Update from the Land of Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Well, important things first:  we have confirmation of a Live Baby.  Measuring 10w3d, heart rate 160 bpm, dancing all around.  I suspect that means Dr. G's measurement was off last week, because I doubt the baby grew 12 days worth of growth in 7 days.

The sac is still measuring 8 and change, which means the numerical situation seems a bit worse, actually than last week, when the sac was measuring only 9 days behind the embryo (12 for actual dates).  But the baby looked like it had enough room, certainly enough room to stretch out and wiggle around (nothing like some of the crunched-up pictures I've seen online).

The ultrasound tech was incredibly thorough, got a good doppler study of the placenta and cord.  Observed The Twin That Wreaked All Kinds of Havoc.  (Umm, yeah, it's still hanging around, at around 6mm, with blood flow directed toward it.)  The doctor reviewed her report and proceeded to investigate my uterus all over again.  Asked if I was on Lovenox (really, can you tell?) and why. 

Bottom line:  pregnancies like this miscarry about 80% of the time.  The fact that I haven't yet miscarried and the baby doesn't seem to be compromised is a very good thing.  The fact that the sac is still growing (albeit at its own fucked up rate) is also a good thing.  He said the next few weeks should reveal much, as the mechanism of fluid production is indeed changing over to fetal-controlled.  Which means if the problem is in any way related to my body, it should be helped along.  If there's a major placental defect, that should begin to show itself in IUGR.  The most comforting thing I took from the appointment was this:  I don't want you to leave here thinking this pregnancy has only a 1 in 5 chance of continuing.  That is, while my risk of loss is higher than the 3% usually quoted to women at this stage, it isn't as high as 80% either.  The longer I stay pregnant, the more that risk declines.  He said there really aren't adequate statistics because cases like this are so rare (gee, that's great); most of them, he repeated, end earlier than this.  Recommended follow up at this point is the first trimester screen (which I'm doing) as well as an ultrasound at 12-14 weeks to check on bladder and kidneys.

I've got a regular OB appointment on Thursday, so we'll have much to talk about.  In the meantime, folks, I've got a little dancing fetus in my uterus.  It really can't get better than that.