Monitoring by doc questions

[Tess914]

Hi girls,
For those of you in your second or third trimester, can you tell me how frequently you are being seens by your peri or OB and when that started? Also, what type of monitoring are they doing? REason I ask is that I am seeing my OB (who delivered my first son) who I really like, however, I am not sure if I am being monitored as closely as I should be with a twin pregnancy; especially since I delivered my son prematurely (at 35w). Thanks for your help!!
xo

[bennetsz76]

Tess I know your a little bit a head of me. I am still seeing my OB and peri only once a month. My DS was also born prematurely (36 weeks). I know that doesnt help but your not alone on this one either.

[stacyleigh]

Hi

My OB was extra cautious with my twin pregnancy as I had major complications with my 1st dd and delivered her at 34w. I seen the OB every 2 weeks until 24 weeks then every week from then on. I also seen a peri. Starting at 28w, I went to the peri's office and had twice weekly NST's(non stress tests). I also had U/S every two weeks until 24 weeks then went to every 3 weeks for growth U/S. I ended up delivering the twins at 35w4d due to a very early catch of the start of pre eclampsia.

I was probably the exception to the rule with the super extra monitoring, but I will say that with the excellent prenatal care, my twins who are now almost 8 weeks old now, came home with me at 3 days old. No NICU time, they even got back to my room before I did right after their birth.(I had a c-sect)

I would talk to your OB about your concerns. I would say that you have a very high chance of having the twins early since you already had one preemie. I would think that by 28w, you should be getting more care at that point.

Good luck
Stacy

[formerly sam]

My peri is renked #2 in the nation and he has been very cautious, and I even had perfectly uncomplicated pregnancy with dd delivering just 3 days shy of 40 weeks.

From 9-16 weeks he saw me every week (probably because I had a sch bleed). Since then this pregnancy has been "normal", but he is still seeing me every two weeks. I have an ultrasound at every exam to check cervial length and h/b's. I think it's just easier for him to find and check heartbeats with u/s than doppler. I am sure that in the next 6-8 weeks I will be bumped back to every week. Not really looking forward to that but I guess it's for the best.

In my opinion once a month is not really enough.

[Miss Conception]

My doctor has a twin pregnancy schedule and a singleton pregnancy schedule. Since I have had no complications with this pregnancy, I have followed the twin pregnancy schedule without any additional visits. Here is the breakdown:

Ultrasound at 6 weeks
Ultrasound at 9 weeks
Ultrasound and doctor appointment at 12 weeks (IPS screening done at this time)
Second part of IPS screening at 16 weeks
Level Two Ultrasound at 18 weeks and doctor appointment
Doctor appointment at 22 weeks
Ultrasound, Glucose Test and doctor appointment at 26 weeks
Ultrasound at 28 weeks and doctor appointment (and every two weeks until 34 weeks)
From 34 - 38 weeks I see the doctor and have an ultrasound.

[zcandice]

Hey Tess - I just started seeing the OB every 2 weeks at 22 weeks. I don't have any history of premature labor - this is just her twin schedule. I have ultrasound for growth and cervical length check at each 2 week appointment. She's planning on starting the NSTs at 28 weeks and I'll go every week at that point until the end of the pregnancy.

Hope this helps!
Candice

[Tess914]

Well, I just called my OB office to get better clarification of all of this and to mention my concerns. This is what they do...Let me know what you think...
-At 28w, I go every 2 weeks for an apt and after 36 weekly
-NST starting at 28 w, every 2 weeks, after 32 weeks then weekly
-Growth scans monthly starting now.

I asked them to add in cervical length check to the growth scans...don't know why they wouldn't be doing that but I just feel that I'd feel more comfortable knowing that I had a previous perterm. Since they are coinciding with the growth scans, they will also only be once/month. Do yo uthink this is ok? ugh!!!!!

[Miss Conception]

Tess,

I think you should demand that she checks your cervix. I mean, it's not like it's a really difficult thing to do. My sonographer checks at each visit with the internal "dildocam" and it takes all of 5 seconds to do.

[Tess914]

Originally Posted by Miss Conception

Tess,

I think you should demand that she checks your cervix. I mean, it's not like it's a really difficult thing to do. My sonographer checks at each visit with the internal "dildocam" and it takes all of 5 seconds to do.

I wonder if it's because although my OB has a sonogram machine in her office, every time I've gone for any "special" US, she sends me across the street to the hospital. I still don't know how I feel about not having it checked. It seems like a necessary thing to me and a standard thing from what you are all saying.

[jadjard]

I am currently 30 weeks with twins. My first pregnancy was a singleton and she was born at 36 weeks. I am seeing a regular OB and a peri at the local hospital. I too have concerns about how often I am being seen. I have been seen by my OB monthly up until now. My last appt was at 28 weeks and my OB said to come back in 4 weeks! Then she changed her mind and made it 3 weeks. I have not had any internal exams since the beginning. I just figured I'd have them by now to see if anything is happening. I have seen my peri and had u/s every 4 weeks through the whole pregnancy. They have not done any cerival length checks at all. Actually my OB gave me a script to have the cervical length checked at 16 weeks and the peri said they weren't going to do it and they would talk to my OB about it. So I go back at 31 weeks for an OB visit (which is just the basic 10 min visit with doppler, measuring the belly and blood pressure). I also have an u/s at 31 weeks. We'll see if anything changes at that point.

This all seems so laid back to me because at the beginning of my pregnancy, my OB and Peri were adamant that I do the Progesterone shots to prevent preterm birth because they said I was such high risk. I refused the shots and now they act like the pregnancy is the normal every day pregnancy. Strange.