appointment update..still two, but....

pixiem38 · August 2012

I am not convinced at all that my ob has any clue whatsoever about dealing with twins. I asked him if he saw the membrane (three times in fact) and he did not seem to have any idea what i was talking about. Maybe he was glossing over the fact that he did not see it, but what about honesty? He said i will have the a/s scan with a mfm, at 20 weeks and go monthly until then, then twice a week to monitor their sizes. The other thing that really bothers me is that laat time he said he was fairly sure they would be identical (because presumably they were two little blobs in one big circle)(this time they were two mini baby looking things in one big circle) but this him he said he could not tell yet if they were id, but the next sentence.was that it looked like one big placenta (which i thought meant could only be id...unless it is fused, but it should be early enough to tell if fused or not). SO...I am going to have the nt scan done just so there is an early us record available.for the next dr, because i don't know what else.to do other than look for a new dr....and that could take time. On the plus side, they were.moving all around...and there are still two of them.

pea-kay · August 2012

i think we may have the same OB. i would honestly try to find either an OB with more experience with twins, or an MFM who will take over your care completely. trust me. you are right at the point in your pregnancy when the membrane is easiest to find, and the fact that your OB doesn't even know what you're talking about is very telling.

pixiem38 · August 2012

Yes...i was thinking that is what i am going to be told by the MoMs pros. Here are two of the four pics so yon can see what i mean. I am no expert, however, i have been looking at every early twin us i have been able to find online.for about a month and it really seems to me that at the very least they are monochorionic.

Pea-kay, my stomach turned a little when i saw what you said about now being the good time to see it, because that is what i thought as well. I am trying to not be scared sh**less about it, since i can't do anything (other than ensure i get the best possible care), but if i saw these pics online, i would think mono-something and more high risk...again, i am no expert. I told dh that maybe this ob has seen this before and never had any issues, but i woyld not want to be the first.. i am glad you agree with me, because i don't want to be an alarmist...but i don't think iam being one in this case. Ugh...this sucks (but the babies are measuring the same and also where they should be gestational age as well, so tjere is that at least)

Rynleigh · August 2012

I definitely second the recommendation to find a new OB, or at least switching to the MFM only. The moment they found two embryos at our clinic, they made sure to check for full membrane (throughout all the level planes, to ensure it wasn't just a partial membrane or anything). The have rechecked the membrane at all three of the ultrasounds I've had since, too.

jcath · August 2012

Do you know if MFM's deliver in your state? Where I live (GA) they only consult so you can't see an MFM without seeing an OB. Mine was a bit clueless (though not that) so I just saw my OB on a regular singleton schedule and saw the MFM all the time and she dictated everything.

So change if you can and if you can't at least start seeing an MFM now. I bet you can just make the appt without a referal - it should be standard of care with a multiple pregnancy.

srbmvp · August 2012

I also vote for finding a new doctor ASAP, your OB sounds clueless!

I'm of the minority that I never went to a separate MFM, but my OB has tons of experience with twins and high risk pregnancies, so I felt very comfortable staying with him.

The first thing he zeroed in on when we found out we were having twins (after giving me a big hug) was how many membranes and immediately told me that because we were mono/di we were higher risk....

You are going to have a LOT of appointments this pregnancy, make sure it is with someone you can trust to give you the best possible care!

pea-kay · August 2012

don't let me scare you too much. we didn't see the one we were looking for (the one separating B from A&C was obvious, but the one between A&C was not) until 22-23 weeks. so just because you might not see it now doesn't mean it doesn't exist!

but the main thing is, if this doctor doesn't even know *to* look for evidence of two amniotic sacs, then you need a new doctor.

pixiem38 · August 2012

I am trying to not freak out about the whole membrane/lack of membrane issue since it is what it is and i can't change it. PLUS both both ultrasounds were done in tbe regular office by him, so probably NOT the best equipment around. The weirdo thing about it all.is the fact that the last time he specifically said he did not see the membrane (even asked the nurse who also happens to be @ mother of twins if she saw it) yet this time when i asked if he saw it he acted like i was asking him if the babies were green with claws or something entirely strange. He obviously knew enough to.look.for it last month...yet he acted clueless this time. It doesn't add up.

Rynleigh · August 2012

I think the big stresser here is that if you do happen to be in that small cluster of people with mo/mos, the last thing you want is a doctor who seems oblivious to the importance of determining whether you are or not.

2moms2b · August 2012

I second pp that I would at least seek a new OB with multiples experience. The first thing they checked on me when they saw two babies was for the membrane. They explained this to us in great detail.

At our first u/s they did say the lack of one early on the u/s did not mean there wasn't one but mo/mo twins are a lot higher risk and require more appointments early on.

Fingers crossed you find an OB you are comfortable with or you find an MFM to see with your OB. Also FX that they are able to determine the type of twins you have so you can be evaluated based on the needs of you and the baby.

MuseumMaven · August 2012

Another vote for a new doctor!

I saw an MFM for my entire pregnancy. I agree that you could find out if the MFM will just take over your care. This doctor sounds a little clueless about multiples!

megs2011 · August 2012

I think I would look into another OB. At my first u/s the tech was able to see 2 placentas but she couldn't find the membrane at first. My ute was tilted back so that was the issue. When she turned the brightness up on the machine, she was able to see it. She did an internal to double check things too.

zombiemommy · August 2012

I'm mono di as well, and my med group has a standard protocol of visit schedules and MFM stuff. Of course, I didn't know about this until 20 weeks, at which point I found out that my OB hadn't been following it to the letter like she was supposed to. Push to see your MFM and ask if there's a standard mono di protocol you can see. Honestly, it seems like most regular OB doctors are a little clueless about mono di twins. I agree with other posters. Be a thorn in your OB's side until she/he gets you to an MFM.

As far as the membrane, it's pretty darned unlikely that it isn't there, but I understand being worried. My membrane was not very visible at 10 weeks, but it was clear as day at 12 weeks. That being said, your OB's ultrasound machine might be a little old, or he might be looking from a bad angle. Don't stress until you get more answers.

pixiem38 · August 2012

Thanks! My plan is to call the mfm on monday and basically explain all this and try and get myself an earlier appointment. If that doesn't work to keep calling people until i am satisfied. I would think any mfm worth anything would understand my concern. Zombiemommy---i am a little worried about the lack.of membrane, but i really do think odds are really in my favor that it will show up. I am MORE worried about the fact that he outright said it looks like one placenta, yet didn't seem to recognize that was a bit of an issue....and the fact that he said they could be fraternal and we wouldn't know until after birth. That indicates a lack.of knowledge about twins...a basic knowledge at that and that is what i am worried about. It just seems like with him twins are twins are twins. Also, i had a list of questions and not one was answered completely (some.were way forward thinking.like about c/s and going to certain gestation, so i can understand not definite "we'll see when we get there" answers, but still. So yes....i am going to look.for someone else (the mfm is 2 hours away....whixh sucks, but would be worth jt to get the best care. And maybe j will find that i.am totally overreacting but whdo.know for sure is thay if anything went wrong j.would never ever forgive.myself if i didn't have what i thought to be the best possible care. So i thank.you all for your input. It seems like it is hard to get good accurate info about multiple.pregnancy (if it is this hard for twins, i can't imagine what moms of homs have to go througb)(i also live in a podunk.place, which shouldn't make a difference since medical school.is medical school)(but i found this to be the case when i was ttc my dd and saw the infertilty dr who ALWAYS did everything as if it was a 2y cycle even though i charted for years and knew my cycle.to be considerabky longer)i got lucky with tbe clomid he.prescribed and never mo itored me on for 6+months. Funny how these twins were completely spontaneous after years.of ttc. First try of half.assed.timing post baby.

BananaPancake · August 2012

I would definitely be looking for a new OB. You should be having more ultrasounds than that, anyway. The membrane is important for a LOT of reasons - anyone who's been through training as an OB should know that.

macchiatto · August 2012

I'm glad the babies are doing well, but ditto switching to a new OB who has more twin experience, and hopefully an experienced u/s tech too.

Want a personalized experience?

appointment update..still two, but....

Re: appointment update..still two, but....

Choose Another Board

Search Boards