So, I went to the doctor last week for my 32-week checkup, and she mentioned again that they really recommend a "non-stress" test for women 35 and older (women of advanced maternal age), once they hit 32 weeks. "How often am I supposed to do this?" I asked. She said, "Every week until the baby comes." I'm thinking, "This is ridiculous."
I asked the doctor if most women actually do it every week, and she said they do. I have my doubts, and I also know their practice and the testing site are owned by the same people. I'm sure they get a share of the payment from my insurance.
I'm not trying to be negligent and want the best for my baby, but I haven't had any complications. I'm just considered "high-risk" since I'm barely over 35. And, I work part-time and only have two days off during the week, not to mention having to line up a babysitter to pay to watch my 3-year-old every week for at least two hours while I go over to the hospital to lay in bed for a half hour with a monitor strapped around my belly.
Anyway, I told the doctor I could do it a few times but can't every week. She seemed to sympathize. Why does all the technology available to us today just make life more stressful? It's seems to just increase the number of difficult choices we have to make. It's called a non-stress test because it doesn't place any stress on the baby, but what about the mother??
2 comments:
Well, I know I'm too late to help, but I had a high-risk pregnancy, but it wasn't just a precaution. It really was dangerous for both of us. I had to do the test each week, too. I want to say that I did it for the whole of the third trimester. Thankfully, we had insurance that covered it all. And I didn't have a job or another baby to worry about. You have to walk a line between trusting their knowledge and your own instincts. With my pregnancy, I always trusted them because I was terrified of making the wrong choice. But I know a lot of moms who weren't as worried as I was, and they're babies turned out just fine. So, what did you end you up doing?
Yes, thankfully insurance paid for everything. I ended up going every week, mostly because I felt guilty about not going. And, since my fluid was low that one week, it's a good thing that I did.
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