Bowel Distension - Part 2

I talked to my perinatologist today about the bowel distension we noticed at yesterday’s ultrasound.  He was aware of the big segment I saw.  They first noticed it a couple weeks ago, and I remember one doctor saying something about it.  He said it will continue to get larger as the baby grows and the intestines grow.  Regardless, he still thinks that cooking the LW to 38 weeks is more important.  He reminded me again that the current medical wisdom is that extra-abdominal bowel distension is not an accurate indicator of future complications.  This is the case no matter how little or how much distension you see on the ultrasound (i.e., there’s not a cut-off amount).  Some babies with distension do end up having GI complications, but others don’t.  But we know for sure that lung maturity and gestational age are related to better outcomes.  So his opinion is that no amount of bowel distension is worth taking the baby before she’s full term, if we can get her there.  I’m glad that we’re still on the same course and that nothing has changed, but I’m also glad that I said something and can rest easier! 

I’ll have my next growth ultrasound on Wednesday.  Unlike bowel distension, this is something that could influence their decision on when to deliver me.  As you may remember from my last growth ultrasound, if she hasn’t grown at all within the past 3 weeks they could decide to deliver me now.  My belly has grown and she feels bigger to me, so I believe in my heart that she has grown, but who knows how the measurements will pan out.  So keep your fingers crossed that they work out in our favor! 

Finally, I had my AFI checked again today.  Long story short, my perinatologist wants to change my schedule a bit so that a nurse down here can do it rather than sending me upstairs to the ultrasound department each time.  Today they measured me at 7.2 compared to 5.8 yesterday.  Just goes to show how variable it can be depending on the technician and what they can see that day.