Question- Decrease in MFM appointments

MrsP419

Ever since I switched practices at 12-14 weeks, I have been seeing the MFM every 2 weeks like clockwork.  I have been having cervical scans every two weeks, and growth scans every 4.  I always thought that was a lot for di/di twins, especially for what I read on here, but I was not complaining since I am up there for the OB anyway.  My cervix has been looking totally normal the whole time and so have the growth scans, so after my next appt in 2 weeks, they are switching me to monthly MFM growth scans.  Does it make sense to have a decrease in scans in third trimester?  Their reasoning is that transvaginal ultrasounds are not necessary if everything is normal, especially after a certain point, and as the babies grow in the end, the constant growth scans leave more chance for discrepancies/unnecessary worry.  That all makes sense to me, but I was not sure if people with twins typically get MORE scans toward the end to check fluid levels or anything else.  I also have been a bit spoiled seeing them every 2 weeks and I think going a month will be tough on me ;-).  I do tend to worry.  

I will still be having OB appts with doppler checks every 2 weeks, and will go to weekly appts with the OB at 32-34 weeks, but they don't do u/s without a reason.

carrotcake06

Will you have NSTs or BPPs? I was supposed to have twice weekly NSTs starting at 32w and once weekly BPPs. I only made it to a couple appts bc I had my boys at 34w, but that was the ramping up of appts, not actual OB or MFM appts.

24karat

I had neither appointments or u/s with MFM by 3rd tri with my mo-dis. My primary OB did weekly u/s to check fluid levels and weekly NSTs plus follow up appointments from 24wks onward and a BPP every 3-4wks. All files were forwarded to MFM for review though. I also did not have transvaginal u/s past 12wks, just standard ones.

whitehousem

I'm expecting mo/di and have been seeing MFM every two weeks (growth scan every four and scan of fluids etc. in between). Once I hit third tri my appts went down to only once a month at MFM with more frequent appts with my OB who I had not seen in months. At 32 weeks (next week) I start twice weekly NSTs at my OBs office. My OB does a quick ultrasound at each appt.

ajsweeton

I exclusively see an mfm. I had cervical checks every 2 weeks until 28w when they said the cervix will change and at that point they aren't as concerned about it. I also only had growth scans every 4 weeks since they said that there would be discrepancies otherwise. I usually get a quick scan at my appt just to check hbs but I only have the growth scan every 4 weeks at this point. I do have biweekly NSTs that started at 32w.

ETA: I'm pregnant with di/di twins

Sindorella

Pregnant with di/di here, too. I really don't know what is normal, since this is my only twin pregnancy, but for ME, I saw my MFM once at 13w for my NST, then at 23w for my anatomy scan, and again at 25w for a repeat anatomy scan to get a few more measurements that were harder to get due to positioning the first time. I didn't start getting growth scans until 27w and they will be every 3-4 weeks until the end of pregnancy from there. As far as my OB goes, it was monthly until the second Tri when it went to every other week, and in the third tri it's weekly. So, you definitely got a lot more monitoring in the beginning than I did. I do start twice weekly appointments next week at 32w... an NST once a week (reg OB) and a BPP once a week (MFM), so there will be a lot of looking around at stuff for the remainder of the pregnancy for me. I have seen sooooooooooooooo many different versions of monitoring especially with di/di though, I don't think I have ever seen someone with the exact same scan and appointment schedule I have been on now that I think about it.

AJC&Maggie

Expecting di/di twins. I've had 3 ultrasounds and have never seen a MFM.

MrsP419

Thank you!  I guess there is no "normal" schedule for twins, especially di/di.  I wonder when I will start NST; I have not heard a word about them since I first found out.

lynnyrd80

I'm expecting di/di twins too.  My MFM sees me every four weeks until 32 weeks when I will start seeing him weekly.  I don't know what they are seeing me more often for after 32 weeks like if they will still just be doing scans or if they will start doing NSTs.  FWIW, I've never had a transvaginal ultrasound at my MFM.  They check cervical length with the regular ultrasound.  The only transvaginal ultrasound I've had during pregnancy is the very first one where they look at the baby (and found two babies) at my 8 week appointment.

KatieGummow

The MFM stopped my cervical scans after my 28 week appt but I only went and still go once a month for growth scans. My OB does manual checks at every appt but no cervical US checks.

carrotcake06

To further illustrate how everyone does it a bit differently: I had one cervical check at my anatomy scan at 19w. It looked good and I didn't have another one by u/s at all.

I had an internal / manual check at 32w when I was in the hospital to establish a baseline but was never checked again until I went into labor.

I asked and was told that repeated cervical checks can be irritating and do more harm than good if you don't have issues.