1st tri Doctors appt.?

hibiscus118

Hi everyone, joining in over here from the IF board.  I have a quick question regarding 1st trimester appointments.. 

With my RE I had a 6w3d US and an 8w3d US.  I called an OB before the second appt. and told them what was going on and I'd be coming over from my RE.  They told me I'd come in at 12w to them.  I graduated from RE at last ultrasound and After talking with others, I'm a little concerned that this is a giant gap between?   When did you all schedule appointments at a regular OB?  Thanks for any input! 

LeFemmeViolette

@hibiscus118 My last appt with my RE was a 2nd ultrasound at about 8wks (last thursday). About a month ago, I called a new OB and made an appt for April 13th, which would be close to my 9th week of pregnancy. Like you, I didn't want a large gap of time between my two doctors- esp now that we know it's twins. Maybe you can call them back and ask for an earlier appointment. Do they know you went through IVF?

ChocolateIsLife

@hibiscus118 First off congrats!! I think each clinic is different, but I think I graduated around 8 weeks, and they wanted me to schedule an appointment with my OB for 2 weeks later, and if I couldn't see them within 2 weeks, to go back to the RE so that I am at least being monitored. If your OB won't see you before 12 weeks, I would maybe call the RE and see if they could fit you in for one more US, just for the reassurance. Definitely your call though!

hibiscus118

@LeFemmeViolette they do know we did IVF but I guess since I was being seen by RE they weren't concerned? 

@ChocolateIsLife thanks! 

I think i am I am going to call and at least try and get in around week 11.  Or call another OB and see what they say  I also feel like I should get blood drawn or something, feels so strange to go from the RE to nothing for a bit.  RE wasn't concerned about 12 weeks though. 

byrneme

Welcome and congratulations! I graduated at 9w and my OB wanted to see me by 12w, no later. Agree with PP, each RE/OB is different. It was my OB that insisted I get in before 12 though. It's an adjustment going from so many appointments, trust me But it's totally normal! 

tvh1982

Congratulations!
I had a scan at 7,5 weeks and then graduated to my OB. As they considers me as a normal pregnancy I got treated like a normal one and wouldn't get another scan at 17 weeks.
I was lucky that I have a very kind OB, that did see me before, but no scan. 
And as I was very ill, I was hospitalised several times, so got spoiled with extra scans to keep me motivated.

Gatorgirl2009

I had a scan at my RE at 7 weeks and 8 weeks then graduated to my OB who couldn't get me in until 10 weeks and they say they don't do an ultrasound at the first appointment, we have to make that appointment after they see us, so I'm guessing by 12 weeks! It is very hard going from such close monitoring to this!!

hibiscus118

@byrneme @tvh1982 @Gatorgirl2009 Thanks for the responses!   Seems like there is wide variation between everyone but I'm still within the normal range.   My last appt. with RE was at 8w3d and my OB wanted to see me at 12 weeks, which will really be 12w2d.  So a 3w6d difference.  I just need to get used to going every month for awhile!  

srh18

@hibiscus118 late to the party but I just wanted to add that my OB was also reluctant to schedule me prior to 12 weeks. I told them that my re wasn't going to let me graduate without an appt with them by a certain amount of time. It was a little stretch of truth (my re did recommend an appt by 10 weeks but definitely didn't tell me they wouldn't graduate me otherwise) but the OB relented and scheduled me for 10 weeks! Good luck!

Kp214

When I graduated at 8 weeks, my re recommended getting an appt around 12 weeks. Just so happens that when I called the OB they had an appt available around 9.5 weeks. We then went in for a 12 week appt but no u/s, just a fetal heart monitor. 

PoeMasque

In my city no OB will see you before 10 weeks for a scan. Most schedule your first u/s at 12 weeks. I'm always shocked when I hear of women on here getting scans at 6,8,9, and 10 weeks because it would never happen here! I get ONE scan with RE at 7.5, then one with OB at 12....then no scan till 20 weeks. In my state you also cannot pay OOP to have one done at a private clinic. 

wifeinraleigh28

Welcome and congrats! It seems all OBs are different. It is quite common for some OBs to not see you for your first appointment until 12 weeks, unless you have a history of early losses or ectopic pregnancies. And some OBs don't give any special treatment to IVF pregnancies. My particular OB likes to have the first appointment with them between 8-10 weeks of pregnancy, so I was able to be seen at 9 weeks (1 week following my discharge from my RE).

Don't be alarmed by your lack of appointments throughout first trimester either. It is standard for OBs to only see you once a month throughout 1st and 2nd trimesters. And ultrasounds are quite infrequent too. They typically do one at 12 weeks, and then not again until the 20 week anatomy scan unless you have problems. I've had a few more than that only because I see an MFM because I'm high risk, but my OB appointments were still only every 4 weeks throughout 1st and 2nd tri.

peregrinefalconx

Mine was the same. 6.5w and 9w with RE, then heading to MFM and midwives at 12w. It is a big gap. 

hibiscus118

Update:  So I had a non-related issue Wednesday and had to go to the podiatrist to have an ingrown toenail taken out.  He wanted to call my doctor to get the ok but My RE was out and nurse said I graduated and to call OB.  OB of course wouldn't approve it because I haven't been seen there yet.  I called RE back and another doctor finally did approve it.   I was pretty livid with RE's office for a bit.  Anyway, I called OB and explained the situation and asked if they had anything sooner because at this point I feel doctorless.   Nope, couldn't get me in. Called another office and they fit me in on 4/24 (I am supposed to go 5/1 to my original office)  And I will get a sonogram at the new office!   This has been a learning experience but trying to stay positive. Thanks to everyone who responded.  

sasha29-2

I guess I'm a little odd-man-out here because I was referred from my OBGYN to my RE because insurance covered our IF stuff, so when my RE graduated me, I went right back to the same OBGYN I've been seeing since I was like 17 years old, and they do have slightly different protocols for women who they refer to RE's.  So I had 5 week and 7 week scans with my RE, then my OB saw me the first time late in week 8, when they normally don't do pregnancy intakes until week 9-10 for women who get pregnant without medical intervention.