Does anyone else's dr do a butt load of screening and health checks on fetus?

laila 44

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At 9 weeks I did the panorama genetic test which costed almost 1000$ it included pretty much every genetic disease u could imagine ( trisomy, desgiorges, triploidy etc). Then i did a battery of prenatal blood tests that screened me for every possible disease u could fathom including a full anemia profile, complete blood count and every known vitamin count in the human body. Then at 12 weeks my OB wanted to do NT measurements but because baby wasn't cooperating my OB told me to come back tomorrow at almost 16 weeks to try again. Although he said it doesn't really matter because I did the panorama it basically ruled out Down syndrome. So now I was told tomorrow I'm doing another blood test which is now testing for spinal bifida!!!! He said it's another routine test done at 16 weeks. Wtf?! It seems a bit much! And to be frank I'm fed up of all the damn blood tests!! When does it end? I'm low risk, 32 years old and so far so good. Does anyone else's dr screen them up the wazoo? I don't remember doing this many tests with my dd2. It seems every time I go in there's another test that needs to be done. And then the glucose at 28 weeks.... Argh. When does it end? Oh and now my dr said it's a new law and everyone gets a swab a month before they deliver to test for chlamydia and gonorrhoea lol cmon! This is silly now...constant testing for this or that...
 
well, you can always say no. :) They are not mandatory, at least, they shouldn't be. I think where I am, the only real "mandatory" test is screening for STD's. Which is kind of ridiculous, but it is what it is...

But all the other screenings, you can definitely say no to if you aren't comfortable.

With my first I had daily biophysical profiles and nonstress tests after I went past my due date.. and I asked them why and they said, it's just what we do. It's the standard of care. This time, I plan on declining the whole profile and just having them check fluid levels, since that is literally the only factor that would indicate a NEED to induce (according to my dr.). The whole biophysical profile was intense and I don't want to go through that again.
 
I have the opposite problem, really...my doctor did a progenity test back on Nov 24th, but I don't get results till Dec 22nd even tho I was told 7-10 days....they don't tell me what to expect, and my last 2 appointments have been literally 5 minutes...I'm thinking of opting out of some checkups. I find them more stressful than helpful, especially seeing as last time with the doppler the doctor blurted out "its alive! Its alive!" :-\ what an a$$hole thing to say...

But if I were you I'd opt out of further testing. It's unnecessary esp seeing as you had the panorama testing. I think they're just trying to make you pay more. Your baby will be fine, downs has already been ruled out with panorama I'd think.
Next one I'd do is for glucose at 28 weeks
 
Our office gives us an option for all genetic screening (we opting out of the nt scan and the 16 week genetic blood tests).

The doctor did an std screen during the first visit and a pap. Standard blood work was also done. I think they do check levels again later on (I haven't gotten to that point though). I'm not sure if they require the glucose test for low risk (I hope not).
 
I just feel like a lab rat. It's kind of annoying .... Almost like its never ending.
 
I have the opposite problem, really...my doctor did a progenity test back on Nov 24th, but I don't get results till Dec 22nd even tho I was told 7-10 days....they don't tell me what to expect, and my last 2 appointments have been literally 5 minutes...I'm thinking of opting out of some checkups. I find them more stressful than helpful, especially seeing as last time with the doppler the doctor blurted out "its alive! Its alive!" :-\ what an a$$hole thing to say...

But if I were you I'd opt out of further testing. It's unnecessary esp seeing as you had the panorama testing. I think they're just trying to make you pay more. Your baby will be fine, downs has already been ruled out with panorama I'd think.
Next one I'd do is for glucose at 28 weeks

What a ridiculous thing to say! How un professional wtf. Wow some Drs though...
 
I have the opposite problem, really...my doctor did a progenity test back on Nov 24th, but I don't get results till Dec 22nd even tho I was told 7-10 days....they don't tell me what to expect, and my last 2 appointments have been literally 5 minutes...I'm thinking of opting out of some checkups. I find them more stressful than helpful, especially seeing as last time with the doppler the doctor blurted out "its alive! Its alive!" :-\ what an a$$hole thing to say...

But if I were you I'd opt out of further testing. It's unnecessary esp seeing as you had the panorama testing. I think they're just trying to make you pay more. Your baby will be fine, downs has already been ruled out with panorama I'd think.
Next one I'd do is for glucose at 28 weeks

What a ridiculous thing to say! How un professional wtf. Wow some Drs though...

not to be lame, but when the doctor said "it's alive! it's alive!" he might have been quoting the old Frankenstein movie and trying to be funny. My dad says that phrase all the time, and he did it when we showed him the ultrasound video. he also used to say it when i would come out of my room in the morning, half away, lol! So i think maybe your doctor is just a dork like my dad, and he was trying to be funny? :dohh:

i had the same amount of tests, laila. i had the maternit21, and loads of blood tests. i'm the opposite of you, though - they're reassuring to me and i don't mind them since they're non-invasive.
 
I've had a load of tests compared to my first. Part of this is because this baby is being born in the USA, so things that they don't do in Ireland are standard. Part of it is the fact I'm past 34. We opted to have maternity21 because it was only 250 with our insurance. We got some other genetic one which tested for fragile x and other stuff because that was free with insurance. I will get the 20 week scan again because it's the USA. They do pelvic exams and Pap smears here too. I had the nt scan.

I find it all really invasive here, minus the genetic screening which I found to be a relief because I'm older and awesome because we knew so early it was a girl. Ive also had five scans which worries me, which were all started off with a tiny amount of bleeding and snowballed from there. I had a lot of scans in Ireland with my first because of complications - bleeding, barfing blood from severe sicknes, etc., etc.

Anyway, it's a total culture shock coming here for a pregnancy, the biggest being a pelvic check with Pap smear because wtf! I was NOT expecting that. Being poked and prodded really irks me, though, so I have found being pregnant both times really yuck. I think the USA way is really excessive, but I guess they get to bill more!
 
you can say no to any pelvic checks and pap smears. they're not required - any doctor who tells you it's required is lying. i had a pap smear because i was due for one, but no pelvic checks ever during my pregnancies. i've only had 3 ultrasounds as well, and i'm 35 and high-risk for my crohn's disease. i think it differs for every doctor.
 
At 11 weeks I gave 8 vials of blood for all the tests they wanted to run, and peed in a cup for STD testing. At 16 weeks I had more blood taken for cystic fibrosis and other genetic tests (I don't remember everything they're testing for). They also tried to do a pap smear on me, but I refused since my last one was less than 3 years ago. Also refused the Rhogam shot since we're both A- blood types. I'm low risk, but I think they just have a set standard of tests they run on all the pregnant women that go to this hospital.

They're paying for everything, and I didn't have the option of having genetic blood testing done with DD (just the invasive procedures with the miscarriage risks), so I've just been going along with most of it.
 
Jtink28 - I'm sure he was trying to be funny, but I found no humor in it seeing as I was 13 weeks, vomiting stopped (just nausea since) and not yet feeling baby so I was panicking if things were ok. I took his joke to be highly offensive as a FTM and am looking for alternative doctors because of that...
 
Ive had blood drawn at every appointment only because my thyroid levels have been really bad so theyve had to keep track of them before they decide to medicate me. I am 27. That is an awful amount of tests though. Thought they were all optional tests?? I opted out of all screening tests in every pregnancy so thats weird your doctor wants you to do them.
 
My doctor offers us the option and my husband wants everything done. He is there. It's his son and I always feel better with the peace of mind of knowing all is well. I don't like all the blood work but it's what I signed up for when I got pregnant I knew my husband was going to have strong opinions about my prenatal health and care. And honestly it won't last forever so I suck it up and demand a Cinnamon roll after every blood draw. And Murray in the lab is funny and really gentle.
 
The only test that was optional was the panorama. Everything else has been pretty much mandatory. Not to mention I've had tonssss of scans already and another tomorrow. To be honest I'm sick of blood tests they are an excessive amount and I just find it ridiculous.
 
Laila, if your doctor is requiring you to do all these tests against your will, I'd find a new OB/midwife. You are allowed to say no to any test/blood draw that you want. It's against the law for a doctor to force you into blood draws and tests you do not want.
 
Wow, talk about getting their monies worth out of it. This is really where is shows the difference between the US and UK.

We have have very few blood tests. A nice easy pregnancy has a grand total of three. One between 8-10 weeks to cover all the possible blood diseases, rubella status and blood group. Second one done at the same time as the 12 week scan to check the risks for down syndrome. Then third one around 28 weeks to check iron levels and such.


Even with a history of GD and needing the anti-d, I still only require an extra two blood tests.

They won't even attempt a smear test unless there's a very good reason for it due to the risks associated with it.

Can understand why you're so sick of it. Does seem very excessive for what should be a straightforward pregnancy.
 
In all 4 of my pregnancies ( apart for my 1st two i opted out of NT scan ) ive only had full blood work, NT scan, and morphology scan and GD test.
Thats it, i also had thyroid issues and a few bladder and kidney and gallbladder issues issues but that had nothing to do with bub.
And besides NT has to be done before 13 weeks and 6 days to be accurate so why on early he's doing it at 16 weeks is beyond me.
 
I had no tests aside from some first trimester blood work for toxoplasmosis, blood type (O neg.), Anemia and a PAP smear I did not want.
In a few days I have a big Ultrasound coming up that checks the heart and other abnormalities.
I don't have to do the Glucose test or tests for STD's. The Rhogam shot is also not mandatory.
 
Wow really? Here the Rhogam is absolutely mandatory or the hospital has the right to refuse you. Std testing is also mandatory or dr won't follow you and hospital requires it done. Last pregnancy I forgot and the hospital did it without my consent at 32 weeks when I went into pre term labor. Anemia profile and all that other bull is also required. I guess NT is not mandatory but I've yet to meet a patient of my Drs who refused it. I don't get why he's doing it at 16 weeks tomorrow since he couldn't get measurements last time but it doesn't matter because my panorama test ruled out all the trisomies anyway so what's the point?!
 

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