My husband is suspicious of our ob dr. What do you think? Please give us advice?

My daughter is in the 4th percentile and dr wants to deliver at 35 weeks because she is growing very slowly in utero. (IUGR) They are making us go to 2 ultrasound appts a week starting at 26 weeks until birth (35 weeks) I am currently 31 weeks. Well, on monday they measured the baby and said she weighed 2 lbs 9 oz and was EXACTLY in the 4th percentile as she has been since 26 weeks. Not a variance at all which I find really strange. I went to a different ultrasound place for one appt and they said the baby looked fine and would just be a little small but they didnt think it merited taking her at 35 weeks. So anyway, the last measurement at the usual place was 2 lbs 9 oz just monday. Yesterday I felt alot of cramps and my dr urged me to go to labor floor to be checked and I had an ultrasound done there. They said the baby was in the 24th percentile and weighed 3 lbs 3 oz!!! Thats a difference of 10oz in 3 days. I realize that those measurements vary but why doesnt it vary at other placeMy husband is suspicious of our ob dr. What do you think? Please give us advice?
I don't think it is EVER good to take the baby out early unless the baby is in distress (breathing/heart beat) although I'm not a doctor... this is not something to mess around with... you need to get a second and/or third opinion right away... even if you have to pay out of pocket for another dr's visit... its worth it.


Don't delay, find another OB right now and schedule an emergency appt.My husband is suspicious of our ob dr. What do you think? Please give us advice?
Usually your instincts are right. There's nothing wrong with a second opinion. I'd talk to friends and visit a doctor that a friend recommends. Don't always assume that a doctor is right, get another opinion to clam your fears.
Call medicaid %26amp; find out what OBGYN's are covered in your area. You should definetely get a second (maybe even third) opinion. I'm not a doctor, but I'd say as long as the baby isn't in distress, hold out until you go into labor.





Your job fired you because your doctor took you out of work due to complications in the pregnancy?? That's so wrong... I have a very strong feeling that's even illegal. I know you have a lot of other things on your plate right now, but you should really get in touch with a lawyer about that.


Good Luck.
The later you get in the pregnancy, the less accurate those things are. And it's totally possible she grew that much. I would say its better to keep the baby inside you as long as possible for her own health, she's grow better and be healthier inside you compared to being in an incubator at the hospital after she is born.
I don't see why small size would merit early birth. Seems they would want you to go at to your due date, maybe even overdue. 35 weeks isn't even full-term, which could carry risks anyway...but because she's small? Seems like something is off there to me. Is there any chance you could go see another OB and see what they have to say?





ETA:


Just saw the additional details. Find a different doctor on your own. If you didn't trust the first doctor, could you even trust the dr he referred you to? I wouldn't. Go with someone else. If they're any good, they should be able to look at your fundal height and tell if the baby's too small - my dr did and ordered an ultrasound, which showed that the baby weighed 6lbs2oz (which was his birth weight!) and he didn't require any ultrasounds after that, or schedule an induction - I went into labor a couple of weeks later, on my own...on my due date, even! If you want to mention what happened with the last doctor, go ahead, but your new one will probably be able to tell if it'll be a problem based first on fundal height, then ultrasound if it's questionable.





I think it'd be best for you to let the baby come when she's ready. She needs time to complete the 'finishing touches' on her development, including her lungs. If there were something wrong, chances are you'd go into labor early on your own anyway - why be induced early? It just doesn't seem right.
darling it does sound odd, my advice change obs as soon as you can, maybe even change hospitals. really this is the best for your baby!!!!
Get a second opinion from another OB. Or better yet, go to see a Neonatologist....they specialize in high risk pregnancies and conditions like you are describing. I was sent to one during the middle of my pregnancy when some issues came up. They will use a Level 2 ultrasound machine which is much more exact than a normal ultrasound.





Regarding your insurance and job issue, it sounds like you should be thinking about suing your employer. If you were instructed by your doctor to go to these medical appointments, your employer cannot fire you. Also as long as you were not fired for gross misconduct, you are eligible to retain your health insurance benefits through COBRA (this was an Act passed by Congress to protect dislocated employees from losing health insurance benefits).
If the slow growth is to do with malnutrition while the baby is in the womb, then yes, it would be better to deliver the baby earlier so it can go on a proper diet.





Ask your doctor to specify why he is planning to do what he is. You are not cattle after all. However, changing doctors could be very distressing and stressful, and I do not recommend it.





...(edit)


They can fire you for that in the US? Really? Ok, well just do what you can and be happy when it is overwith- I do not think it hurts to deliver at 35 instead of 37 (though it is early).
Unless the baby is in distress, I don't see the point of them taking the baby that soon. You'd think if she was small, they'd want the baby in there LONGER to grow some more. But as someone said above me, I'm no doctor.





I would also look into reporting your employer for terminating you. They can't fire you because of having too many doctor's appointments that were pregnancy-related (if that's what they fired you for.) That would be like them firing you for a doctor putting you on bedrest. Those appointments fall under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA, a federal law) and if the official reason they gave for firing you was because you missed so much time at work to go to these appointments, it sounds to me like they violated that law.
I would get another opinion. It's not normal to force an early delivery unless the baby is in distress (irregular heartbeat or other problem) or the placenta is not delivering the proper amount of nutrients to the baby. A baby can survive outside the womb at 35 weeks but it's much better to wait until full term if possible.
This doesn't sound good, at ALL!! Please change doctors and hospitals, NOW!!! Good luck and God bless!
i think so many doctors are idiots.....and i would be suspicious too





many of them are capitalist greedy as sholes





and i agree that ultrasounds get less accurate the farther in gestation you get





and i also think it is illegal to fire you for having pregnancy complications.....and medicaid should be able to retro-pay your bills....so get on that and get this taken care of





i suggest you find a new OB....or better yet a midwife who won't look at you like a medical case...in my area medicaid pays the midwives and they are wonderful





good luck honey
';Preterm delivery is indicated if the fetus shows evidence of abnormal function on biophysical profile testing...';





http://www.aafp.org/afp/980800ap/peleg.h鈥?/a>





No 'abnormal function'? Hmm.





I'd do a LOT of reading, and a LOT of listening to my gut. Good luck.