As of right now I am not considered high risk. I would like to have the freedom to get monitored when I freak out, but since today is our first 'real' prenatal appointment I guess I will find out today what the 'rules' will be. I know if I was with my midwives from the last birth they would be allowing extra doppler checks and ordering an US if I wanted. But, we moved from NJ to AK so I don't know the rules here.

I do know I don't specifically want to be high risk, but I would like to have the monitoring. Does that make sense?

Hey Whitney!
I'm not considered high risk, with just one loss for unknown reasons they won't send me to high risk OB but my new OB originally gave me a plan of doing U/S and NST every 2 weeks after 24 weeks. I was agreeable to this but now he has retracted the offer of NSTs as he thinks that they will be more reliable after 30+ weeks and we will just do u/s every 2 weeks until then. He told me that this plan is simply for my peace of mind and not acutally "warranted" but I don't care. I am happy with this plan. Of course, I would like 24hr monitoring if I could get it! lol! I am always jealous of other's game plans. I always feel like my OB is too relaxed about it all.

Hi Girls! Im 8w4d and in my OB eyes I'm high risk already. He wants to make sure I'll get the best care I can get. So far I have scheduled office visits already every 2 weeks. I'm giong to have US done every 3-4 weeks (had 3 already). We did ALL possible bloodwork you can imagine. I'm monitored for gastestional diabetics, but so far I'm good :). And NST will start around 30 weeks. I'll have amnio and induction around 34-35 weeks. I love my plan and it makes me feel safe and comfortable :)

Thanks everybody! I don't really feel like my pregnancy is "high" risk either, BUT... I am 35 years old, and have had a stillbirth due to cord accident, so I'm willing to do ANYTHING to have a living baby this time.

8 ft and wings-- yes, I think I understand exactly what you are saying-- you want options, and want to be your own advocate, which is commendable. I admire that very much.

Jodi and Justyna-- WOW! Your low risk plan is much more thorough than my high risk one. I am only having 2 ultrasounds total-- at 20 weeks (which they already did) and then one more at around 28 weeks (unless they detect a "problem"). The number of ultrasounds is my biggest gripe, I feel like they should be doing them at least every 4 weeks starting at 28 weeks. Then I'm having weekly NSTs starting at 30 weeks. My anterior placenta is keeping me from feeling the baby move much too, so the extra monitoring would be reassuring.

I am exactly like you...35 years old, one healthy living child and one stillborn daughter due to a cord accident. I did also have a miscarriage with my first rainbow. However, the plan I am using with this pregnancy was also planned with the one I miscarried. I don't really consider myself high risk, but they have labeled me this b/c of Carly and the cord accident.

I had OB visits every 2 weeks and an ultrasound once a month with the MFS until I hit 28 weeks. Then at 28 weeks, I started 2 NSTs with my OB/week, 2 NSTs with a nurse that would come to my home (through Allere), and 1 regular OB visit/week (following one of the NSTs). Then at 30 weeks, my MFS started doing weekly BPPs, growth scans, and cord flow checks. I still have the other 4 NSTs per week as well.

Essentially, I am having the baby checked daily during the week and then I am on my own on the weekends. It is getting tiring already at 32 weeks, but it is also very reassuring.

Keep in mind, I wanted to use Dr. Collins, but my OB would not sign off on the liability form. Therefore, he set me up with Allere to sort of keep me happy. Hope this helps.

Best wishes in whatever you do. I have to say you might need to fight for what you want and you should. The medical profession has already failed us once and I refuse to let them do it again if I have any control at all. Hugs, Stacy

I am considered high risk due to the fact there was so many factors that COULD have played into the death of my daughter, and they are not sure which factor it was. I have been high risk since day one, and I don't see any other OB...just my MFM/high risk doc. At first I saw him every 3-4 weeks at first. Now, we will be seeing him every 2 weeks. till 24 weeks (I am 20 weeks this Thursday). He does quick u/s every visit, and I have had 3 in depth u/s so far. at 24 weeks we will be starting growth scans every 2 weeks till 30 weeks. then 2 NSTs a week and an u/s a week until 33 weeks...then admitting me to the hospital, steroids and an amnio and hopfully delivery between 34-35 weeks. I have been ver happy with the care I have been recieveing, and I am just praying that the amount of monitoring and care I am getting will bring me a happy, healthy baby!

I am not seeing a high risk doctor since I have only had one loss (unknown causes) and a chemical, BUT I am considered high risk at my current doctors office. Sadly, my original doctor left the3 practice, however, the midwife there is amazing and has been treating me since the beginning of this pregnancy. There are 3 other doctors there, 1 of which I hate, but the other two are okay. I can basically see the midwife thru my whole pregnancy, but she will not be the one delivering (she doesnt deliver anymore, but regardless it is whoever is on call that night, I wont be induced unless there is a problem or I am past due) Anyway, they have already given me 3 ultrasounds and I am only 9 weeks, I have another one in 3 weeks, then I will have one at 18 weeks and then at 22 weeks. I lost my daughter at 22 weeks so 2nd trimester is the worrier for me! After that, I believe they will do another u/s at 26 or 28 weeks and then every couple of weeks from then on. I believe they will do nst's after 30 weeks. At least this is the plan for now! Who knows if they will change their minds!

I am considered high risk,because there was no cause found for my full term loss last year. I had USS every 7weeks til I was 24weeks, then increased to every 4weeks until 32,now every 2weeks,had my last one yday. I am seen for basic obs every week since 32weeks, and I can go in for NSTs whenever I want,although I've just done that once,coz baby is active and I'm happy to self monitor at presentl I think every OB has a different idea of how much to be involved,I'm happy with the reassurance I've had,but at the end of the day,baby grows itself, and the Drs can only see so much,I think for me I had to weigh up the stress it would cause to be in qall the time for monitoring with the reassurance I got from it. It does affect your home life and work life when you need to go in all the time,but I feel that my OB got the balance right for me. Good luck with your plan!

I am high risk due to being over 35. I lost my son due to a twisted cord. I am seeing either my regular ob and a specialist every week now and I am 29 weeks. The specialist is doing all the ultrasounds and at 16 weeks found that I had a short cervix so I had to get a cerclage. I am very greatful that she found this through the ultrasound. I don't know if my regular ob would have caught it as early or in time. I feel good going to the doctor every week, especially the specialist doing the ultrasound. The heartbeat checks at my regular doctor make me feel good but the ultrasound is really comforting for me because I always ask where the cord is during the ultrasound. I hope you can work out a plan with your doctor that makes you feel comfortable as possible.

I was "regular" until 28 weeks (the four weeks between appts. killed me!) and then started getting NSTs once a week. It has really made my anxiety go down. My regular doctor did do an U/S every time until we could get a heartbeat on doppler (and now checks fluid levels every other week on U/S), but that's just his m.o. for everyone and not very "normal" I don't think.

I did see a high risk doctor twice, mostly because my regular doctor just wanted to make me feel better (and I was happy with that!). There's no known cause for my angel's death, but the high risk doctor did all her tests and research too just to confirm and give a second opinion. She did the anatomy scan at 18+ weeks and we saw her again for follow up at 26 weeks (so that helped split up my 4-weeks between appts. wait). Then she gave us some stuff to do with the regular doc (follow up growth scan at 34 weeks) and said I did not need to come back to her unless I wanted to. She did suggest induction at 39 weeks because she suggests that for all her patients.

Like I said, I do feel much better going in every week and I think in the future I might even ask them if I could skip the every-4 weeks and go straight to every 2 weeks in the beginning, even if there isn't much they can look at. You definitely just need to fight to be comfortable with your treatment-- it's not worth worrying that you don't like your doc's plan.

i am also considered high risk since we have no answers to why we lost our angel. I see a perinatologist and my regular OB docotr. my ob has kept a close eye on me and will see me within 15 minutes if I feel worried or just needed my mind put at ease in the beginning. now that he is active i really dont worry as much. I go to the dr every two weeks since 20 weeks, at 32 weeks we will start NST and biophysical profiles done. I have been having ultrasounds everyweek, and at 30 weeks i will start having brain scans done on the fetus every 2 weeks. at 34 weeks they are talking about doing steriod shots just in case something does go wrong, hopefully it will help the lungs. and they are also on the we just need to wait till we hit that 32 week mark and we will kind of play it by week. If things are looking good, I am calm, and baby is looking good we are going to wait until 38 weeks for the scheduled c section, but they also want to be prepared to have the baby at anytime. they sent me home with the drugs they want me to have, and the steps they want the hospital to take if I go in over night and one of them is not on call the on call OB will know exactly what happened last time and what they want done for this pregnancy/delivery. I think it might be a little overboard, but I am willing to do whatever it takes to get our baby home this time.