Disclaimer: purpose of this blog is only to share my experiences and not to blame anyone or to criticize any one. This post is not to be reproduced in any other form electronic or paper without prior written permission.
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As per earlier plan, we were to do our last USG in 34th week. There was no plan for any more USGs. However we did an USG on 6th JUne (37.5 Wk) with color dopler. In that USG, we found out that there was about 15 days lag in baby's development. So another USG was planned a week later to see if baby's development is having any issues. In the USG on 13th (38.5Wk), it showed development of the baby to be good, but AFI was reported to be 3 and suspected case of severe oligohydramnious. (Not sure if I had talked about our background. My real sister is consultant gynae herself. However my wife was not comfortable travelling on the last days, hence we had decided to do pregnancy @ this hospital and my sister was to attend the delivery)
So sitting outside gynaecologist's OPD, I did one of the big mistakes - googling. I tried to check what that word "oligohydramnious" means on the internet using my mobile. And I was in worst shock of my life!!! When we went inside OPD, consultant suggested us to get admitted stat with a plan of emergency section. She said all checking/tests will be done after getting admitted. In meanwhile, I called my sister and got both the consultants talking. After the call, I was told that we are going for another opinion with some other radiologist. With all that I had read on the net, I was not sure as to why my sister suggested to go for another opinion and not immediate section.
We were suggested by the gynaecologist some radiologist close by. But when we were little late and he had just gone home. Then we searched another one close by. He had a rush I had never witnessed before. I was told that it will take at least 2-3 hours before our turn would come. Being from a family of doctors I knew how to steer my way through and I made sure that I get higher priority. However I had to wait for 2-3 patients or half an hour. This half an hour was probably worst half an hour of my life. I called up my sister almost every other minute asking if it was ok to wait so long (Not sure, how she managed her OPD with so many calls from me!)
But she insisted that clinically she does not suspect probability of "oligohydramnious" especially after seeing USG of a week back with AFI 10. After the second USG, second radiologist said that definitely it is not a case of oligohydramnious and AFI was 9 and definitely more than 8. With a loose cord around neck with very low risk. I cant explain in words my feelings then...
The same night I went to my sisters place to understand details. She talked to both the radiologists and both of them were insistent that their report was right (another twist !). My sister was very sure form her experience that AFI cannot drop from 10 to 3 without any discharge in a short span of a week. Just to be very sure, she consulted another senior radiologist to get an opinion. and they decided to confirm it by having third USG (In western countries you do 3 USGs in whole 9 months and we were to perform 3rd in less than 24 hours)
Based on suggestion of this friend of my sister, we went to a radiologist who practices in OnP and visiting consultant to another hospital. I was instructed by my sister not to go with my wife as I create lot of panic (?)
By noon on 14th I was informed that AFI is 9. with mention of the chord around neck, there was another twist - "Amniotic fluid shows traces of echogenic foci within". In this report other parameters on color dopler were fine. This ecogenic foci may be becasue of body hair of the baby or because of Muconium (green motion of baby as we were told in the class) But since dopler was normal chances of muconium were minimal. So we decided to do NST. my wife was back in
hospital at 4 PM to do NST which I was permitted to attend as I had not done googling on ecogenic foci :). Luckily the NST was normal. However there was another catch - muconium may be swollen by the baby not immediately but later. I was back to my sister's place this evening again. It followed with another round of long discussion. Looking at the risks, my sister suggested us to go for elective section and another NST in night. Night NST was again good. We were to have C-
section at 9:30 AM on 15th.
But life is never simple with me. I get everything I want, but I have to go through struggle to get it...
Next morning at 5 AM, my wife started getting labour pain (traces of blood and back pain) and rushed to hospital. NST was normal, dilation was just starting and we were told it may take anything between 12 to 24 hours for the birth. Another dilemma to face. My sister said that yesterday we were not sure as to when labour may happen so she could take a decision of section, but since now it can be as early as 12 hours, I have to call the shots. This was the first time I was forced to take decisions. And believe me it is not at all simple thing to take decisions on probability. If there is no muconium, un-necessary operation to wife. In case of muconium, life threatning risks to baby however with 4 hourly NST, risks were minimal.
After long discussions between me and wife, we decided to wait till 2 PM, if no dilation by then, section. Since there was no other patient, I was allowed inside labour ward through out.
Then I overheard the registrar giving updates to our consultant Gynae that he does not see any dilation at all. When I talked to him second time, he said that normal labour may take longer time. So we decided to wait till my wife was examined by consultant. Consultant informed that baby's head was not yet locked and it may be alongated labour. This followed by my decision for section. We decided to wait only till my sister reaches the hospital.
In meanwhile my wife had started getting labour pains and I thought for the first time that my wife may not be able to take up the pains... Now, she also believes that. While whole this drama of decision adn changes to decisions was happening, my wife was calm to my surprise...
Finally at 1:21 PM, our cute baby was taken out. As suspected there was muconium and C-section was in deed a good decision. We were lucky that baby was healthy. She just had little breathing problem and after 1 hour of observation with oxygen, she was given to us. Another point to note here, pediatrician was planning to send the baby to ICU as she considered us VIP patient. It in deed happens that these kind of conservative decisions are taken for patients in delux rooms and patients who ask too many questions to doctors. But since my sister was there in OT, she asked pediatrician to treat the patient just as a normal patient.
I got to see my baby only after 2:30 or so and only after I confirmed by seeing it with my eyes, I could relax. I had gone with so many different emotions that I just could not express my happiness, I could not even speak a word. Its simply heavenly feeling...
