Perinatologist?

jacobandcrystal

I'm sorry, second question of the day already!  This is all new to me and I'm trying to figure it out.

For a twin pregnancy, would you suggest seeing a perinatologist only, or a combination of peri and regular OB, or trust your regular OB?  My OB gave me the book Expecting Twins, Triplets..., which recommends going with a peri.  That got me wondering.  I have been satisfied with my OB until now, but I'm somewhat concerned after they told me they won't necessarily do monthly u/s and that it depends on how the babies are growing.  Which begs the question, how will they know how the babies are growing without regular u/s??

I'm 8.5 weeks now, next appt on June 23rd... and they're not planning to do an u/s that day.

Just looking for recommendations based on other moms experiences! Thanks

allinduetime

i go between my regular OB and my peri.  my appointments are spaced out every 4 weeks, but it falls that someone is seeing me every two (one or the other).  my ob will still deliver me.

it wouldn't hurt to ask for a referral to one, if it would make you feel better.

A M

I never physically saw a peri but all of my u/s photos go to him to be checked. So far, so good!

jacobandcrystal

Thank you!  I'm thinking it wouldn't hurt to at least request a consult with a peri.  I talked to my OB's office and they seem to think I don't need to see a peri but said they'll refer me to one if I need it down the road.  Maybe I'm just worrying too much, but I think I'd just be more at ease if I saw a specialist at least part of the time.

pea-kay

even with triplets, my OB told me i'd be treated like a normal pg woman until about 16 weeks. we found out at 7 weeks, and i saw my OB every 3 weeks until i saw the peri at 16 weeks. and then i saw him once a month for a couple of months, and kept seeing my OB every 3 weeks. at 23 weeks, i switched to a different peri who managed my care completely, and i dropped my OB.

i had u/s with the peri every 3 weeks or so (at every appointment) but between 7 and 16 weeks, i didn't have any. 

jacobandcrystal

Okay, so maybe I'll request a peri consult for the beginning of my second trimester.

 When I found out I was pregnant it was my third time so I thought "hey, I'm a pro!", but finding out it's twins is a completely different animal   It's kind of taking me by surprise how lost I feel! I'm sure it will get better as the days/weeks go on and I get used to the idea.

 Thanks for helping!!

Jackie K

I found out it was twins at 10 weeks (first visit & u/s to date pregnancy). She had me go for my NT scan at 12w 1 day (they were looking for a membrane separating them). But the NT scan wasn't with a peri, it was by a radiologist (my OB said he was the best around at reading u/s and wanted him to be the one to look for the membrane).

After that I didn't have another u/s until 18 weeks, which was by the peri she referred me to. For the rest of the pregnancy I saw each other them every 4 weeks (but it was alternating, like a pp said, so I was seeing my OB, then 2 weeks later seeing my Peri, then 2 weeks later seeing my OB again, etc).

However, I never actually met the Peri. The u/s tech did the u/s, then the Peri reviewed it and sent over the results as well as his recommendation for my care, to my OB. It was only if there was a problem would I see him (and he would be contacted WHILE I was in his office). My OB and Peri talked constantly.

And it was the Peri that decided that the boys needed to be delivered. My OB delivered me, as the peri doesn't deliver babies anymore.

Even though I never met my Peri, I never had a doubt about my care. And I feel I got amazing care. Just thought I'd share my story, to hopefully help you. (Btw, my boys are mono-di..not sure what yours are).

GL! 

mommy_bear

I see both monthly. The appointments are staggered so I am seen every 2 weeks. It's great because when I see my OB, they already have the reports from the Peri. I think it's a great team to manage my high risk pregnancy.

ncsubride

I only saw my OB.

groovygrl

As with many things on here (as you can see), you're going to get a lot of opinions & a lot of strong opinions about how care 'should' be provided. It is not that black & white all the time, and it really depends on your comfort level with your OB & his/her experience with twin pregnancies. A lot of healthcare systems will have you going to different providers within the system, esp if they don't have what is needed in the OB's office & that is easier & reassuring for many OBs. But there are also many who are very comfortable managing uncomplicated twin pregnancies so there are a lot of variables. ?

If your OB is not open to you also consulting w/ a peri if you want, that is probably something to be concerned about. IMO, going to a peri for your 18/20 week growth scan would be a good idea, then you get to meet him/her so if you decide not to see the peri regularly and then something happens that you want/need to go back, you'll have already met the peri & be established as a patient there. Whether you go regularly is up to you. GL!

ETA: a lot of peris do not actually deliver babies, and the way that they measure growth is probably the same way they measure growth in singletons- with a tape measure from your pelvic bone to the top of the uterus & your weight gain. This is obviously a little less reliable with twins, so getting more frequent u/s's is a good idea....?

Temp159135562506975

Read Dr. Luke's book - it will explain everything to you and answer tons of questions- and give you good info to go to your docs with for questions for them, too.

I see a peri and an OB.

MNheidi

If you're OB is good, she/he'll suggest going to a Peri for at least one u/s.  Most OB techs are very qualified but the Peri's job is to ID issues and complications and obviously twins are at greater risk.

My OB was fine taking care of me but wanted me to go for my BIG u/s (around 18wks) to the Peri.  She would have passed me off to that person if there were any big red flags.  

vkbaby09

I started seeing my peris at 12 wks and have been going there every 2 weeks since.  I've had different complications though.  They do a cervix check every other week (with a quick u/s to make sure they are ok) and a full growth scan every month.  I also see my ob every other week, so at this point I'm seeing someone once a week.  I get at least a quick u/s at each of these visits to see that the babies are doing ok.  I feel very comfortable with all the care I'm getting and wouldn't want it any other way (I guess I'm a worrier though and a bit spoiled).  If I were you, I would definitely want to see a peri at least sometimes b/c twins are a totally different beast than singletons. 

LoveTravel

I was told by the OB on duty at my 22 week pre-natal appointment that I would be seeing him every two weeks from then until the babies were born (it could change to weekly once I get further along I don't know) and my Dr. had requested I see a Peri when my utlrasound showed that I was expecting twins, once I seen the Peri she said she would like to see me every two weeks as well.  She advised me it was to keep an eye for TTTS.  From all the answers I've read it's clearly diffrent for alot of us... 

heathb21

I saw a regular OB & an MFM (same as peri).  I saw the MFM monthly & my OB every 2-3 wks from the beginning, then it went to ever 2 wks then weekly.  I had u/s at ever appt, they were just quick u/s to check heartbeats. 

laurncui812.0

I always say this and will continue to do so for the rest of my life. See the peri. I believe we may have been able to prevent the loss of my little boy's twin if I was seeing a peri. It will never hurt to have one more doctor checking on your little ones.

bearfootz

I'm seeing both.  The OB plans his appt's for about a week after the peri appts.  They both do an u/s each time, but the peri's is much more advanced and the tech does growth measurements, etc.  The ob pretty much checks for heartbeats and takes a quick look.  I rely on the ob for general everyday questions though, and he will do the delivery.

Alycia04

I had never heard of a perinatologist until I started checking out this board, after they were 9 months old. I still don't know what their service includes. I saw my OB after confirming twin pregnancy. I was scheduled an ultrasound for every OB appointment during the same week.

ChiBride2007

I only saw my OB. He handles many twin pregnancies and we agreed that he would refer me if/when something arose. I had all of the same u/s, growth scans, cervical checks that everyone else had. I saw a peri/MFM at 35w4d when I went to the hospital for pre-eclampsia symptoms and he made the call to deliver (coordinated with my OB who did the actual delivery) Worked out well for me.