Back from Vacation

Hey everybody!  Sorry it's been so quiet on this end but I was off on vacation for a couple of weeks and haven't gotten around to posting since I got back.  Just a quick FYI, I am working on a new blog and it should be up by the end of the week.  It is all about gender prediction of little ones while in the womb.  I found out today the sex of my baby, but you'll just have to wait until the next post to find out....SO STAYED TUNED!!!   Exciting stuff lies just around the next corner!

I promise it will be worth the wait!

Tests for the Mature Female

13 weeks!

Wow, I'm 13 weeks today!  Seems just yesterday I was in for my first IUI.  Time passes so quickly.  But that's not the topic for today, hahahaha.  Today is going to be all about my 12 week NT ultrasound and other "old woman" tests.  I will have to come back to this topic here in a couple of weeks, and again in another 5 weeks, since these tests have multiple stages.  For now though, I will go over what I have been through and what I currently do know. So here goes, my 12-week NT ultrasound visit.  But first, here's your video for this entry, something to make you smile and go aw!

Too dang adorable!

Now that we got the cuteness factor out of the way...
To start with, not all women are awesome or privileged enough to be sent for a NT ultrasound.  Why am I so much awesomer than many other pregnant females you ask?  Because I'm old!  Not the wetting the bed and smell like I've gone bad old, but old as far as shoving a baby out my hoo-hoo old!  Basically, I'm over 35.  And with my "advanced" age comes a higher risk of having a child with genetic abnormalities and other such lovely things.  Mostly the worry factor is based on Down syndrome.  While I am at a higher risk for other chromosomal abnormalities and things like neural tube defects, Down syndrome is the #1 reason why these old woman tests are performed.

I'm up there at 1 in 174, yikes!

Now in the days of yore they used to send women my age for very invasive testing right off the bat.  The torture test of choice back in those days was the amniocentesis.  The purpose of this test is to detect chromosome abnormalities, neural tube defects, and genetic disorders with Down syndrome being one of the main focuses.  During the test the doctor jabs a big, long, spiky needle in through the woman's abdomen while trying to avoid stabbing the baby in order to extract fluid from the placenta that can be used for genetic testing.  Every once in awhile the baby doesn't fare so well and miscarriage occurs due to uterine infections, the woman's water breaks, and/or premature labor is induced.  Chances of miscarriage during this procedure runs anywhere form 1 in 400 to 1 in 200 depending on the source you read and the experience of the clinic performing the procedure.  While the test does have a 98-99% accuracy rate, the high rate of miscarriage is not exactly worth the risk to some women, of which I am included in that group.  Had I been breeding back in the olden days, I would have opted not to have this procedure and take my chances. But lucky for me this highly invasive procedure is no longer the first option for us older gals.

I should mention here that there is another frequently used, highly invasive procedure called chorionic villus sampling (CVS) that is used for the same purposes as an amniocentesis with the exception that it cannot detect neural tube disorders.  It's performed by sticking a catheter up through the hoo-hoo and cervix in order to draw a tissue sample from the placenta.  It carries with it an even higher risk of miscarrying, some reports are as high as 1 in 100.  Once again, I would never consider it an option as a first step procedure.  But luckily, as previously mentioned, this is also no longer a first-step procedure.

Either way, not a fan!

On the 26th of September I went in for what is now the first step in genetic disorder testing, the NT ultrasound.  The NT stands for nuchal translucency and the test is also oftentimes referred to as the nuchal fold test.  The purpose of the ultrasound is to measure the clear fluid at the back of the baby's neck.  A developing baby with abnormalities would have an increased amount of fluid.  A measurement of less than 3mm of fluid means the risk is very low.  No test is 100% accurate in predicting the occurrence of abnormalities and this is why the risk is deemed low and not non-existent, but overall the test is 90-95% accurate in predicting the risk of Down Syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities.  My baby's NT measurement came in at 1.5mm, so whew, passed that part with flying colors.  I wasn't really worried that something would be wrong, but it was still a relief to hear that everything looked normal.

Besides measuring the fluid at the back of the neck, the ultrasound is also used to examine the presence of the nasal bones.  If nasal bones are not readily visible at this point, that also points to a higher risk of Down syndrome.  Three in four babies with Down syndrome do not have visible nasal bones at this stage.  As you can see from the pic, the nasal bones were easily visible in my ultrasound.  Once again, whew!

I think he has my nose!

Along with the back of the neck fluid and the nasal bones, the doc also showed me the heart.  While the heart wasn't quite large enough yet to clearly define all four chambers, it was looking right on target.  When I go back for my follow-up ultrasound in 5 weeks, the heart will be large enough to definitely see the four chambers and we will be checking to make sure all of them are there and functioning normally.  Additionally  we examined the brain and it was developing as planned and was cyst free.  A cyst in the blood vessels of the brain is another risk indicator of chromosomal abnormalities.

All in all, the ultrasound went very well.  I really wish the little one had been a bit more cooperative, however.  He wasn't as much of a camera hog as on previous visits.  We did get to see one of his little hands, and I swear it looked like he was waving...or maybe about to try and suck his thumb.  And after much patience, the doc was finally able to give us a shot of the little guy's feet, well at least one foot.  It seems my little one was more interested in being cozy than being a performer.  Which is a shame because we really didn't get any good pics.  The one above is the best one we received.  Then again, this appointment was not about a photography session, it was all about making sure he was okay and out of clear and present abnormality danger.

With that said, my tests are not completely finished.  I still have some blood work being run at the lab.  There are two biochemical tests being run on my pregnancy hormones.  One is the PAPP-A or Pregnancy Associated Plasma Protein-A.  The other is a free beta-hCG (human chorionic gonadototropin) test.  Both these are hormones released by the placenta.  If both these hormone levels are deemed favorable, then once again my risk factor for any abnormalities is diminished.  I should  be getting the results of the blood work back next week.  I'll give an update on the results as soon as I receive them. 

After I receive the blood work results, if anything raises a red flag then I will be given the option to move on to an amniocentesis or CVS to definitively determine if my baby has a chromosomal abnormality, or I could simply opt for a new blood test that is being offered that is up to 99% accurate in detecting such problems without becoming too invasive.  I do not think I would risk miscarrying the baby, so I would opt for the blood test.  Now if that came back negative, I think I would still not opt for the invasive procedures.  If I had a child with Down syndrome or other abnormality, I would love them just as much as I would a perfectly healthy and normal child.  I would not want to risk my pregnancy or be faced with the choice of terminating the pregnancy.  I would rather take my chances and love my child no matter what.

I'll wrap up with a bit of disappointing news...I did not get to find out the sex of the baby during this ultrasound.  Boo!!!  I know it is a bit early, but sometimes at these scans they can determine the sex by examining the angle of the genital tubercle (aka nub).  Basically boys and girls look about the same in the genital region right around this time.

Left is Male and Right is Female

As you can see from the pic, the two are almost identical at this stage of development.  During the NT ultrasound, oftentimes if the baby is in the right position and is far enough along in development, the doc may be able to determine if it's a boy or girl based on the angle of the dangle of "the nub." To make it short and sweet (or if you want more info go here), in males this nub points more vertically and in the female it lies more horizontal to the body.  Unfortunately what needed to be seen could not be seen during my ultrasound, so I will have to wait till I go back for follow-up tests on Halloween to get a gender determination.  I'm still thinking it's a boy, however, which is why I often refer to the little one as a he.  I'm sure you all have noticed this by now.

On that note, I'm thinking about making an entry all about the many gender prediction tests and old wives tales regarding gender that are floating around out there.  I will need to be a bit further along, so most likely this entry will fall around my 16th week.  Then we can all compare the results with the actual sex as should be determined during my 17th week.  Exciting stuff on the horizon, so stay tuned!

Stay tuned to find out!

If you would be so kind, please vote for my blog at Top Baby Blogs.  Thanks to my readers I have moved to #139.  You can get there by clicking here.



Also, feel free to join me on my other Social Media sites by clicking on the additional buttons below that!

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

You Are My Sunshine

After my niece Larkin was born, I used to help babysit her while her parents were at work.  My favorite song to sing her was "You Are My Sunshine."  I imagine it will be the song I most often sing to my little bundle.  With that said, it seemed appropriate to set my 9 week photo shoot (thanks mom!) to that special tune...and it fits with my continuing need to drop a music video into the beginning of every entry.

So, I have a lot to catch everyone up on.  Since the last post about the baby daddy, I have had two ultrasounds and my first prenatal visit.  I know, I know!  I should have posted sooner, but honestly I just got a bit lazy...well, I actually was spending all my free time reading instead of writing.  It's really hard to put down a good Stephen King book, you know?

I'll start by going back in time to Thursday, August 30th.  This is the day I had my 8 week ultrasound.  And what a delight that was.  My little bean had turned into what finally looked like a little human!  Amazing how much the little one changed in just two weeks.

Isn't he/she the cutest thing ever?!?!

As you can see, the ultrasound pic turned out fantastic!  The nurse was very pleasantly surprised that the wee-one decided to put on such a good show.  All of my immediate family members are hams and love the camera.  The baby's daddy is working on his acting career.  Those two things combined...well let's just say I think this one has a personality on him, too.

On a side note, you may notice me calling the little one he a bit.  While it is still too early to know the sex of the baby, I have this feeling that the little one is a boy.  I've always wanted a little boy, but would be absolutely delighted with either sex, but I really do think I'm carrying in my womb what will hopefully one day be an upstanding young gentleman.  Six more weeks and I should know for sure.

So back to the 8-week ultrasound.  It went great.  The little one was measuring at 1.7 cm and had a heart rate of 167bpm.  Doc said he looked terrific and was growing at the expected rate.  Needless to say, I was all smiles and so was my mom.  And the pic we got (seen above) couldn't have been better.

That visit was my official last visit to Arkansas Fertility & Gynecology Associates.  That is until I decide to have another kid...which I'm considering doing before I turn 40.  The next part of my journey was officially here, time for my first prenatal visit.  After much deliberation, I decided to go with Ashley Deed as my OBGYN.  She delivered my niece Haven, and I had talked to several women who absolutely adored her.  I'm very glad I went with her because she totally rocks!

My frst prenatal appointment was Monday, September 10th.  I was anxious and excited as I really didn't know what to expect...I've never been pregnant before so who could blame me?  Anyway, my mom was supposed to join me that morning as usual but she had an early morning dizzy spell and missed her ride (me) cause I could not run late for my first appointment...impressions and all.  However, Dr. Deed was so wonderfully nice that she waited to do my first abdominal ultrasound until my mom could get there.  This was totally unexpected.  I simply stated on the way to the ultrasound room that my mom was going to be so disappointed that she was missing it.  Well that was all it took.  Dr. Deed said she didn't mind waiting at all.  She just took me back to my exam room and let me browse magazines until mom got there.  What doctor does that?  Not one I have ever met.

She really deserves one of these!

I'm getting ahead of myself again, so I'll back up a but.  When I first got called back for my appointment I went through the usual rigmarole.  I was weighed (we won't even go there on the weight I have already gained due to the progesterone and now baby weight and boob increase), had my blood pressure checked, and we went briefly over my due date to make sure we were all on the same page.  After that, I was taken to my exam room...this is where I met Dr. Deed for the first time and admittedly knew nothing of what was to come.  I had no idea that I would be getting another ultrasound that day...and my first abdominal one to boot.  That is why I was so grateful that Dr. Deed was willing to wait until my mom arrived.  She was already on her way cause she wanted to be there for as much of the appointment as possible, so the wait wasn't terribly long.  Regardless, I was over joyed and thankful.

As I waited for mom, Dr. Deed and I discussed some basics.  First off she asked if I was having any problems, which of course I haven't had any of those.  Next we discussed sending me in for specialized blood work and another ultrasound, since I'm over 35, to check for Down Syndrome and other such genetic/chromosomal disorders....the stuff they typically test for with an amniocentesis.  Luckily amniocentesis is no longer the first step in testing for these disorders.  As the process is so invasive and carries a risk of miscarrying the fetus, I would not have opted for such a test.

I don't think so!

But blood work and an ultrasound, that I can handle.  If they find anything that raises a red flag in these procedures, then they move on to other methods of testing.  I imagine I'll have no scares here, but I will still probably be anxious until I hear the results.  I'm scheduled to go in for those tests on September 26th, so everyone keep your fingers crossed that it all comes out fine.

During my ultrasound at this appointment they will also be checking my cervix for any unusual scarring that could affect me carrying to term.  They are checking it because I had a LEEP procedure done to remove abnormal cells that were pre-cancerous back in the early 2000s.  This procedure can cause several different types of changes to the cervix, so it is necessary to have an expert examine mine to make sure nothing unusual is going on down there.  Good news is that after my pap-smear that Dr. Deed performed, she stated I had a perfect cervix and she would never have guessed I had had a LEEP performed if I hadn't told her.  But I still need an expert to check just to make sure.

After Dr. Deed's and my discussion, my mom finally arrived and we went back to the ultrasound room.  And once again, it was magical.  Unfortunately for us my little one was not performing as much as the previous ultrasound.

He's getting bigger!

As you can see from the pic, he's not splayed out to the camera giving it his best ham sandwich!  I honestly believe he was sleeping soundly and was all cozied and didn't want to be woken up.  I'm not much of a morning person either, so I really can't blame him.  Dr. Deed kept harassing him to move around, and he did a bit, but for the most part he just chillaxed, which is cool by me.

So how much bigger was he you ask?   Well he/she had grown to 3.2cm and the heart rate was at 160bpm. Dr. Deed said he/she was perfect in all aspects of the word.  Growing like a weed, had all the appropriate limbs, and she expects he/she will be a big, healthy baby when born.  She also said birth-weight usually corresponds to how big you were at birth.  I was 7lbs 6oz, so if she's right that would be a great size.  I am predicting an 8-9lb baby, though.  Besides being just a perfect specimen of a fetus, she also said it was quite unusual to be able to see the umbilical cord so vividly at such an early stage.  As you can see from the pic, the cord is quite noticeable.  She said this means it is a nice strong, thick cord and that is a terrific thing to have.  I hate to brag about it, but it made me feel so damned proud to being doing such a remarkable job creating this little one.  Everything she said was like getting a giant gold star sticker for my hard work!

I so rock at creating life!

After my ultrasound, we headed back to the exam room for the pap-smear.  It was just the typical exam...pressed on my boobs, shoved some fingers up my hoo-hoo and pressed on my goods, took some swab samples to go to the lab...same ole, same ole.  Everything looked just as it should, so nothing really much to talk about there.  Oh, I forgot to mention that I did have to give a urine sample after the ultrasound...I just love peeing in a cup!

Okay, this one I just threw in for my dad!

Following the pap-smear I made my appointment for my special tests on September 26th and then gave a blood sample.  It was a terribly long wait for the blood-letting, but it was smooth and painless which is always a plus.  Upon leaving I was given a packet of goodies all wrapped together with a camo ribbon...I took this as a sign, of course, that I am indeed carrying a boy.  I'm sure it was random, but I am a believer of signs and so I'll just leave it at that.  The bundle of goodies included a very informative book about pregnancy and infancy, a guide to breastfeeding, information on mommy courses offered including water aerobics and infant CPR, two magazines (one called Loving Your Grandbaby and the other As Your Baby Grows), a tote bag, and my preadmission form to fill out so I can go ahead and get myself registered at the hospital and prepared for the big day.

As you can see, a lot has happened over the past several weeks.  And a lot is on the schedule for the weeks to come.  To refresh on upcoming events...I have my specialized blood work and ultrasound scheduled for September 26th and my next prenatal visit on the books for October 8th.  After that I'm off on vacation at the beach for a couple of weeks.  Upon my return it should be time to finally prove my intuition is correct and  find out the sex of this little bundle.

It seems just yesterday I was peeing on an HPT and wow, now I'm on my 10th week.  It all moves so fast!  I am glad to finally be moving into the growing and showing phase.  My bump, as you can tell from the photo shoot video, is definitely not hiding.  Every day it seems to be growing just a little bit more.  Maybe so slight no one else notices, but it is easy for me to spot.  This is when all the fun really begins!  I even got to park in one of those special spots at the grocery store for new and/or expecting mothers and that was way cool!

AWESOME!

Well that about covers everything for now.  If you would do me a few favors if you get the notion, i would be much obliged.

First, I am entered into the Baby Gaga 9 week pregnancy calendar girl competition.  So if you don't mind, please vote for me by clicking this link Is Ashley Calendar Girl Material? (yes my real name is Ashley). I am currently in the #2 spot, so any help to break into #1 would be much appreciated!

Second, please vote for my blog at Top Baby Blogs.  Thanks to my readers I have moved from in the 500s to #168.  You can get there by clicking here.



Finally, if you would please follow my page on Facebook that would also rock!  Just simply click here Single Modern Mom on Facebook.

I haven't mentioned this in awhile, but if there are any questions or topics any of you would like answered/covered, I would be more than happy to address these.  Either email me at ashley@singlemodernmom.com or you can always message me on Facebook or comment below.

Until next time, everyone take care and make sure to smile at a random stranger.  Smiles are contagious and I think there needs to be more of them in the world!

See, you smiled didn't you?