Wait and See...a phrase used quite often and is always easier said than done. My younger sister and I have both developed an OCD level of planning everything. She, however, is much worse that I am, but that is beside the point. So, when the doctor tells me we just have to wait and see, this throws me into some sort of warped sense of I don't know what. It is driving me insane!
No one likes to be the bearer of even less than ideal news, and that is why it has taken me such a long time to get around to actually writing this out. To be honest, I am still hopelessly confused on just what is going on and just how upset or panicked I should actually be. I hope that you can see how this would add to the mania of my planning OCDness.
According to two doctors and a radiologist my amniotic fluid levels are dangerously low. After reading through a gazillion articles on the subject, no one can really agree on the how, the what, the _____ (Fill in the blank). According to the doctors here, this is a cause for concern. Worst case scenario is she could simply run out of space to grow, and she will be slowly crushed to death. Not something you want to hear nor repeat...but there it is. Options given to try and rectify this situation: NONE.
However, that is worst-case, and for now she is growing and moving around in there enough to make me feel motion sick. A few of her kicks or punches, not sure which, have startled me to the point of taking my breath away. So, I'm taking that as a good sign that she still seems to have enough room in there. I am currently visiting the doctor weekly to keep up with her progress, and to continue to measure the amniotic fluid. However, after digging through some medical journal articles, I am comforted that most seem to think that measuring the amniotic fluid by ultrasound alone is highly inaccurate and causes much unnecessary stress and concern for mothers-to-be. They also claim in several studies that even trying to measure the amniotic fluid volume before 24 weeks is even more inaccurate. I am currently at 21 weeks.
I have realized that these doctors are so overly cautious, and I have read journal article after journal article that back my observations. In convincing my original OB/GYN to continue seeing me, the liaison confided in me that they were simply scared of the responsibility of dealing with anything less than a perfect pregnancy. It seems that doctors are even more scared of being sued here than they are in the states. Because of this, doctors here and in the US will scare women into inducing early to save their own skin and to reduce the doctor's responsibility for your baby's outcome. Many articles have been written screaming for these doctors to leave these babies in as long as possible, but I am jumping ahead.
At my last appointment she again commented on how low the fluid was. She had the audacity to recommend simply giving up this pregnancy and starting again. There is nothing that can be found that is physically wrong with this baby. There is no medical reason for even suggesting termination at this point, but again, this reduces her liability as my doctor. Many of you would shout that I should find a new OB, however, that is the standard practice in this country. Another doctor told me the same thing, because he felt it would be easier. This is also the same country who refuses to submit it's statistics on C-sections versus natural births to world health organizations. Why would they refuse? Because the Korean doctors are currently under scrutiny by their own government for their dishonest ways in talking women into have C-sections rather that opt for a natural birth. According to the articles I read, Korean doctors prefer C-sections because they can schedule them at their convenience and in accordance with some law, it limits their liability should complications occur. It is such a problem that the National Health Insurance Company will no longer reimburse the doctors as much as they used to unless a C-section is deemed medically necessary. Scary and disgusting isn't it?
After refusing her suggestion, the next thing out of her mouth is that fine, we will continue to monitor the baby once a week, and she wants to induce as soon as possible, which is anytime after 26 weeks. Thankfully, I have the last say in this, and our plan is to keep this baby where it belongs as long as possible. I realize that the fact remains that it doesn't look I will be able to make it to full-term, but we're gonna try to get as close as we can. So, keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Pray for competent, responsible doctors, accurate testing, and a healthy baby born at her appointed time and not the doctor's appointed time.
