Ultrasounds and Appointments

I went in for my first ultrasound when I was estimated 10w5d, which turned out to actually be 10w2d according to measurements. That was almost a week ago (the 28th of January) and that was when we found out we were having twins.

The U/S tech kept saying how this would probably mean more appointments for us and more u/s but our next appointment was still scheduled for Feb 24th, and no u/s involved for that appointment. Then the doctor said our next one would be another month later, for an u/s and check for genders.

So, by the sounds of things, I am getting the same appointment schedule as a singleton pregnancy, and I've even had two miscarriages and no successful pregnancies previous to this pregnancy. Does it seem like I am not at all being treated like a high risk pregnancy? Should I be? What were your appointments like?

Maybe I'm over-reacting, but I almost wonder if seeking out another OB would be beneficial in this case?

Not to mention, I see a lot of you girls saying you found out gender at 16/18 weeks or so, but my doctor said he won't schedule that ultrasound until 20 weeks!

 

You might be a bit more high-risk than I was because of your history, but I know our U/S and appt schedule didn't pick up until around 20 weeks. We found out gender at 20 weeks, and then the appointments went from every 4 weeks to every two weeks around 20-24 weeks.

We did an extra early U/S just because at the ~16 week they had trouble finding the two different HB's with the doppler.

 

Your twins were 8lbs? omg. *faint*

 

My schedule started like yours. Had appt "normal" appts at 10wks and 14wks. Had first u/s appt at 18wks (we didn't find out genders), and then had an u/s every 4 wks but at my next appt my cervix started shortening so I started going every 2 wks with an u/s for my cervix at one appt and then u/s for babies at the next one Good luck!!!

 

We found out that it was twins at an early u/s at 7 weeks.

Next u/s was the nuchal screening (whatever you call that) at 12 weeks - this is the same as I have had before with my singletons.

Next u/s was 20 weeks. The anatomy scan, just like with my singletons.

Then a 24 weeks u/s. This I did not get with my singletons.

Next checkup for me is at 28weeks and I'll have an u/s then too. From what I gather all twin pregnancies are determined as high risk. I have had no complications what so ever so all my u/ss have been routine.

Unless there is a specific risk or problem I don't think the frequent twin u/ss start until week 24. Up until then I had the same amount of u/ss and ob check ups and appointments as with my singletons. There was absolutely no difference until week 24 in my prenatal care.

 

I have had several U/S's due to having a Hematoma, but my OB has only been scheduling appt's every 4wks since the beginning. My RE appt's are typically inbetween so i seem to be going every other week or every third week. This time though, it has been nearly 6wks since I have had an U/S. Last one was at 12wks (the Nuchal Scan), and I finally get to have the anatomy scan on Monday (18wks). Then I probably won't get another one for a month. I think after 20wks, I will start going to two week appt's with the OB. Not sure when the RE will release me (or if he will at all). Good luck!!

 

It's good to hear that my treatment is about the same as everyone else. I guess I'm just scared that something is going to happen between now and next appointment and I won't know or something! I'm a worry wart, I suppose!!

 

It's so hard not to worry -- it comes with the job description of being a mom (or mother-to-be). :unsure: I know some women and doctors don't like home dopplers because they feel it breeds anxiety, but we have LOVED ours and it has done nothing but calm my fears. I rented from www.babybeat.com for both of my pregnancies, reasonable price and great customer service. Even now at 29 weeks, when I can feel them moving tons, I like to use the doppler now and then just to make sure I am really feeling both the babies.

Good luck to you!

 

Which one did you rent??

 

I agree with other posters - I do not think your treatment is out of line. I did have more frequent visits and ultrasounds than some on these boards, but I go to an OB who is extremely ultrasound happy - with both singletons and multiples. I picked him for that very reason. But my Dr. does not seem to be the norm.

I think that everything you're doing sounds appropriate unless some other issue is detected. Good luck with your pregnancy!!

 

I'm an insulin dependent diabetic and have a SCH that bled the ENTIRE first trimester, so I see both a Peri & an Ob.

I alternate between the Ob & the Peri every 2 weeks now (it was only once a month the first few months). We have ultrasounds once a month to check the babies growth & cervix length (done during the Peri appointments). My Ob just checks to make sure there are heartbeats and does a urine test for protein & glucose.

 

We were not trying this time and was surprised to be pregnant. My HCG was really high so I went in for a dating u/s only to find out I was 6wks and with twins. My next u/s was around 8wks to confirm everything was the same. Then I had some cramping at about 12wks and they did an u/s at that time they were about 55/45 I was having boys. When I had my 14wk appt I asked for another u/s only b/c I wanted to know gender. That point they were 90/10 % sure they were boys. My next u/s was the "big" u/s at 18wks. I am not scheduled to have another u/s until 2 more wks and I will be 27wks. So had I not had the cramps or asked for one then I would be around the schedule as you. I do know they will do an u/s if they are not getting accurate readings on both heartbeats, so that can account for more u/s. I don't think the frequent u/s start until close to 3rd trimester.

 

I go every 2 weeks for an appt. and an u/s. The doc said that often they only see you once a month in the first trimester, then every 2 weeks in the second and every week in the 3rd unless there is a problem. I did IVF so I had an u/s every 2 weeks at the RE and then started seeing a peri in the second trimester.

 

I started out being told I'd come every 3 weeks, then every 2. But I quickly encountered problems and went pretty much every 1-2 weeks from that point on (or I was in the hospital and seen a couple times a day). My peri did an U/S at every visit.

 

jenpoe - With our first son, we rented the Advanced Technology BabyBeat Doppler with Recorder (Model 150A). I didn't feel that we needed to spend extra on the display feature, but I did want to record his heartbeat and email it to the long-distance grandparents, which I did. Now the twins are getting a bit of the shaft, because we decided to go cheaper and not get the one that makes recordings. (My husband said we could just copy the files of our son's heartbeat and pass it off as ours, it's not like you can tell.) :acute: Anyway, right now we are renting the Standard BabyBeat Doppler (Model 100). It's really nice because you can decide how long you want to sign up for, but if you go longer -- which we did both times -- they just charge you the regular monthly fee until you send it back, whenever that may be.

 

For me I had an u/s at 10 weeks, found out it was twins. I didnt get another until 20 weeks, then I had one every month until they discovered the boys had TTTS. I had one every 2 weeks after that, starting at week 24. I think its normal what you are getting. Its hard not to worry though.

 

:laughing: I was a little disappointed... I'm 6'2", DH is 6'6"...we expected them to be big!!

 

Recently, finding out that we are having twins, the whole world seem to change. After seeing the dr, he also told me about having u/s every 4 wks starting at 20 wks. I am concerned because I know its a lot of radiation for the babies. But they seem to be concerned about the baby weight and if they are equally growing.

 

Ultrasounds aren't radiation, they're sound waves. There are potential risks, but they do u/s often after 20wks with singleton pregnancies as well. It's common practice.

 

We found out that we are having mono/di twins around 7 weeks. Since then between my ob and peri, we have had so many ultrasound that I've totally lost count. The thing is my ob has an ultrsound machine at his office, almost every visit he would want to see the babies briefly. I think the longest I went without ultrasound was 4.5 weeks, and that was because there was a hiccup with our insurance carrier.

 

One thing I tried to tell my self was that do not worry - the more you worry and stress and look up on the internet all the bad things that could happen it stresses you out even more! Just do you, relax, eat healthy, get rest and do everything you can to keep your babies healthy. Thats all you can do. Then in 4 weeks when you go to your next appt it will be a big relief when you see everything is going just fine