Sorry in advance for 'me' post but will just say hugs & total empathy to MLS.. xxxxx
Thanks to all for the excited congrats & yays on technically a good scan, I mean my concern was cervix was open or major abnormality was to be found, as well as growth worry as was 3wks since last scan. Well, all good with brain, heart, kidneys. spine, stomach, wall face etc, and she is actually growing above the scale for her age, really big (should be 1lb but is 1lb 3oz!) thank god above, I was such a state at first part of scan I nearly fainted, I had to take my top off & they put on the AC and DH & the 2 sonographers looked really concerned as I squirmed & grimaced through it all, one sonographer was there as deals with ladies with a history of loss so kept stopping, checking I was ok, really explaining & reassuring on each aspect, that was until they got to the bit that freaked me out completely, that baby has a 2 vessel umbilical cord, instead of a 3 vessel..
They are meant to have 2 arteries and a vein, the vein carries the nutrition to baby, the arteries clears the waste, I only have one artery. Its also known as SUA (single umbilical artery) and is 1 in 100. I have been googling like mad, in my case they tried to reassure me that as babys heart has all 4 chambers & kidneys look fine & growth is actually big, that baby should be ok, but they have to moniter growth now every 4 weeks, as when no congenital abnormality detected, the main symptom of 2 vessel cord is slow growth, which if happens may result in early delivery. The congenital abnormalities are usually to do with the heart or the kidneys & apparently both looked normal..
I felt deflated, but did my best to shake it off & hold onto the positive, I played it down on pho to mum & MIL & in my tx to you girls.. I went shopping for some bits for DH birthday & knackered myself out, & in denial, went to mamas & papas to use the loo () & noticed the half price sale & some gorgeous moses baskets at 49quid!, I said I cant possibly buy anything now, & salesman told me for a 25% deposit I could hold the price & didnt have to get it til I was ready & it was refundable.. Spoke with DH & agreed we might go for it on thurs, we met at my mums, by this point 4pm (scan was 12pm, never got out til 1.40pm, as it lasted 1hr 20mins ) again, played it down, acted brave, tried to be an upright weeble..
By the time I got home & in PJs I immediately started googling 2 cord vessel or SUA, found some very scary websites talking about the 1/3rd of cases with chromosomal/congenital abnormalities resulting in various defects, even stillbirth & prenatal death.. Apparently though of the 2/3rds presenting no obvious congenital abnormality & growth restriction is the main symptom, although 25% of that 2/3rd will have heart or kidney defects and babies kidneys will be screened at birth, Iv also read that a fetal echo is the best way of detecting a heart defect rather than straight ultrasound, I have been crying my eyes out most of the evening about it all.. DH keeps tring to reassure me but as with Neeko yesterday, I dont want everyone saying 'oh dont worry, odds are its fine' I want a hug & the empathy that this is my special much loved much desired precious little baby & I was desperate that everything be normal. Ive been anxious enough throughout this pregnancy without more and more things to worry about, no matter how bloody small the odds are..
Why do I have to have the 1 in 100 odds, and the 33% chance of that 1% that something could be badly wrong? On top of my 1 in 5 cervical erosion (now I realise fab oddsin comparison) and whatever bloody odds I had that my immune system has attacked & killed my 4 previous babies, I just feel like my stupid body is messing up yet again..
Neeko I am holding onto the fact you said you had this same thing with your DD & she turned out to be fine, & just needed her kidneys scanned after birth.. Please tell me you were as freaked out as I was when you got the news though? Its such a worry, I know in your post you said not to worry but jesus, how can I not after all the shit we've already had? Also after your worries about your babas kidneys I know you must relate to that?
I have found a couple of forums of women with same diagnosis that have helped, most have had healthy babies, but some have had holes in the heart, or oth heart defects, kidney defects, or born with just 1 kidney, and in some instances hearing problems, as well as some low birth weights.. Im holding onto those that like me, baby had normal looking heart/kidneys in scan & good weights, and WERE fine.. Just more shit I dont need...
Sorry for the ramble, DH watching footy, trying to switch off I think, always tries to be brave for me bless him but can see in his eyes when he's not really, a touch of denial too I think.. Just needed to get it off my chest.. xxxxx