Specialists during pregnancy...

I am reading on here a lot of ladies have Perinatologists, or other specialists working with them on their pregnancy. I am seeing the regular OB, and not a specialist. Should I be concerned and ask for a specialist even though it has not been recomended by my OB or PCM?

 

My OB said that I could go to one if I wanted but that I didn't have to unless and until there was reason. If something came up, they would refer me. The doctor that told me this has boy/girl twins herself so I trusted her judgment.

I think a good basis for it is the type of twins you are having. My are di/di boy/girl so not as risky as others.

 

I see one in addition to my Ob because I'm diabetic. My Peri manages my insulin and sugar levels. I suppose, if it were a healthy twin pregnancy, a specialist would not be necessary.

 

I'm just seeing a regular OB and have had a fairly uneventful pregnancy so far. I would say as long as nothing needs "special" attention an OB should be just fine.

 

My OB sent said he sends all twin+ pregnancies to one only to have a level II ultrasound. He just said that they have better ultrasound machines and are more used to doing ultrasounds. I did end up going every other week for most of the pregnancy because I had a lot of complications, but had it been a healthy pregnancy I would have just had that one ultrasound.

 

I saw both. My OB would deliver and do the "regular" appts and the peri would do the growth u/s. It was great because with my peri could do a growth u/s at every visit and the insurance would pay for it. :good: I only saw a peri due to having twins, I was no high risk for any other reason.

 

I didn't see a peri but I had one of the best high risk docs in the area after my regular ob transferred me when they found the 2 vessel cord/IUGR

 

I only saw a regular OB. I think it depends some on what complications you have and what type of twins you have. I was surprised at one of our prenatal classes - for multiples and taught by a NICU nurse - when she said that statistically peris have no better results for twins than regular OBs. Same is true for triplets.

 

Like the PP, I too, saw a regular OB and a peri for my U/S because when you're pregnant with twins, you receive more of them and they just measure them constantly. But unless your pregnancy starts throwing up red flags, your reg OB will be fine. Hope you're having a happy and healthy pregnancy thus far :hug:

 

Never saw a specialist either, no need. Very smooth conception and pregnancy, and I had another full term pregnancy / birth as well.

 

My insurance paid for both & we went. & I HATED GOING TO THE PERI. My twins were di/di as well and did not have any complications that they picked up (my Baby B ended up being born slightly small for gestational age). The only good thing about the peri is that they had a u/s machine hooked up to a TV so you could watch your babies easily & we have a billion u/s pics. The bad stuff- it cost me $25/appointment and I philosophically did not agree with any of the 3 docs in my insurance's group. They were very laissez-faire about my pregnancy, really only getting excited about anything when my cervix shortened at 30 weeks. They were also completely unwilling to advise me as to how to keep the babies in the longest.

If I had it to do over again, I would not have went to the peri. I tried to convince my OB that I didn't want to go (I had a horrible first appointment with 1 of the peris) but he convinced me to try the other people out... I didn't care for them, much, either.

I would say go if there is something abnormal in your pregnancy, but if you are just going along fine, don't bother.

Michelle

5 week old Identical boys!

 

I only ever saw my OB and he had a U/S tech in his office, so they did them pretty regularly - at least monthly after 20 weeks. In fact, once I started going for check-ups every two weeks, I'd get disappointed if they said we weren't doing an U/S, but that rarely happened. Usually I went on Weds when they had a Sono Tech student, and they always wanted to "play", checking out the twins - I loved it - more chances to see my babies.

My pregnancy went very smoothly - no scares, no problems, and I went to 39 weeks. I think if I had had more issues he might have recommended I go to a peri.

 

I did not see a peri until I went into PTL at 24 weeks, and from then on out I was saw one every day while I was on hospital bedrest. I think if your OB is comfortable handling a Twin pregnancy and you are not having complications, then there is no specific need to see one. Best of luck to you!

 

I only saw a peri for the ultrasound at 24w and that was it, all my visits were with my OB/Gyn.

 

I only saw my regular OB. But I got an ultrasound every time I went and I loved it. Insurance paid for it as well. Maybe they coded it correctly so that it would, idk.

 

Wow, good to know. I don't have any complications, I did have a subchorionic bleed at 11 weeks, but that is now resolved. So what is the difference between them? I have an ultrasound technician that does all of our ultrasounds so we get great shots . I dont know what the di/di thing is. My twins are fraternal... thanks so much for the help all!!!!

 

The peris can do measurements of the organs with their u/s which are much more sensitive. However, they may not even be accurate- it depends on the position of the baby when they take the measurement. The measurement of the head is supposed to be around the forehead all the way around. My boys were not cooperative to this measurement style. They said my Baby B would be bigger- uh, no. He was born a pound smaller, slightly small for gestational age.

di amniotic/di chromatic... Basically they don't share anything :ibiggrin: They have their own sacs, own placentas, own everything. BTW- they told me my boys were fraternal, they were di/di, but it turns out they are identical-unless they are boy/girl twins, docs really don't know unless you get a DNA test or test the placentas.

This site is great- :welcome:

Michelle

 

I did see a peri only and at first I thought that was a little bit of overkill. My fertility specialists had referred me to him, but I started to wonder if I just needed a regular OB because my pregnancy was going so well. I was within a day of switching when I went into labor at 20 weeks and ended up using every single bit of peri's expertise to make it to viability. I would think with no complications though that a regular OB would be just fine. If you are risk for complications (fertility treatments, LEEP procedure, D&C, etc) then maybe you would want to see a peri a couple times just so they are familiar with you?

Interesting. I have to wonder though if that doesn't have to do with the fact that generally speaking, peri's see only high-risk pregnancies whereas OB's generally don't.

 

Thanks Michelle!

I guess that is what mine are then lol. They have their own placentas My ultrasound tech does measure the heads and femurs and all sorts of other stuff so I guess it is the same thing lol. What is funny is they both measure identical at 5 inches and both weigh 4 oz... all other measurments are identical as well!

 

We did do IVF, my OB knows that... they just seem so non-chalant about the whole thing lol. Where I sit here pulling my hair out everyday wanting to make sure all is well... I wish I had a glass stomach during pregnancy... I would feel a lot better seeing them everyday!!!!!

 

Ahh, :hug:'s! I completely understand! I was a basket case and mine are IVF also. I am sure you are in great hands and I'm glad everything is going so well

 

I am low risk, but I see a MFM practice because there is one in the hospital where I work, so it just made sense. Because I haven't had any problems, I don't see much of a difference between this practice and my regular ob that followed me in my last pregnancy. They do follow me more closely, and I have had cervical length checks and ultrasounds that I didn't have in my last pregnancy, but I think a regular ob could do all of that as well.

 

I saw a specialist and I'm very glad I did because he was the one caught the difference in the weight gain (IUGR)of my twins not my ob/gyn. The specialsit will do measurements everytime you go to make sure that the babies are growing at the correct rate. I'm so glad I had one because my little girl might not be here had not been here if it were not for my MFM.

 

You and I are in the same boat! Only a regular OB here, too.

I even asked my OB when I would start having pelvic exams and she said at 36 weeks...go figure. That's standard for a singleton pregnancy from what I remember. I also asked how far along she would allow me to get before considering scheduling a section and she said 39 weeks, which is per the hospital policy. I couldn't believe it.