**Need Support/Advice: 2nd Rate Pre-natal Care**
First, sorry this is SO long! I'm 31 years old, & pregnant for the 3rd time, at 25 weeks now. I was laid off from my job in August, had lap-band surgery in September, & got pregnant while using condoms & not ttc just 19 days after surgery. When my severance ran out from my job, I had to go on state health insurance, called Access Plus, after having lost Blue Cross/Blue Shield coverage. The ONLY place that accepts the state insurance & high-risk patients is the Conemaugh Women's Clinic. But the care there is horrible. I have 2 close friends & a cousin who miscarried while under their care because they didn't treat low Progesterone issues in time. I'm considered high-risk due to multiple miscarriages, hypothyroidism, PCOS, & blood clotting problems, yet they have never measured my belly, don't test my urine, & refuse to give me ultrasounds other than my 10 week, 20 week, & they plan to do one more at week 32. I'm terrified that something could be going wrong or will, & they'll miss it by not checking on her more than just 3 times in 9 months of pregnancy.
I've never made it past week 8 in a pregnancy prior to this one.
The most frustrating part is that when I saw my surgeon, he said lap-band babies need to be monitored for growth every 4-6 weeks because we can't consume the same amount of nutrition as normal mom's. Even with my band fully open, I can't eat much and have only gained 2.5 pounds at 6 months & 1 week pregnant. I told my OB (I see a different doc each time, & have to explain my history over & over again cause they are too busy to read your chart before seeing you) & she blew it off like I was talking nonsense. I said for her to please consult with my surgeon, & she looked at me as if I were stupid & said, "I will, if I think it's necessary."
This place never tells you test results & when I had my 20 week ultrasound, I had to literally grab the OB by her arm as she tried to rush out the door & ask if everything was normal. She brusquely flipped through my chart & said, "The tech would have left me a note, so I think you're fine." Then just left the exam room.
I called Access to see if there was anywhere else at all I could go, & I even called Conemaugh Hospital's patient relations department. For both, I was told that the clinic is my ONLY choice for pre-natal care...mainly due to the insurance I have. This just kills me, because I know most high-risk momma's out there are receiving good care for themselves & their babies. (I pray so!) I try not to stress, but I am SO frightened. I love my daughter with all my heart & just want her to be healthy & go as close to full-term as possible. But I'm trapped in a clinic that sees an average of 100 patients per day with a staff of two OB's & 3 nurses, always rotating that staff, & their main focus is to get you in & out as quickly as possible. Treating you like a number, & not a person, in the process. Again, I'm sorry this is so long, but I'm really scared & needed to talk about it with other women who would understand my fears & concerns.
Love & best wishes to my fellow Pregly Momma's & Momma's-to-Be!
I've never made it past week 8 in a pregnancy prior to this one.
The most frustrating part is that when I saw my surgeon, he said lap-band babies need to be monitored for growth every 4-6 weeks because we can't consume the same amount of nutrition as normal mom's. Even with my band fully open, I can't eat much and have only gained 2.5 pounds at 6 months & 1 week pregnant. I told my OB (I see a different doc each time, & have to explain my history over & over again cause they are too busy to read your chart before seeing you) & she blew it off like I was talking nonsense. I said for her to please consult with my surgeon, & she looked at me as if I were stupid & said, "I will, if I think it's necessary."
This place never tells you test results & when I had my 20 week ultrasound, I had to literally grab the OB by her arm as she tried to rush out the door & ask if everything was normal. She brusquely flipped through my chart & said, "The tech would have left me a note, so I think you're fine." Then just left the exam room.
I called Access to see if there was anywhere else at all I could go, & I even called Conemaugh Hospital's patient relations department. For both, I was told that the clinic is my ONLY choice for pre-natal care...mainly due to the insurance I have. This just kills me, because I know most high-risk momma's out there are receiving good care for themselves & their babies. (I pray so!) I try not to stress, but I am SO frightened. I love my daughter with all my heart & just want her to be healthy & go as close to full-term as possible. But I'm trapped in a clinic that sees an average of 100 patients per day with a staff of two OB's & 3 nurses, always rotating that staff, & their main focus is to get you in & out as quickly as possible. Treating you like a number, & not a person, in the process. Again, I'm sorry this is so long, but I'm really scared & needed to talk about it with other women who would understand my fears & concerns.
Love & best wishes to my fellow Pregly Momma's & Momma's-to-Be!
Comments
im on texas state health insurance this time around because my s/o's insurance hasnt approved to take me on and may not since i was pregnant slightly before the sign up date, but so far my care is excellent ive got the same dr i had with ds and anytime i have a concern they do whatever is needed and dont seem to be penny pinching,im so sorry your experience is so terrible.
I was like, really? How am I supposed to do this? And the most frustrating part is having lost my job due to lack of work, getting pregnant at the worst possible time ever, & now I feel absolutely trapped getting crappy pre-natal care with no hope of finding better for me & my baby. Ugh!!
I've thought about going to the ER either this week or next, just to have that peace of mind of seeing her again. I really think I might! Thank you so much for caring!
Hey hun. I did some research for you. See if you qualify for "medical assistance". That is what your medicaid is called. I read that your access plus is for individuals who are not on a managed health care plan through medicaid. I hope this helps!
To this day, no one at the Clinic has ever offered me physician advice or guidance about my pregnancy. I learned what Braxton-Hicks contractions were from hearing of them on this forum & looking them up online. I didn't know I was supposed to be having urine tests & being measured at every appointment until my cousin's fiance, who just had a baby last year, said her OB did that stuff for her. Back when I had good insurance, I'd never made it past week 8 in a pregnancy, so I just really knew nothing.
Thank you for telling me this, because I am certain the clinic will not. I will definitely monitor her fetal movements when I hit week 28.
In January, I saw a resident who could not find my baby's heartbeat & could not tell me if my painful cramping was normal. I left that appointment in tears, & ended up in the ER two weeks later just so I could get answers.
I'll definitely let you know if I manage to make any progress here in the next week or two, at most. If I truly am stuck at the Clinic, I'll begin measuring myself & testing my own urine. I'll be hitting you up for advice!
Thank you SO much for being willing to help. I mean that with all my heart!
I was wondering if you or anyone else can tell me what a Nuchal ultrasound is? I've seen ladies mention it in posts, & someone said it has to be done before the end of the 1st trimester. This was never offered to me, nor even mentioned. What exactly is it?
I'm glad to see I'm not the only mom who turned the genetic testing down for this same reason!