amnio

giffmom wrote: Has anyone had an amnio? I talked to my sister this morning and she told me that if the my ob thinks that I am not going to be able to carry the baby until april 25th or if my next ultrasound is showing an earlier date, my ob will want to do an amnio to test the maturity of the lungs for an earlier delivery. What do you think?

~~*Missi*~~ replied: i never had an amino done and my doctor KNEW i wasn't going to carry to term with sabrina.

I started bleeding at 14-16weeks. I started dilating at 20w. I was 3cm and 50% effaced by 28w. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes at 30w..They knew it was a matter of time before I just completely went.
I was on Bedrest ony allowed to get up to PEE! I was having weekly sonograms(BPP)...I was on a IVpump giving me anti-contraction meds plus taking a pill for it. I had two shots for lung maturity for Sabrina.

She was DUE NOVEMBER 21 2004 she arrived into this world OCTOBER 14th 2004. She was 6lb 8oz 19.25inches long happy and healthy.... monitored in NICU for 6hours (they say a night but it wasn't LOL)

They did for me what is called BIO PHYSICAL PROFILES(Bpp), its a long ultrasound where they test aminotic fluid levels, mimick breathing, "guess"weight, check the heart beat and organs etc....

Sabrina did well until OCtober 14th when I failed the profile and got a trip next door to deliver her. For the amino level they take levels of fluid in four quadrants of your stomach(imaginery box on belly cut into four parts) if there is umblical cord in that space the aminotic fluid doesn't count. Sabrina had umblical cord in 3 of the 4 quadrants (fail). She was in less then 2% of fluid. The guessed her weight at 6lbs 1oz, she was 6lb 8oz. She mimick breath and her lungs were looking good. She was moving alot for that last week which made her fail automatically in my doctor eyes. I wouldn't have known she was there if she didn't have the hiccups LOL.
needless to say there are other ways to "look" at the lung maturity etc.. without amino. not to mention you 33 weeks(right) thats alot of baby in there to be sticking needles around. If it was needed yes I would do it but if there are other options I would take those IMO.
Also have you had any "issues" that would lead your sister to think that your going preterm?
37weeks is "technically" full term... So you have less then 4 weeks Fingers crossed. email me anytime pm whatever I am here. I have gone thru most tests LOL while pregnant since sabirna was my problem child inside LOL

giffmom replied: the reason she says this is that the baby is so large that she said that my boby my not be able to carry a baby this large. At my last dr appt 2 weeks ago the baby measured 3 weeks ahead of schedule. and the dr said that the baby was really big. I feel like my stomach could just pop open at any time I don't feel like that there is anymore room. I am having an ultrasound tommorrow. So I guess we will see.

~Roo'sMama~ replied: I haven't had an amnio either. I think they're too big of a risk to take in the first trimester ~ I would be way to scared to have one done that late in the game. Like Missi said there are other ways to find out. I'd tell my OB to do a different test.

~~*Missi*~~ replied: is this your first pregnancy giff?

if you don't mind me asking are you short like what was your beginning size???

I know when I was 34 weeks (the week I deliver'd sabrina) I was measuring 39weeks. OPPS lol. she was a big big baby for 34 week she wa 6lb 8oz at birth. They figured that my due date was messed up cause she was healthy.

If your OB hasn't brought concern to you I wouldn't let your sister get you to worried. Since I know on and off that i measured big and then sabrina would shift and I would be back to right on.

Keep me informed about your appt. I am sure that if your doctor hasn't raised any red flags that he/she isn't worried. You will be surprised HOW THAT BABY WILL HAVE ENOUGH ROOM NO MATTER HOW UNCOMFORTABLE YOU ARE! i remember being 32 weeks and thinking if she moved I was going to ripp at the seams. I was so big and so uncomfortable I wondered how woman go full term and beyond lol

giffmom replied: I have a 2yr old son Jamison I had him at 38 weeks he was 7lbs. 13 oz and 20 in. I am only 5'4 and have a medium body frame. But my husband is a big man, his weighs about 235 and is over 6 ft tall. I have always heard that your children should weigh about what the father weighed. DH weighed almost 9lbs and so did his sister, and his mom smoked the whole pregnancy.

~~*Missi*~~ replied: i really don't think that your husbands weight has anything to do with your new babies weight. I never heard that but I am going to guess its a wife's tale.

I have heard that the more babies the bigger they get. Like you had a 7lb maybe a 8lb etc... but that doesn't always hold up either..

what time is your appt tomorrow? I am little miss nosey lol

If you carried your son to 38 weeks and he was a happy healthy 7lb I wouldn't worry at all..... 37 weeks is "technically" term and after that the baby can come and 98% likely to be A.OK
My ob doesn't allow a woman to go past 37-37.5 weeks because the placenta actual starts to detoriate at 37 weeks so he feels its safer just to take you and induce if you have started yet.

Please please keep me updated I am so nosey and interested
good luck tomorrow and enjoy you get to see your baby

jacobsmama replied: Being an OB nurse I agree with Missi on most issues but sometimes it is necessary to do amnio to check for lung maturity. The baby can be BIGGER but that doesn't mean the lungs are matured yet, I"m guessing that is what your OB is trying to figure out. Do you have diabetes with this pregnancy? Or any other problems besides preterm stuff? Just curious. It is safe to do the amnio at this gestation actually even safer than first trimester b/c t he baby is bigger and less risks.

We do the BPP u/s too but sometimes you need definite results and U/S is just screening and guestamate. Do what your Dr and you think are best.

HTH, Good luck.

~~*Missi*~~ replied:
nice to see a fellow nurse, i don't work now(did in ob but quit to have Sabrina) but i have a BSN and may return to it someday....

I think her sister brought this up not her doctor and that it was the only way that they could tell the lung maturity is why i said its not the only way.....it sounds like she had no issues carrying her son but who knows each case is different.

also according to rainbow childrens hospital in cleveland ohio and what i was always taught (its where i was monitored for beanie) mimick breathing is a clear sign that the lungs are maturing. Not mature mature that is why they give the shots to aid the maturing... but then again one thing I have notice in nursing different doc different reason different teaching.....kwim?

wouldn't a definative answer like a amino be more for if she was having complications early on in the pregnancy say earlier then 34 weeks? Meaning like if she was before 32 or 30 weeks... just curious because it is interesting to me how different procedures and protocol vary from place to place or doctor to doctor ya know

sorry to bug ya but i am curious what you were taught learned etc....its interesting to me how it varies

mummy2girls replied: Yes I had one with Jenna. I had a AFP test done to determine of my baby was a risk of having downs or spina bifada and it came back Postive for spina bifada. I didnt panic because i know these tests have a high false postive rates to them. I went in for an ultrasound and they couldnt tell because she was moving too much so me and aron agreed to the amnio. I was scared because it has a risk for m/c if done in the first trimester. In the end everything turned out great and i have my healthy baby girl:)

~~*Missi*~~ replied:
jenna love the new pic in the siggy. did you have it done in the first trimester???
she is a beauty!!

mummy2girls replied:
yes

jacobsmama replied:
I didn't know you were OB nurse too! awesome!

I think I misunderstood that her sister is the one who brought this up that is why I asked her if she was having problems or not? Yes you are right if she was having problems prior to probably 32 weeks it would be recommended to get AMNIO.

To be honest our docs sometimes go ahead and give the steroids vs. doing amnio because the moms dont like the risks (and I dont' blame them)

I would didnt' think from her last pregnancy and what she was saying that she needed it but just wanted her to be reassured if she did KWIM?

Nice chatting with you missi.