Questions for OB

In a few days we're moving on from our RE and to a "regular" doc. We've been told that there are no good MFM/Peri's at the hospital where I want to deliver (my DH works there, so it is important to me to get my care there and to have the babies there). DH's residency program director is an OB Anesthesiologist, and she got us an appointment with the woman who she says is the best OB, and the person she'd go to if she were pregnant, even with multiples.

But I still want to make sure she's up to speed on high risk and multiple pregnancies. Can anyone help me with a list of things to ask her at our first appointment (I'll be 10.5 weeks by then)? I imagine it would be about whether she'd see me more than 1x a month? How many twins she has delivered? What kind of tests she'd order? I am making this up as I go along because I don't know what to expect from a Peri vs. an OB. :unknw:

 

Are you di/di? I can tell you what my peri said to me about scheduling visits at my first apt (7 weeks). Every 2 weeks from the beginning until 30 weeks then every week until the end. NST's started at 33 weeks. Ultrasounds were done every 4 weeks then every 2 weeks at 30 weeks then every week from 33 or so on. I had no complications whatsoever or ptl, etc and I delivered by scheduled c-section at 38.2 weeks due to both babies being breech.

I only went to a peri because they had one at the OB/GYN office. If there hadn't been a peri we wouldn't have switched to one. From my understanding a peri is only necessary if there are complications and hopefully you won't have any. Good luck!

 

i would also want to know how much experience she has monitoring twins, depending on the type you are having. If they are mono/di, does she have the knowledge and the experience to know what to look for should any problems such as TTTS or growth restriction occur? How will it be handled at that point? Will she refer you to a specialist or try to do it on her own? Is it her practice to try to deliver vaginally, or does she only encourage or do c sections for multiples? i'm sure there are alot more questions, depending on the type you are having. i saw my peri every 2 weeks until 20 weeks, and then every week after that to be monitored by u/s for any problems.


24W3D mono/di boys

 

Thanks! I should have specified. They're di/di. No risk factors so far, other than the fact that its 2!

 

I would want an OB who has delivered twins. The actual delivery can be quite different than with just one, and I heard all the time about people who had to have a c-section because baby b was breech, even though he/she was smaller and baby A was head down. That doesn't make sense, because you're totally dilated then after Baby A's head has come through, and it was one of the things I talked to my OB about. She'd delivered a LOT of twins. She's practiced for over 20 years and we were her 15th set that year. So she had no problems with letting me deliver vaginally.

 

Since your twins are di/di, I would basically see if she has experience delivering twins, like pp said. I personally wouldn't want to be treated like a ticking time bomb waiting to go off. The OB practice I go to deals a lot with high risk pregnancies and multiples, so I knew they were qualified, but I've never been made to feel like I'm "high risk". I still only see my Dr every 2 weeks (in fact I only have one more appt. until my induction date) and the only thing different is that I've gotten a u/s every month since 19 weeks. One thing I would check is how they make you feel if you have to call about something. You want to feel supported and listened to, and that none of you concerns are silly.

 

I moved to a SMALL town halfway through my pregnancy. I called the hospital said I want a woman OB and someone who can do twins, they gave me the name of 1 woman who turned out to be AWESOME!!!! I was only her 5th set of twins to deliver but I would have never known that by the way she was with me, in fact I didnt ask her what number we were until it was over LOL
things I wanted to know were:
1. How often will my appts be?
2. How often will I have ultrasounds?
3. Are you comfortable delivering baby b breech if necessary?
4. Do you perform episiotimies?
5. How do you feel about bedrest? when? why? what type modified etc?

I asked her everything as I went along and she always sat down and took the time to listen to my concerns as well as explain things in ways I could understand. She gave me options in my care and made me feel like I was her only patient. Gl with the new doc! Hope all goes well for you!