OBGYN Need an Opinion

I honestly think they are trying to have the baby stay in the womb as long as possible. My son was delivered by emergency c-section at 34 weeks....he did have to go to the NICU for only 13 days luckily...but when I had gone into the hospital they thought they could bring my BP down.....after being pumped w/magnesium and having only 1 shot of steriods the had to deliver. But I would have rather them have been able to keep him growing in the womb longer so he didn't have to go to the NICU because that was the scariest thing we ever went through. Now he's a healthy big baby boy...18months old w/absolutely nothing wrong w/him everything worked out. But I really think they are just being cautious.

Doctors are actually more worried about lawsuits than getting your insurance money. They need to be positive the baby is at his healthiest, and if you can make it one more day then they will keep that baby in you. I gave birth to twins the first time I was pregnant, and it was similar to your situation minus the specialists visits. I had ultrasounds every visit and was seeing the doctor weekly from 28 weeks on. I had all the NSTs and such, but there was no way they'd deliver sooner than 38 weeks unless there was a complication. Yes, 37 week is great, but they have to wait until it becomes more dangerous for the baby in you than out of you. Good luck!

Waiting is best generally. If you pressure is under control then it most likely is better to wait. Those lungs are the last thing to cook.

They are worried about the health of your baby and covering their asses. Nothing wrong with either reason.

Anytime more than one doctor is handling your case, they have to work with each other to make sure that they are on the same page, which means you won't get answers right away. I know that you feel 37 weeks is enough, but the longer your baby can develop, the better. I really think they are trying to get the best outcome for you and your baby.

The doctors almost definitely have your and your baby's best interests at heart -- every day that little one stays in there makes a difference in his/her chances to be healthy. My third baby was born at one day shy of 37 weeks, and while he was fine (though in spite of being over 8 pounds he was very very skinny), he ended up being admitted to the hospital at 11 days for RSV, and was on oxygen for RSV and pneumonia for 4 days. He also didn't take to nursing anywhere near as quickly as my first 2 babys, only really catching on when he hit about 3 weeks. His weight gain was minimal for those first 3 weeks, though when he hit that 3 week mark (when he would have been full term) he started literally gaining a pound a week. There is HUGE difference between a late term preemie and a full term baby, even though the differences aren't usually ones that will land a baby in the NICU at that point, or really need any specialized care -- my midwives for both a homebirth and a birth center birth said that I was safe for an out-of-hospital birth at 36 weeks for the birth center and 37 weeks for home. (Of course, the baby born at home went to 43w1d... ugh... that 10th month of pregnancy is rough! LOL!) Anyway, what I'm saying is keep that little one inside and growing for as long as you can -- every day will make your baby that much more able to deal with life in the outside world.

If I were you, I would wait as long as possible. I went into labor at 37.5 weeks after being put on bedrest. My son ended up spending 2 days in the NICU for breathing difficulties. The doctor basically told me I had a "wimpy white boy". I had to fight to get him out of the NICU because they required him to stay on fluids which caused him to not want to nurse. I finally got them to let me take him to my room and within 24 hours he was doing beautifully. My doctor let me stay an extra day so we could go home together. I know that many other people deal with much more severe situations but this was a traumatic event for our family.

Most insurance companies pay a "global" price for pregnacies... which means they get a package price for all prenatal, delivery service & your post partum visit. It doesn't matter if you deliver at 37 weeks or 42 weeks - they get the same price... now if a doctor other then your OB delivers, they do get paid to deliver - and your OB gets a lowered rate due to the fact that he/she did not complete in intire global care.

I do feel that my OB has my best interest at heart... he has delivered 5 kids for me and is caring for me with my current one. I am at 24 weeks and have seen a specialist 2 times now due to a postpartum blood clot with my last, I am on daily blood thinner injection which will change at 36 weeks due to interreactions that may accure during delivery if I'm still on my current stuff. I was even sent for a special ultrasound to watch the blood flow between me and the baby and to check the area I had my last clot to make sure I am not having any issues.

If you don't feel like you doc has your best interest at heart, maybe you should not return to them after this delivery... find a new doc. But delivery after 38 weeks is always healthier on a baby, since it is then considered full term and it's lungs are better developed. I have been induced with 3 & they were all after 38 week, most of them were closer to 39 weeks... but I was also induced for fear I wouldn't make it to the hospital if my water brakes since I deliver fast and the ride to the hospital will take us over an hour because of dropping the kids off somewhere. Plus, with my in-laws schedule, they will only watch them Fri-Sun... so we have to kinda work delivery into that time, or we my not have anyone to watch the kids.

I wish you luck - if you still are upset about everything... talk to your OB, it might help.

You are a lucky girl. I don't think your docs are in it for the money. They are trying to make sure your baby will be born healthy. Most people don't get to pick their baby's birthday unless they are having a scheduled c-section. Even then, they get bumped to a different time etc. when an emergency comes in. Take some deep breaths and remember, the longer your baby is in--the better his/her lungs will be and 37 weeks is still early for a singleton baby. For twins its considered full-term but you aren't really full-term until 38 weeks for a single baby. GL

M

It sounds like you've been getting very attentive care all along from a team of doctors and medical specialists. I would suggest trusting them for one or two more weeks. They've already gotten a TON of insurance money, it sounds, for your case and I doubt that is their reasoning for verifying the plan. I think they do just want to be as sure as possible that everything is OK.

Most of us don't get to schedule our deliveries and have to deal with getting to the hospital despite other children, ice storms (in my case), and other complications.

I was told with my last pregnancy, that unless there are serious health risks they can't induce before 39 weeks. I understand you have high blood pressure an a history, but it sounds like it's under control for the moment.

It has less to do with charging you for appointments than it does with the doctor's liability if they induce to early and something is wrong with your baby.

I was induced with my twins at 35 weeks and 4 days as the ultrasound tech couldn't get a good read on my daughter, and he underestimated her weight by almost 1 lb... they thought the placenta stopped working, so they induced me. As it turns out, although my twin son was 6 lbs. 3 oz and 19 inches long, he still ended up in the NICU with what they thought was wet lungs- he ended up with a neumo-thorax and they had to aspirate it by a needle through his chest- twice! He ended up having premature lungs and had to be transferred to Children's Hospital where he was put on Serfactin to help strengthen his lungs. Not sure of your race, but all the nurses at both hospitals say that the white males take the longest to mature their lungs... We were terrified and afraid we were going to lose him. He just turned 3 on Saturday and he's healthier than you could imagine, but I wouldn't mess with it. If you're doing well and under a watchful eye, I'd wait as long as possible. Good luck with everything

hey girl - hang in there - i know it is so hard when you are so sick and you have other little ones at home. I really think the doctors do have you & your baby's best interest at heart. I had my daughter (she was my 3rd - i have 2 boys, now 9 & 7 as well) last summer right at 37 weeks, because I had been having high blood pressure since week 19, and high protein levels since week 28, contracts every 2-8 min for over a month, low amniotic fluid for 3 months and a breech baby (i did end up with a c-section - my 1st one) - they let me go to 37 weeks, and my baby girl still had major issues breathing - she was in the nicu for 10 days - 36 hours on a vent, 2 doses of serfactin, 4 days on cpap and finally on room air when she was just over a week old - it was a really rough go :( she did also end up with RSV & pneumonia at 9 months and had to stay in the hospital again for 2 days - she is doing great this summer and is developing normally (thank goodness), but i still wish i could have made that start to her life not so hard ... i had the same condition with both of my boys (not quite as bad), and they were both delivered at 37 weeks, but they had no issues. I wish you the best & hope for an incredibly healthy delivery - hang in there and trust the doctors - they will do what is best for you and your precious little one.

sending lots and lots of hugs & prayers,
~T.