refusing an internal at first appt?

ahickey14 · November 2009

Hi all, i have heard some risks of getting internals so early in the pregnancy and i am having my first prenatal next week without an ultrasound, so i'm assuming he's going to want to give me an internal. my sister in law swears that's what caused her miscarriages, and the time she didn't have one, she carried full term. did anyone refuse to have one early in the pregnancy? i know what will be will be and such, but i was just curious what others thought.

Jaimie01 · November 2009

I had an internal at 4 weeks 5 days and besides a little spotting that night have been fine. I do not think they would perform them early if it made you at higher risk for miscarriage. I would trust my doctor's opinion over anyone else's.

Wilwarin · November 2009

I think that is silly.

ahickey14 · November 2009

Jaimie01:

I had an internal at 4 weeks 5 days and besides a little spotting that night have been fine. I do not think they would perform them early if it made you at higher risk for miscarriage. I would trust my doctor's opinion over anyone else's.

yeah, and obviously my sister in law is no doctor, but i guess it just scares you a bit when you hear those kinds of things right. there is no saying for sure that it what caused it.

MNgirl326 · November 2009

i had an internal at 5 wks and 8 wks.

I had no problems with them

Halen0804 · November 2009

I had an internal at 5w4d and 6w4d. I had no spotting or probs with it. So far, I am having a normal pregnancy. I would trust your dr.

Aliliv · November 2009

Just remember that correlation does NOT equal causation. Listen to your Dr:)

AbJams · November 2009

Obviously, I understand your nervousness. Your sister's exams did not cause her miscarriages. If you refuse the exam, which is your right, don't be shocked if your doctor refuses to continue treating you. Without knowing the health of your cervix, a doctor is going to be unlikely to want to deal with that kind of liability.

SDJuneBride08 · November 2009

I have never heard about this causing miscarriage. I would be more concerned about not having one and not knowing what's going on with the baby. You can't see much on an external at this point. I have had 3 done so far because I have had spotting and a previous miscarriage. Seeing it definately helps reassure me.

ejh090305 · November 2009

Well, I've never heard of anyone refusing one. But I just had a pap in August so they don't need to do another. You cervix does (at least for me) become extremely sensitive once you get pg. There may be some spotting, even after an internal u/s but no clue as to whether it would cause an m/c. I just did what the doctor told me.

tanislynn · November 2009

When I had my first appt at 8 weeks, my DR tried the regular u/s first and said if she couldn't see anything then she would do the internal. She was able to see the baby and the heartbeat so we didn't have to do an internal. Maybe your doc will be the same.

jodi_p · November 2009

I understand how you feel. This pregnancy I didn't want to have one -- due to the fact that the pregnancy before (when I did have one early on) resulted in a miscarriage BUT I did do it and everything is fine -- I had my first at 7 weeks (I think) and I'm now at week 11.

I hope that makes you feel a little bit better! I say don't worry and have it -- but that's just my opinion, it's up to you in the end.

LaurenSweat · November 2009

I am confused at what you are talking about. ?Do you mean an internal ultrasound with the wand? ?Or a pap smear? Or something else?

?Even if your doctor is doing a pap, they would not go into/beyond the cervix so there can be no risk to your baby.?

At my first appointment I had an internal ultrasound, but I can't see how that would be any more of a risk then you having sex--- it's just a wand that they place inside of you.?

ahickey14 · November 2009

SDJuneBride08:
I have never heard about this causing miscarriage. I would be more concerned about not having one and not knowing what's going on with the baby. You can't see much on an external at this point. I have had 3 done so far because I have had spotting and a previous miscarriage. Seeing it definately helps reassure me.

that's what i was thinking..more nervous not having an exam. i was just wondering if anyone had bad experiences with that. my other sister in law knew of this and refused and we have the same dr. she ended up having one, but found out she had lost at 5 wks already....so sad. i'm sure my doctor will be reassuring next week. i guess it's just frustrating because i won't have an ultrasound until January or Feb sometime.....is that a Canadian thing? you ladies all seem to have early ultrasounds in the States lol...lucky yous....

k_lynn8488 · November 2009

I had an internal at 10 weeks. No spotting or anything.

araevg · November 2009

Wilwarin:
I think that is silly.

This. I had two internals done before 12 weeks, and had no problems at all! Miscarriages are a sad fact of life and can be caused by a number of reasons. There's no way your sister would know that that's what caused her miscarriage.

georgia_peachy · November 2009

I wasn't offered one. Maybe it won't even be an issue.

ellemom5 · November 2009

I had one this morning and one with my last pregnancy and had no trouble at all. I have never heard of anyone refusing them. I would call and talk with the dr and tell them your concerns. I am sure they will go over everything with you.

carebearbush · November 2009

I had 2 with my first pregnancy and 3 so far with this one, and everything has been fine. I've never heard of someone refusing. It doesn't even touch your cervix, doesn't go in that far. I'd be more scared not to get it and not be able to see the heartbeat.

Mrsalt027 · November 2009

Wilwarin:
I think that is silly.

this

UK2USmummy · November 2009

Its your right to refuse an internal and no, you shouldn't blindly trust your doctor. Every women should know exactly whats being doing to her and the evidence-based justification behind it. Its also your right to weigh up the benefit vs risk of any procedure and make your own informed decision. No responsible doctor is going to refuse you for 'not knowing the state of your cervix'. I have refused pap smears in both of my pregnancy's because I am aware of the risks and am aware of the treatment options available if they were to find anything suspicious, which is usually repeat the smear in 6 months which they cant do later on in pregnancy so they just repeat it post-pregnancy. So, I cannot see thats its worth the risk of miscarriage but thats my decision. I have never had any issue when refusing either.

LoveMyPEguy · November 2009

I am an u/s tech and there is no validity in the statement that trans-vag us's cause miscarriages. The u/s probe is in the vaginal canal and shouldn't even touch the cervix, so therefore should have no negative impact on the pregnancy. You have to weigh the risks vs. benefits on this one. Wouldn't you rather know that your cervix is good, your uterus is the right size and your fetus is measuring correctly than take a chance and listen to someone with little to no medical knowledge at all? I agree with pp's - listen to your doc and follow his/her advice.

refusing an internal at first appt?

Re: refusing an internal at first appt?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards