Are you considered at elevated or high-risk for this pg? Come chat... - Page 2

[JenMidwife]

Originally Posted by preemiemamarach

...there are situations where I would consider termination (anencephaly, for instance), but it's probably because I saw so many awful things as a PICU nurse. I don't know- part of me thinks that intellectually, but the mama in me would probably just do comfort care at birth. I've worked with families who had babies with disorders that are 'incompatable with life', who were on ventilators and in a tremendous amount of pain. Nobody (parent or child) should have to go through that.

You are not alone. I would too.

[claras_mom]

Originally Posted by Guinevere

: That stinks! Policies like that are becoming more and more common, and they make me really mad now that I've become a c/s statistic myself, with my last birth.

Anecdotally, you can show up at the hospital 8cm dilated and simply refuse consent to the c/s. But....I don't want a bunch of people in my face. My experience with L&D nurses is great; it's the OB on call I'd worry about. Last time....I came in earlier than I would have because my water broke, and there was meconium. Nonetheless, I labored, labored down and finally pushed for like 5 hours, and dd wasn't budging. After all that--12 hours in the hospital? and all the time at home--dd was was still at negative station. (Stubborn. )

So when the on-call OB announced I needed a c/s, I told her that I didn't like the idea because of the hospital's policy against VBAC, and that we did anticipate a second. Basically she said, "at your age?!" I asked her to go away while we thought about it, and got the opinion of the nurse-midwife who'd been there all along.

Fast forward. The second appointment, which I've already scheduled, is an "education" appointment with an LPN. I plan a heart-to-heart with her at that time. Easier to get information from nurses, sometimes, than from doctors. And I'm going to research midwives for a possible HBAC. With the small risk of rupture, I'd rather not go unassisted. :

That particular OB is no longer at the clinic, so at least I don't have to worry about that. And I do respect my guy; he's just a little wrapped up in statistics.

[jenholle]

Originally Posted by Guinevere

Hey, for those of us considered "old and decrepit" by the medical community, I was wondering what, if anything, you were considering regarding testing this time around? Sophia's Down Syndrome was a complete shock to us (I was 33 at the time, and not at high risk), and while I don't regret not knowing ahead of time (we wouldn't have done anything differently, I don't think, except perhaps have gotten a fetal echo to check on her heart), I'm also not sure I want to be completely unprepared a second time. We still wouldn't terminate, but if our child had a heart defect or other major problems, it would influence where I would want to give birth. So I'm considering doing a nuchal scan at 8-10 wks. and then, if the results come back questionable, requesting a fetal echo mid-way through the pg. I wouldn't do amnio or CVS, so I won't know anything for sure, but I think this time around I'd like a bit more heads up if there's something I should be concerned about.

What are your thoughts?

Guin

Guin: I am struggling with this as well. I met with my peri. last week and he asked what I planned to do. I am so torn and DH is as well. Not much time to decide either!!! I don't want invasive testing so I'm nervous about doing this, seeing a higher risk, and then worrying constantly for the next 8 months!! KWIM??? What are others planning to do????

[honeybunmom]

Just "old and decrepit" here! Thankfully, not in the eyes of my m/ws. I'm 38. We'll just do the 19/20 wk level II u/s. I had an uncle who had down syndrome and recently went to his funeral. He would have turned 70 in June, the month after his passing. Attending that and seeing the community in which he lived and worked and hearing stories from people who knew him in a different capacity gave me more comfort around knowing what a full and complete life he lived and how that is possible.

My grandmother birthed him at 38 and went on to have 2 more children without d/s. One at 43, my mom, and her last (of 8) about 18 mos later at 44.

[Guinevere]

Thanks so much for sharing that story, Honeybunmom! I love hearing hopeful stories about people with DS who live long, happy, fulfilling lives. Although I know that statistically I'm not likely to have another Sophie, I would absolutely welcome lightning striking twice, as would the entire rest of my family. Sophia has truly been the most wonderful gift we never knew we wanted.

Guin

[honeybunmom]

Originally Posted by Guinevere

Thanks so much for sharing that story, Honeybunmom! I love hearing hopeful stories about people with DS who live long, happy, fulfilling lives. Although I know that statistically I'm not likely to have another Sophie, I would absolutely welcome lightning striking twice, as would the entire rest of my family. Sophia has truly been the most wonderful gift we never knew we wanted.

Guin

You're most welcome! His homegoing was such a celebration of life. It really and truly was. I couldn't believe how full the room was. Would you believe he was Burger King's Employee of the Year one year? Whether that was for one specific franchise or the whole organization, it's still a great accomplishment. He lived in Briar Creek in Rochester, MN and was one of its first residents when the place opened about 31 years ago. When we left the funeral home and headed for the repass, I expected to pull up into a institutional parking lot. Nope, just turned off onto a non-descript cul-de-sac of ranch houses. And walked into the home - modified for handicapped access (although he was not, some of the other house mates were). It was wonderful. A closet-turned-office for one of the administrators, but, otherwise, just a normal house. It was great to see where he had lived and how comfortable and "normal" it was.

[revizmomma]

DS had a heart defect (Transposition of the Great Vessels) & required open heart surgery at 7 days old. We spent 3 weeks at Children's in Chicago.

He is perfect now (with his wicked cool scar, lol!). But I was told that there was about a 20% chance that subsequent children would have a defect (not likely to be the same one though), so I will need to have a level 3(?) ultrasound by a cardiologist. DS's cardiologist retired last year & I am so sad.... He was incredible!


Does that make me high risk?