption to vaccine (for school and work purposes), one must not vaccinate at all (or go to a place where it will not be recorded).  It's all or nothing.  That isn't freedom.  It's coersion.

I know it is possible to find caring and reasonable providers. 

I also know that I've not found ONE, save the chiropractor and my midwives, in 10 years.

[casmer]

Originally Posted by Just1More 

Here's the thing, imo.

I'm okay with whatever anybody wants to do.  It's a free country.  Well, it's supposed to be. 

But, liability and standards of care have infringed, in many, many cases on true freedom.  Doctors, etc, are so stuck on doing whatever they can, that they forget they are not and should not be the enforcer of "what is best."  So, the tension, and the talks, and the extra testing, and the "high risk" label, and so on.  Or, like vaccines.  It is maddening to me that in order to secure an exemption to vaccine (for school and work purposes), one must not vaccinate at all (or go to a place where it will not be recorded).  It's all or nothing.  That isn't freedom.  It's coersion.

I know it is possible to find caring and reasonable providers. 

I also know that I've not found ONE, save the chiropractor and my midwives, in 10 years.

All good points.  The sad thing is, at least where I'm at, it all depends on where you are/live.  "Back home" if I was being stressed out by multiple u/s and subsequent procedures and testing, if I decided I didn't want any more of that, I'd likely be fired by my doctor.  Of course at that point, I'd likely already be driving at least 30 minutes to the next town for adequate medical care...then what?  Where I am now, 1) I doubt my practitioner would fire me and if they did I'd likely be able to find another practitioner easily.  Anyhow my response was really to Masel's statement: "I hate that there is a political implication that we, as women, should have less information, be less informed."  Some of us choose to be less informed (for me, too much information can easily ramp up my anxiety), but for others all of these testing procedures don't seem to be making for a pleasant pregnancy.

I'm not really looking forward to ALL of my medical records being digitized for any doctor to see.  Especially thinking about how that could impact my children's care.  Like what happens if I take my kid to the ER for a broken arm and they see they aren't vaccinated (in the computer system) are they going to try and give a bunch of vaxes then??  and I digress...

[Just1More]

You're not kidding...

I am coming to believe that the "right to be anonymous" should be added to the bill of rights.

Originally Posted by casmer 

I'm not really looking forward to ALL of my medical records being digitized for any doctor to see.  Especially thinking about how that could impact my children's care.  Like what happens if I take my kid to the ER for a broken arm and they see they aren't vaccinated (in the computer system) are they going to try and give a bunch of vaxes then??  and I digress...