Update on baby #2

So, there's a little more going on with baby #2 than with Kian. Aside, from us still not being able to name a child in however many months we have from positive test until delivery. Of course, I blame that largely on Kevin who refuses to talk names until we can find out the sex. That cuts half the time out, but does allow us to rule out half the names. Can't win. I think we're done to a first name we both agree on, but I want to make sure I/we love it. We have 4 choices for a middle name so far. How that works, I don't know. With Kian, we had the middle name before we had the first name! I give up.

Anyway, Thursday I had a regular prenatal check in. And they kept me there waiting over an hour. I was late for my work meeting. Stinking doctor's offices! Friday we had a second ultrasound and consultation with a doctor experienced in reading ultrasounds. This would be the second time we met with him.

I suppose I should start from the beginning. That would be about 6 weeks ago, when we had our routine ultrasound around 18 weeks. Now, I've had the same technician do at least 4 ultrasounds, including Kian's, and this time we had a different person. She was fine, but my *fave* technician talks through things and explains things and shows us measurements, etc. So, this lady was a bit quiet but she told us the necessary things: boy, heart, brain, 2 legs, 2 arms, all fingers and toes, etc. So, we walk out with our pictures, thinking things are fine and dandy. A day and a half later I get a call from, not my doctor, but another doctor telling me there are some concerns on the ultrasound. At 5 pm, a day and a half later. When all the offices are now closed. She's calling to tell me things and I am completely freaked out and a wreck.

What those concerns were/are: echogenic focus in the heart, and 2 vessel cord. Layman's terms? Click on the link, but basically: echogenic focus is a small bright spot seen with ultrasound in the heart, near the valve. I forget which side, left or right. It can be a calcium/mineral spot, or part of the muscle, or something else. This alone, isn't usually that uncommon. It can sometimes be seen more in babies with Down Syndrome or other chromosome issues. Seeing this spot only raises this chance 1%.
2 vessel cord? Single Umbilical Artery (SUA). Normally the umbilical cord has 2 arteries and 1 vein. Our baby decided to only have one artery and one vein. Again, this isn't super uncommon in babies, approximately 1 in 100 newborns are found to have a SUA. They make sure all other organs look okay and then they just monitor the baby for growth, as SUA can sometimes cause the babies to not grow as much, get as big, especially towards the end of the pregnancy. (This is mainly why we are having ultrasounds every 6 weeks.)

So, alone, either of these "issues" isn't much of an issue. But, because we had 2 things pop up on the ultrasound they wanted to scare the crap out of us and make us worry our silly little butts off. They started throwing words out like Down Syndrome, Trisomy 18, chromosomal abnormalities, etc. And seeing them write "fetal abnormalities" on my chart, you know, along with the high risk for clotting/bleeding disorder? That was so much fun. *insert dramatic eye roll here*

We met with a wonderful doctor who explained these things to us (you know after I did 3 million panicked google searches) and gave us lots of options. They have to legally throw out that "termination" bit, but we let them know what we thought of that. My doctor wanted us to hurry up and do the amnio so that if we did decide to terminate it would be done by week 26. I said "Listen, I know that legally you have to give us these options and that the 26th week is NY state abortion limits, but that is not where were are even close to thinking. We are going to take our time with this and make decisions after lots of thinking, praying, researching, and I'm not doing it all by week 26". With that out of the way, what they presented to us was this: ultrasounds every 6 weeks to measure growth and monitor all other organs, etc., amnio to give us definite yes/no for any chromosome problems, fetal echocardiograph, nothing or any combo of those things.

Kevin wanted the amnio right away, he wanted to know if there was something else going on. But, being that I would be the one with the needle stuck in my stomach, and with my clotting factor increasing the risks for problems during an amnio, I am not so sure on this yet. We agreed we wanted follow-up ultrasounds; plus we get to see that cute baby a few more times. So, we had our second ultrasound on Friday. The cord? Still only 2 vessels, but he is growing perfectly. His measurements are right on for his fetal age. The heart focus spot? Still there. But, it can disappear in the third trimester (we're not there yet) and it can mean nothing. What's important to me is that his brain looks great, his kidneys, bladder, stomach, etc. all look just fine. If more issues arose in other places, then we'd really be looking at an amnio, or at least knowing what we're dealing with. (More concerns in those areas mean more likelihood of a chromosome disorder/problem.)

We are contemplating the fetal echocardiograph, it's another test, it's another hefty co-payment, it's with another specialist, and so on. From the 2 ultrasounds they've seen no other concerns at all with his heart. It's structurally looking just fine, it's working fine, the heart rate is right on, etc. But, then I think with these 2 concerns, maybe I might. So, we're still talking about it. For me, the risk of an amnio just for diagnosing a disorder he probably doesn't have? I don't care to do it. I'm at the point where, they're saying he looks perfectly healthy and typical, and I feel he is, and risking that just to know for sure isn't what I want to do. I couldn't deal with it causing complications and finding out there are no problems with him at all. Either he's fine or he's going to have a slightly increased risk for Down Syndrome. Either way, it's done and we'll deal with it. But, I feel that everything is just fine.

So, that's what's been going on and making us crazy the last month or so. We'll continue to monitor and look again in 6 weeks as we're into the 3rd trimester and see if anything has changed. But, I feel good, (minus the tired and achy-stretchy part) and he looks good, so we're feeling much more peace about this. Either way, God's got a plan and he's going to be with us, so we're all good.

The best part? We got 3D pictures during the ultrasound! Apparently, my doc's office can do them, doesn't like to until around 24 weeks. So that is why we didn't get any with Kian! I'm sure we'll get more next time too, yay! It's way cooler seeing him in 3D, makes me more excited for him to hurry up and get here, for us to get to September and meet him. It's much more real than those black and white outline pictures! Either way, we'll take it. We'll keep everyone informed, and if you have a minute for a quick prayer for Baby Boy #2, we'd appreciate that as well!

3 comments:

Emily said...

Im sending you love, light and postive energy! Ill be praying for Baby Boy #2...He will turn out absolutely perfect. Lotsa Love Krysten and Baby Boy!

Allisan said...

Lots of love and prayers! He looks perfect in the u/s pics!! How many weeks do you have left?

Sinead at Breastfeeding Mums said...

My prayers are with you :) What a beautiful little boy already and whatever happens I'm sure you'll give him lots of love and he'll return it many times over throughout his life.