We marked the beginning of Tex's third trimester with a test-filled visit to the doctor. Auntie Em happened to be in town and got to experience it all first-hand....
My appointment included the one-hour (non-fasting) glucose screen test for gestational diabetes which is given to all pregnant women here. I had eaten an small omlet with some cheese and ham in the morning, and tried to avoid all sources of sugars to make sure the test result was as clean as possible.
We arrived on time, but sat around waiting for 30 mins until I re-checked with reception. In a rather unfriendly way, the receptionist said she'd check with my nurse to see what was happening. 15 mins later, she called me back to drink the 50 grams of sugary, room-temp glucose. I had 5 mins to get it down and then we ran through the other usual check-up measurements after which I was shown to a room to wait for the doctor. His visit was also quick once he arrived - a check of the heartbeat and measuring my abdomen.
From now on out, we'll be back every two weeks.
I still had 30 mins before it was time to draw blood for the glucose screen so we took a fast driving tour of downtown Grapevine. At the appointed time, I went back to the lab so blood could be taken for the glucose screen, an anemia test and and Rh antibody test. Results later though I get the Rhogam injection pretty much regardless of the Rh antibody test outcome.
Back in Helsinki with Peanut, it was nice that our neuvola was never very busy. We would arrive and go directly to the door of our mid-wife and usually had no wait. Sometimes she was wrapping up a previous appointment, but then it would be 5 mins at the max. She handled all the measuring, most tests and appointments herself. The anemia test consisted of a pin-prick to my finger and she had the results immediately from a gadget on her desk. I did have to go to the lab downstairs for Rh antibody tests though never was given an injection since the results were always negative. There was never any mention of a glucose screen test - I don't know if they profile the mothers and test only those who seem high risk or if some sort of diagnosis can be made otherwise.
2 comments:
I also liked the neuvola very much. the funniest thing happened when our nurse/midwife (however you call them...) came to visit us after birth. She saw the painting of my childhoos home on the wall and sked what's that? I said it's my home. she said that we've must have had the same childhood home then. She was the daughter of the previous countu (or sherif - how ever call them :)).
What a small world!!! It makes me think of a show that was on one of the news channels (ABC's Primetime) here recently about proving the theory of six degrees of separation. They hooked several people up in NYC that way with just 5 or less other links.
You can try it online, too, at an experiment run by Columbia University:-- http://smallworld.columbia.edu/
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