Ugh, I am so annoyed right now. We had our 18 week anatomy scan and the tech could not get pictures of the heart. OB office sends me back for a second u/s three weeks later, no big deal. They get all the pics and measurements they need. I get my results for all of my tests on my health tracker online from my insurance company. I noticed that after the second u/s there was a comment on the bottom of the results page. It reads that my baby is measuring in the 20% for abdomin and only 4% for head circumference. What, that's really small? So I ask my OB what it means and she has to look up the results, which she hadn't bothered to read AT ALL. She has no idea what it means, so she calls the hospital to ask the u/s doctor. He isn't concerned but maybe they should schedule another u/s.
I am trying to avoid as many medical interventions as possible. And considering that the CDC is studying the possible link between too many prenatal u/s and autism, I would like to avoid another one.
After that appointment I had switched to a CNM office. I brought the results up to the midwife on Tuesday and she says "get another u/s, and if anything looks funny we will do an amniocentisis" like it's no big deal. It's a big deal to me, an amnio, I want as NATURAL a pregnancy as I can get. That's why I chose a midwife over my regular OB. Reluctantly I agree, schedule the appointment, and assume they know what's best.
So last night I am going back over my results when I find a website that will calculate fetal measurements into percentages. I find out that the baby has a head circumference that is in the 30% range, not 4%. What, but the doctor said...
So the doctor, who is supposed to watch for these things was wrong? That can't be! So I go to a different website, same results. My LO is measuring just fine. So now I have to call the midwife center and tell them I am not going for the other ultrasound until someone interperets my results again and can tell me with certainty that something might be wrong.
All of this pain and worry because someone made a mistake and nobody bothered to double check my results. I am so angry right now.
Sorry, that got long, I just needed someone to vent to. This is why people should not blindly follow their doctors without questioning. I could have ended up getting an unneeded amnio.
Re: The doctor was wrong, and it could have harmed my baby.
...or whoever read the results knew it was normal and then decided not to make a big deal of it or mention it... I'd be careful doing your own interpretations based on internet research...
I looked at the measurements they took and found out that the measurements are within the normal range, not low. I am only taking their results and comparing them to actual medical research. I didn't just use a .com, I used a medical website to look up the results.
If they knew the results were normal then why comment on the 4% and tell me to get another u/s
sounds like whomever took the measurements to start with knew they were normal, and that the percentiles written were just a typo or something. Normally the u/s tech will bring up any off measurements wtih the Dr so it isnt really a surprise that the Dr didnt catch your normal results.
Of course it is always good to be an informed patient but Im failing to see where any babies were harmed in this story.
11/18/16 missed m/c 9w1
08/03/17 no hb 8w
I'm not sure what you're so upset about, either. You noticed some percentages that may have been typos or meant something else entirely and asked about them.
Because the office isn't sure whether it's just a typo but everything is fine or they missed something important, they recommended a u/s. They were following up on your concern. After that, if there's something further wrong they said you could do an amnio, but you hadn't even gotten to that point yet.
Honestly I'd stop trying to analyze the numbers you see but don't understand. The techs/docs are the ones watching the baby on the u/s screen. If they really thought the measurement was really that small they would have noticed right away. So maybe it was a typo, sure that sucks, but they knew it was OK and not to flag it. Don't get upset when you then question it and they want to do another u/s to check back on their work. How else are they supposed to look into it?
Norah transformed our family January 6, 2013
Has ultrasound technology been proven to harm babies? Did I miss the memo?
This exactly. You are the only one causing problems here and then switched doctors because of it and now want to argue with this one.
They are going off YOUR concerns. They did not raise any concerns, you did. If you had trusted that they would have addressed any concerns it would not have been a problem to begin with. You are over-reacting.
Look, both of those things are your own personal choices and fears. Doctors see ultrasounds as common and routine, and the best way to look for issues. If you want to avoid extra ones due to your own worries, you have to be the one to speak up.
In this case there was no way to confirm the real measurements you questioned other than to do another ultrasound. As for the amnio, they hadn't even gotten to that point, just told you they could do one if need be. And again they'd tell you the risks and you'd have to decide.
I think it's good you asked about the typo. But at that point, I don't understand what they could have done differently. They are not trying to harm your baby with ultrasounds.
Norah transformed our family January 6, 2013
I said it is being studied by the CDC, not that it was proven yet. There are studies that show that u/s can do damage to cells during the growth stage. Just the fact that the CDC is studying it as a possible cause of autism is enough to make me want to avoid it.
Everything causes Autism, this is just the latest thing.
I didn't say I switched doctors because of this, I switched because I did not want a hospital birth. I am not arguing with anyone, only questioning why nobody bothered to read the results when I brought it up to them. If someone had simply read the results they would have found it to be a mistake.
Maybe I am "overreacting" but this is a big deal to me when it is not needed.
I believe the study you are referring to is actually discussing second-trimester ultrasounds. You are currently in your third-trimester at which point the brain is basically completely formed.
I can understand being cautious but if an ultrasound could simply confirm things are ok I would think you'd want to go that route. FWIW I will have had 20. Yes that's right twenty ultrasounds by the end of this pregnancy due to early issues. And not ONE person has said to me "oh my goodness you're giving your baby autism."
yeah I get not wanting an amnio. I decline all optional 1st tri screenings because I am not willing to get a definitive anser by way of amnio or cvs. Im not comofortable with the risks. I get that. But NO ONE was making you do an amnio. NO ONE was suggesting that you rush into that test. The Drs were responding to YOUR CONCERNS as their patient... as they should! If you are worried about something, how the hell do you think they are going to look into it more carefully other than an u/s? Shine a light n your bump and hope they can see the baby shadow-puppet style? Come on. You are being ridiculous.
If anything this should be an AW post for how Drs should be: you catch a number that looks off and ask. Your doc researches with the u/s tech. Tech says that it is OK but best to double check with a follow up u/s. CNM says the same: let's double check wtih an u/s and if we are seeing this issue still, we can talk about an amnio. They are not rushing you into anything and are taking your concerns seriously, wihtout fearmongering or rushing to *invansive* steps. Which an u/s is not.
11/18/16 missed m/c 9w1
08/03/17 no hb 8w
An OB who does not normally administer u/s themselves all day every day (which they do not do - that is why there is usually a tech who has training in it, and who sees babies day in and day out and Im sure knows the numbers inside and out) is not going to be able to look at the numbers and know what they mean. They rely on their u/s techs to share that information. The u/s tech clearly knew that there was nothing abnormal and therefore didnt raise the issue wtih your dr. This is how it always works wrt doctors and more specialized health professionals.
Im not sure what you think should have been done differently after the error was made initially?
11/18/16 missed m/c 9w1
08/03/17 no hb 8w
Oh geeze, I would say unless you have a medical degree that you should not be diagnosing yourself.
Oh and as some one who had growth issues, I think you are being very dramatic, in fact all those "unnecessary" u/s saved my DDs life. So research that please
Dx MTHFR (C677T & A1298C, Compound Heterozygous)
If they had brushed off your concerns about teh percentiles being low you would be pissed because what if the percentiles were right and the numbers were wrong. I dont really think that you would be happy regardless. You seem to be looking for things to be pissed about.
They did look at the numbers, and said they thought it was fine. But in case there WAS something wrong they suggested a follow up u/s to confirm. Erring on the side of caution for the health of your baby! What assholes, huh!
11/18/16 missed m/c 9w1
08/03/17 no hb 8w
This. I've had 10... All were necessary due to issues that arose.
Um, no. If your OB or the tech had noticed the 4% they would still be unsure of how that got there. It's either a typo or something is wrong that was missed and, the only way to confirm is with another u/s.
If you're upset that the typo was made at all or that you're the one who caught it, I get that -- to a certain extent. But the u/s tech clearly saw your baby on a screen and didn't witness an unusually small number at the time.
So he or she knew it was fine during the u/s, but inputted the number wrong. As someone else mentioned your OB wouldn't know to look at those numbers unless the u/s tech said to.
Norah transformed our family January 6, 2013
Again, you are assuming that no one looked at them and I still don't see why. I think they did look... and they were normal...
At that point someone should have said that they were normal. But whenever I asked about it they told me they would look into it. I can assume that they didn't or they would have had an answer of normal instead of another u/s and allowing me to think something was wrong. I was even told it could be microcephaly.
Or, again, they saw that there were numbers indicated 2 vastly different results and felt that suggesting a follow up u/s to confirm that it was, in fact, fine was prudent. Ya know, looking out for the safety and health of your child.
Im not sure why you are pissed that your doctors are erring on the side of caution to VERIFY that your child is, in fact, fine. Especially since you are talking about an ultrasound. One extra. Not 50.
11/18/16 missed m/c 9w1
08/03/17 no hb 8w
"It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness." - Eleanor Roosevelt
Just because he did not have an answer for you that second, did not mean he had not looked them over or heard from the tech that everything looked normal. Very rarely will they tell you something right then and there, because they want to check and make sure the information you get is accurate.
Again, your doctor sounds like he/she was following and doing exactly what they should be to take care of your baby.
Thats the thing, the results were not vastly different, only the comment indicating something was wrong when it really wasn't . As i said before, the two numerical results were very similar and in the normal range.
11/18/16 missed m/c 9w1
08/03/17 no hb 8w
Dx MTHFR (C677T & A1298C, Compound Heterozygous)
I don't share the OP's concerns about having one extra ultrasound. OP, I do think that you may be overreacting slightly at the risks of having one extra ultrasound.
That being said, I understand that if the OP thought her child's head was very undersized, it could cause her significant anxiety. By not handling the situation in the best way, the doctors extended the time that the OP experienced that anxiety.
Also, I understand the OP's frustration at the way this was handled. At least two people didn't do what, IMO, they should have:
1. The US tech put the wrong percentile on the chart
2. The US tech / dr. (not sure which it should have been) didn't flag the problematic result to the OP or her OB. If it was because they realized it was a typo, then they should have fixed it. If they didn't realize it was a typo, then someone should have brought it up as an item of concern.
3. The US dr. (who the OP's OB called) didn't look at the numbers verify that the unusually low percentile result was accurate - he/she just recommended a follow-up US without double checking that it was justified
I understand that mistakes happen, but I would still be frustrated if this happened to me.
11/18/16 missed m/c 9w1
08/03/17 no hb 8w