High Risk Prenatal Care

I’m beginning to like this high risk care thing. I always thought that if you see an ob instead of a midwife then you would spend 10-15 minutes with the doctor at visits, compared to the full hour that you generally get with out-of-hospital midwives. I thought that you would be treated more as a number instead of the individual and unique pregnancy that you have.
When we went to this new women’s health office for my postpartum visit I didn’t think I would like it there. The office is huge. I also saw a less-than-stellar high-risk ob that day who didn’t answer my concerns and only warned me about sun exposure. However, they had my most recent medical records, so we decided to start care for this new pregnancy at the same office, but with a different doctor, knowing we could switch at any time if I began to feel like just another patient, with the same pregnancy as everyone else.

That has not been my experience at all thus far. In my first appointment I spent 45 minutes face to face with Dr. G. At yesterday’s 11 week appointment I had the most thorough physical exam during any pregnancy. We also had a good 20 or more minutes with him before and after the exam to discuss any and all questions and concerns that
arose.
Like the fact that in the next three to four weeks I might try to pee and not be able to empty my bladder at all. Yeah. That’s not a problem I ever thought I’d have to worry about in pregnancy. But because of of my tilted uterus and my cervix is so far anterior right now, there’s a chance it could block the flow, until my uterus finally moves out of my pelvis and gives my bladder more space next month. Thankfully, Dr. G recognized the potential so if it does happen we don’t panic quite so much, but we do move quickly to remedy the problem. He promptly had us store his cell number in our phones so we could reach him immediately if needed. Hubby asked how many times he’s seen this problem: about 15 cases in 25 years of practice. Lucky me!

Normal fetal development – 11 weeks (Babycenter.com)

Uterine retroversion and incarceration (Malposition of the Uterus – Medscape)

We also spent time with the genetic counselor discussing our options and what it would mean if we got the testing. This is our fourth pregnancy, but we have always opted out of the tests, knowing the results wouldn’t impact how we respond to the pregnancy. But with the new tests that carry no risk to the baby and yet provide more answers than ever before, a simple blood test is quite alluring.
So my 3:00 appointment was over at 5:00. And we didn’t even have to wait that long to be seen. The care that I’ve received so far as a high risk patient has been thorough, educational, and considerate. I have been well pleased and surprised. Next step: NT scan at 12 weeks, when we get to see how Baby Skywalker has changed from a tiny flickering dot to a tiny little human!