Thursday, June 7, 2007

Weekly Checkup & Countdown (Wednesday, June 6)

Weight: 181
Vitals: 120/60
Fetal heartbeat: good

Michael and I met Dr. Holden today. Our due date is next Friday, June 15th, so we're about 9 days away, though only 5% of women deliver on their actual due date -- roughly half go early and half go later.

Urine, blood pressure, weight and fetal heartbeat tested -- all fine. We asked what happens if we go past due date and there's no development, and Dr. Holden said the policy across different hospitals varies, but at Columbia, they won't let the baby come more than 1 week late (week 41). There's evidence that the probability of fetal distress increases dramatically between weeks 41 and 42 and beyond, so they'll induce labor after one week past the due date. Since Dr. Holden is on call Tuesdays and the weekends, if the Bean doesn't arrive naturally the weekend of the 16th/17th (due date), then we may induce on Monday, the 18th, with the expectation I'll deliver on Tuesday, the 19th when Dr. Holden is on call.

He did a quick internal exam and said I'm approximately 1 centimeter dilated and cervix is much softer than when he last saw me two weeks ago. We'll see him again next week...


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