Help prepare me for the follow up visit

[Tara Roberts]

It's been five weeks since the birth and death of Baby Angel Christian and time for the follow up visit... I know I will need to ask a thousand questions and won't remember or think of any of them until it's too late.
The only "reason" for my premature labor (gestation period of 23 weeks) was that there was a virus in my amniotic fluid. By the time the amniocentesis was run my sugar level was at a four! The doctor said I had no choice but to deliver and they took me off the magnesium and the rest is history (soon I will be ready to post my story). The staff said the culture didn't, did and didn't again grow any particular bacteria; I never got to know what the enemy was. Maybe if they told me it was something I could have prevented the depression and self doubt would be worse, so did they withhold information for my own wellbeing?? Do they have the answers I want? Can someone tell me from experience what to ask, how to ask. What's important and what not to forget....? The group that specializes in these cases (early deliveries, still birth etc...) is great but this is definitely new to me and I want to be prepared for the next pregnancy.

[Deb Stoner]

Write down your questions and take them with you so you won't forget. The question I remember asking is... What are we going to do next time to help try to ease my mind during the pregnancy. More tests? Coming in more often? Checking in for reassurance?

[Sarah O'Neal]

I don't know the answer to your questions......My baby girl passed away on Dec 11th too. I am also trying to get more answers.........

[Catherine Colgan]

From my own experience, ask for all the medical records...for you and for your baby. Also ask for a copy of any pathology or autopsy (notes and final report). Take those to an independent doctor and have them reviewed. Ask your questions of that doctor. That way you will have peace of mind that all the i's were dotted and all the t's were crossed in your care.

Immediately from reading your post, I wonder...

Was it a virus or a bacteria? They are distinct and seperate causes (bacteria caused my first stillbirth and a virus caused my second).

If it was believed to be a virus, you can ask to be tested for immunities. That can give you confidence that a virus was the cause and won't happen again. Of course, if you test and no immunities show up, then you can be confident that it was a bacteria (which, unfortunately, there are no tests for, but at least you would have an idea of who the enemy was).

What role did your sugar have in this? I personally have never heard of delivering to correct gestational diabetes.

Just a few things I was thinking reading your post. I hope you have a good checkup and are able to get some answers that will satisfy you. You are in my thoughts.

[Tara Roberts]

Thanks Everyone for the ideas.
Catherine, they said the sugar is what the baby needs to thrive and grow and since the sugar level in the amniotic fluid was so low the bacteria/virus? was extremely colonized. I never thought about my medical records, but am almost positive it was bacterial, although they couldn't determine the bacteria. Did you ever know the virus and bacteria specifically when you went thru your stillbirths?
I miscarried before this last pregnancy as well - but it was within the first trimester (you don't get much attention at that stage), Also, was your virus or bacterial infection caused by an incompetent cervex? They weren't sure with me but I was checked 3 weeks prior (cvc & cervix) to delivering and to my knowledge nothing was wrong. My OBGYN passed my care over to the specialists immediately, so I need his records also.
Here is the really weird part, a monthprior to delivery I begged my OB for help! I had the worst case of the itchies (you know where) and he told me to keep using monistat, well i tried that 2 times, tried the yogurt method, vinegar. Tried it all, finally he took a culture and blood and never called back - I did though and they had to look for the results so 2 wks later they came up with a negative culture and a normal CVC count....what the heck!
Can an infection gestate within two weeks and ruin my life that quickly?

[Catherine Colgan]

I have never heard of a sugar/bacteria correlation, so I can't speak to that. You should definitely ask your doctor about it though (or an independent doctor).

Did you ever know the virus and bacteria specifically when you went thru your stillbirths?
This is where it gets hazy for me (and explains my distrust of doctors). It was explained to me that it was a common bacteria found in the vaginal tract that apparently went haywire in my system and multiplied like mad, ascending upward into the amniotic sac (without rupture of the membranes). A week after delivery, I tested very high positive for e coli due to symptoms of urinary tract infection. When I asked if that was the cause, they told me there was no way to tell. :confused: So I showed my records and asked more questions of another doctor and he told me that it was impossible to tell from my records exactly what bacteria it was that caused it...my records appeared incomplete.

This all followed closely on the heels of my doctor telling me that Alex died from a brain aneurysm and, "There is no way to tell what caused the aneurysm." My records clearly indicate that the aneurysm was caused by the bacterial infection (new doc confirmed it). So...I still don't know EXACTLY what bacteria it was...but it was one of two...and it's growth was not normal.

Also, was your virus or bacterial infection caused by an incompetent cervex?
No. Nothing wrong with my cervix or any other part of my system (which was all the more baffling since it is rare to have a bacteria cross into the amniotic sac without a rupture of membranes).

Can an infection gestate within two weeks and ruin my life that quickly?
I hate to speculate, because there seems to be such a lack of research and information out there. But I was sick with sinus infection symptoms for about two weeks prior to losing Alex. In fact, I was told it was a sinus infection. Turns out the same symptoms can be a sign of a uterine infection. Either my doctor didn't know that or she was too busy to listen to me.

Either way, I found a new doctor who I was much more comfortable with. That pregnancy ended in stillbirth from what we believe was exposure to human parvovirus. He was find on an ultrasound on Tuesday...gone on Sunday morning.

This has shown me two things...(1) women are not given enough education about what can go wrong (and what to look for to prevent it); and (2) no matter how many checkups you have or how careful you are, anything can happen. IF I ever try another pregnancy I think I will be living in a bubble. :o

[Tara Roberts]

That doesn't leave me with a happy fuzzy feeling. I am sorry for your losses and hope one day you have a healthy pregnancy. I haven't even considered the idea of not being able to have kids, but maybe that's whats happening here. I can't fathom going through something as traumatic as first a miscarraige, then loosing a child again. I don't have children or family where I live and am having a hard time finding purpose as it is. I hope to have a better support system when I get pregnant and have a healthy baby. (be positive right?) Thanks for sharing your story with me and again I truly feel for you and your two angels, I hope they find my Baby Angel Christian and can keep eachother company until one of us gets there...

lots of love,
Tara