Ever since I found out baby number four is on the way and realized that I would be, you know...over 35 (okay 36) when baby arrived, I have insisted that I wanted an amniocentesis. Let me be very clear that we would not terminate a pregnancy no matter what the results. But, I am a planner (okay, AND a worrier), and I felt like the more information I could have and the earlier I could get it, the better off we'd all be.
2 1/2 weeks ago I went in at 16 weeks for the big scary needle in the belly. Before we even began, my doctor said that sometimes there was not a large enough pocket of fluid in the right area (i.e. not right next to, oh say, the baby's head or something) and, in that case, we would try again in two weeks. Well, sure enough the only large pocket of fluid was right next to the little rascal's head. So, he sent me away and told me to come back in two weeks. He also told me to drink lots of water in the two days prior to the next attempt.
So, I drank and drank. We went back this past Wednesday. The doctor scanned my belly for at least 20 full minutes. There was our cute little boy--his ankles crossed and totally kicked back and taking up as much room in utero as he possibly could! No snuggly fetal position for him, thank you very much! Why curl up when you have all that glorious room to yourself, right?
The doctor said there was actually plenty of fluid in there. It's just that little one was taking up almost every square centimeter of it. Once again, the only large pocket of fluid was right next to his sweet little head (no big scary needles allowed near sweet tiny baby heads). So, still no amnio.
The doctor discussed our options. We could wait a couple of weeks and try again. We could go to the perinatologist I saw with the boys and let him try. Or we could go ahead with the Maternal Serum Screen and see what that yields. Apparently if the serum screen looks good and 20 week ultrasound looks good, the odds of there being any chromosomal issues will be similar to what they would be for someone in their early 20s.
We decided to go ahead with the blood screen. I told my husband that I really don't think God wanted me to have the procedure done--at least not at that time and under those terms (my terms). I'm getting another much needed lesson in trust, faith, patience...all things I am not always so great at.
This reminds me of another story I want to write about sometime--a conversation I had with a friend...a mom of much older kids...when I was filled with anxiety about one of our unborn twins having a potentially serious heart condition. That's a story I don't ever want to forget.
I am going to turn my energy from worry to where it should have been all along. Thanking God for the healthy, already feisty little boy growing inside of me and placing him totally and completely in God's hands.
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1 comment:
I'm a Georgia girl, too! I've had babies at 35, 37, and 39 and never had an amnio. I've known of women who've gone into premature labor from them. It is an awfully risky procedure if you don't need it. You usually get the extra fancy ultrasound once you're of advanced maternal age - LOL - so I just tell them that I'll have an amnio if they think I really need it, but otherwise I'd prefer not to, so I never have.
Blessings in your pregnancy!
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