Tomorrow we have the foetal anatomy scan. I suppose we've been thinking about it in terms of finding out the gender as much as anything, but the scan is actually looking for foetal anomolies.
There's nothing to suggest that there might be any problems, so it's not worth getting stressed out by the whole thing, but some stress is nevertheless inevitable. During the scan, they will be looking at each part of the body in turn, with special attention paid to the brain, face, spine, heart, stomach, bowel, kidneys and limbs.
From speaking to my mother and Nana, it's clear that pregnancy in their day was a very different kettle of koalas. No one could tell you what was going on inside you, so you didn't worry about it. Now they can scan inside you and tell you something that you can't do much about for another four and a half months, whether you like it or not. Obviously modern medical procedures are much better in most ways, but perhaps the ignorance is bliss route isn't all bad.
There's a whole great list of nasties that could theoretically come up tomorrow, including Spina bifida, Anencephaly, Hydrocephalus, Congenital heart disease, defects of the abdominal wall, kidney abnormalities, shortened bones, Diaphragmatic Hernia, Cleft lip and palate, Down's Syndrome and cerebral palsy. Yikes...
If, god forbid, anything were to go wrong, the hospital is geared up to explain the significance of the findings. If necessary, we could get counselling. In any case, K___ has an appointment with the midwife on Friday, and another with the doctor next week.
Of course, we fully expect this to be pretty much a formality.It will be interesting to see whether the scans tomorow are the quality of the grainy ones we got in Southend last time, or whether they'll be of the quality of the ones we saw in London during the Nuchal scan. And of course, we find out the gender.
I wonder if I'll be kind enough to reveal all on here, or if I'll be mean and keep it to myself..?
Note: This post and the next were on the same day. I've been a bit behind, so the timing hasn't been exactly right on some posts - not that it matters a great deal. The post on Day 135 is posted on the correct day.
There's nothing to suggest that there might be any problems, so it's not worth getting stressed out by the whole thing, but some stress is nevertheless inevitable. During the scan, they will be looking at each part of the body in turn, with special attention paid to the brain, face, spine, heart, stomach, bowel, kidneys and limbs.
From speaking to my mother and Nana, it's clear that pregnancy in their day was a very different kettle of koalas. No one could tell you what was going on inside you, so you didn't worry about it. Now they can scan inside you and tell you something that you can't do much about for another four and a half months, whether you like it or not. Obviously modern medical procedures are much better in most ways, but perhaps the ignorance is bliss route isn't all bad.
There's a whole great list of nasties that could theoretically come up tomorrow, including Spina bifida, Anencephaly, Hydrocephalus, Congenital heart disease, defects of the abdominal wall, kidney abnormalities, shortened bones, Diaphragmatic Hernia, Cleft lip and palate, Down's Syndrome and cerebral palsy. Yikes...
If, god forbid, anything were to go wrong, the hospital is geared up to explain the significance of the findings. If necessary, we could get counselling. In any case, K___ has an appointment with the midwife on Friday, and another with the doctor next week.
Of course, we fully expect this to be pretty much a formality.It will be interesting to see whether the scans tomorow are the quality of the grainy ones we got in Southend last time, or whether they'll be of the quality of the ones we saw in London during the Nuchal scan. And of course, we find out the gender.
I wonder if I'll be kind enough to reveal all on here, or if I'll be mean and keep it to myself..?
Note: This post and the next were on the same day. I've been a bit behind, so the timing hasn't been exactly right on some posts - not that it matters a great deal. The post on Day 135 is posted on the correct day.
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