Sooooo Stress out (Just found out have to go twice a week)

[lulu68]

I'm sooo stress out!!! I just came back from my prenatol check up and ultrousounnd and everything looked great...baby looks beautiful and healthy. Then I'm told that starting next week I have to go TWIC A WEEK and have what they call NST (Fetal non stress test) because of my age of 42. This is stressful for me because I provide childcare for working parents and all ths appointments are at all different times. For all you women who are pregnant and over the age of 42 or have gone throught this is this something thats requred or optional? I just don't understand, why so many appointments...ths will go on until I deliver on September 7th!!! Please advice!

Thank you!!!!

Lourdes

[Liann]

Lourdes - I had to go to weekly NST's. They made me go because my quad screen that I had early on came back with an elevated risk for some chromosomal abnormality. Anyways, I've already said that the next time around, I am NOT doing all these extra tests etc... If they want to do a few NST's closer to delivery, fine, but all these extra ultrasounds and visits with the high risk OB were just too much. My sister was almost 40 when she had her last kid and she refused all the extra testing etc... They can't "make" you do all of that. You might ask about doing once a week NST's and moving to twice a week if your baby isn't passing them all with flying colors. The appointments can really start to add up!

[melanalyus]

I had a ridiculous amount of testing done. But I had a high-risk twin pregnancy.

(hugs)!

[lulu68]

Originally Posted by melanalyus

I had a ridiculous amount of testing done. But I had a high-risk twin pregnancy.

(hugs)!

The funny thing is, not even when I was pregnant with my twin boy's did I have to go to doctor so freakenly, other than the standard for twin pregnancies. My gosh, I understand I'm 42, but I have passed all thr testing with flying colors and so has the baby. The thing is I have to go twice a week to 2 appointments for each of those days, one for my non stress test and then followed with a regular doctors appointment. Thats overkill to me! Thank you!!!

Lourdes

[lulu68]

Originally Posted by Liann

Lourdes - I had to go to weekly NST's. They made me go because my quad screen that I had early on came back with an elevated risk for some chromosomal abnormality. Anyways, I've already said that the next time around, I am NOT doing all these extra tests etc... If they want to do a few NST's closer to delivery, fine, but all these extra ultrasounds and visits with the high risk OB were just too much. My sister was almost 40 when she had her last kid and she refused all the extra testing etc... They can't "make" you do all of that. You might ask about doing once a week NST's and moving to twice a week if your baby isn't passing them all with flying colors. The appointments can really start to add up!

Liann,
Thank you for taking the time to help out...I know how stress out you must be at the time! The thing is I have not had one single problem, evertime they do some testing or ultrousound me and baby look great...baby is moving, good muscle, brain look great, everything! I think I would feel alot better if I was just going for the non stress test, but they also wan't to follow up for a regular appointment on that same day with my OB, that would total 4 appointments per week!!!! Thanks Liann, I cant wait to meet your little baby girl!!!!

[Liann]

Lourdes - My baby passed every test with flying colors too except for that stupid quad test which is known for it's HIGH level of "false positives". Every follow up test and NST they gave me afterwards just solidified that the baby looked great. They still kept trying to make me do more and more though. I think it has to do more with what my insurance was willing to pay than what they really needed to do. 4 appointments in one week is just silly to me. If your baby is looking great, I think it's just overkill. They pulled this crap with my sister too and she finally put her foot down and said enough. It's hard though because they make you feel like you are being a bad person if you don't do all these tests/appointments. Honestly, I think I'm going with a mid-wife next time.

[lulu68]

Originally Posted by Liann

Lourdes - My baby passed every test with flying colors too except for that stupid quad test which is known for it's HIGH level of "false positives". Every follow up test and NST they gave me afterwards just solidified that the baby looked great. They still kept trying to make me do more and more though. I think it has to do more with what my insurance was willing to pay than what they really needed to do. 4 appointments in one week is just silly to me. If your baby is looking great, I think it's just overkill. They pulled this crap with my sister too and she finally put her foot down and said enough. It's hard though because they make you feel like you are being a bad person if you don't do all these tests/appointments. Honestly, I think I'm going with a mid-wife next time.

No kiddding!!! I just talked to them, and they will not calcell my appoitments until they talk to me. So I will have to go in on Tuesday for my NSt 11:30, then followed by my second appointment at 12:15 with my OB. I'm guessing his going to try to convience me, but I will bring my husband with me ths time. Thanks Liann...Hang in thr baby will come soon...I promise!!!!

Lourdes

[welch]

Lourdes,

I just wanted to stick my two cents in. I don't know anything about maternal age and pregnancies or being high risk, so I don't know what's normal to recommend. The one thing I know a little bit about is that obstetrics is a difficult area for doctors in which to practice. Lawyers and malpractice claims in the obstetrics fields have made malpractice insurance sky-rocket for doctors and makes some feel like they have to be very careful to do everything "by the book". Your doctors probably have to recommend the additional testing and visits, but it may not be something that you "have" to follow through with unless there are problems. I agree with Liann - ask your doctor at your next visit whether or not it would be okay for you to just do weekly visits unless a problem is detected. There may be a waiver you can sign denying the additional tests. I don't think the doctors are recommending the tests to make money, I think they do it as part of a "C.Y.A." thing should something happen. I could be completely wrong about that, but that's the impression I'm under from some of my friends in the medical field. I bet your doctor will be understanding once you can talk to him about it.

Again, just my two cents. I'm glad your pregnancy is going well though - only 2 months left for you!!
Carrie