Medical question

poisonivy · 08-27-2008, 01:09 PM

I have an appointment with my OB/GYN this Friday to discuss a list of questions I have but I can't find any information on what would cause calcification around the heart and bowel area of an unborn yet fullterm baby. Any info would be great.

RedCatWaves · 08-27-2008, 01:19 PM

I think calcification is something that can occur after demise, and not necessarily be the cause of the demise.

Amneris · 08-27-2008, 01:22 PM

I have no answers for you poison ivy, but I understand you're searching for them and I am so, so sorry for your loss. You and your family are still in my prayers. I hope the doctor can give you an explanation. Take care of yourself.

luvmylocs · 08-27-2008, 01:49 PM

hi poisonivy. i'm sorry for your loss. are they saying that's what happened to the baby (calcification)? i know you said at some point the doctor thought the umbilical cord clotted. have they changed that opinion?

how are you feeling physically???

poisonivy · 08-27-2008, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedCatWaves

I think calcification is something that can occur after demise, and not necessarily be the cause of the demise.

Thats kind of what I thought because I had regular BPP's (Biophysical Profiles) up until 2 weeks prior to Gabriel's death. Nothing was noticed then. Could it have happened because the cord clotted? Was it a cause or was it an effect?

Luvmylocks, I don't think they have changed their minds on his cause of death, but I'm not all together certain because the genetic tests are not back yet. Mind you, I had an amnio and they ran like 6 strands of additional cell clusters and everything kept coming back normal. I think heart and bowel calficication can be an indication of genetic abnormality. I don't know. I cannot wait to talk to my doctor on Friday. I hope he doesn't feel I'm trying to get information to gear up for a law suit. I have no intentions of that.

and thanks for asking, physically I'm ok, although I'm suffering from physical effects of grief. My whole body aches, especially my arms. I feel like I'm walking around outside of my body. I'm spacy and very tired. I have been irritable with my kids. I think I'm already healed from delivery. His head was very soft and didn't really cause me any damage. You could easily move his skull plates around. Not sure why but I think its common in babies born still.

God knows I miss him...

LoloDSM · 08-27-2008, 03:36 PM

I don't have an answer for you poison ivy, but I also wanted to say that I frquently think about you and Gabriel. I hope your doctor is able to give you some answers.

M2LR · 08-27-2008, 03:41 PM

I was reading that bowel calcification can happen due to meconium peritonitis; when the meconium get outside of the bowel wall, can cause an infection and so on. Calcification can be found within 8 days of this happening, so I don't think it's entirely possible that it all happened afterwards.

Isn't calcification something the body does to try and fight infection in certain instances? The body takes calcium and pretty much sends it to that one spot, and the calcification is just the build up of that calcium.

I was also reading that calcification on the heart can be a marker for Downs Syndrome, so also assuming that marker is found prior to demise, and could also be a marker for cystic fibrosis. The causes that were listed also mentioned intra-uterine infections, herpes exposure, exposure to other virsuses.

I hope your doctor is able to help out, as well as when you get the other tests back.

So many hugs, prayers and positive thoughts for you and your family.

poisonivy · 08-28-2008, 02:05 PM

Thanks for all your well wishes. I will update tomorrow after my appointment.

newcurly · 08-28-2008, 05:47 PM

I am so so so sorry for your loss.

If you are worried about how your doc might feel about all these questions, be upfront. Say, "I have a lot of questions. I'm searching very hard to find out what happened. I'm not looking to blame anyone, but I just feel like knowing a little more could help me find some peace."

Any patient who came to me with those words would make me very willing to share whatever I could

Lots of hugs.

maria_i · 08-28-2008, 09:01 PM

I'm still thinking of you, poisonivy. You are in my prayers.

poisonivy · 08-29-2008, 05:50 AM

I just wanted to share this. My friend and Gabriel's Godmother, who was with me when we found out he was dead and was with me the whole day of delivery, told me last night my doctor was fighting back tears when he had him on the ultrasound and confirmed the diagnosis. That touches me to my very core. Sometimes doctors are so desensitized to this kind of thing. Its beautiful he had this much emotion. I've been asking everybody to pray for him too.

poisonivy · 08-29-2008, 01:44 PM

Well he basically didn't say anything different. He is still waiting for the genetic testing to come back. He did say Gabe's umbilical cord was in very bad shape though. I asked him if we had delivered on the last day we found a heartbeat would he be in my arms right now and he said probably yes, but he saw no reason to induce labor 4 weeks early. Broke my heart to hear that. It was so hard just walking into the office building.

Oh and the calcification he said could have been due to an infection but he considered it more of an effect than a cause of his death. I guess bowel calcification doesn't usually result in fetal death but who knows. We opted against being tested for Cystic Fibrosis and aparently amnio doesn't test for that so I went ahead and had my blood drawn for that just to see. I'll update when the genetic tests come back.

2happy · 08-29-2008, 01:48 PM

(((hugs)))

M2LR · 08-29-2008, 02:27 PM

((hugs))

luvmylocs · 08-29-2008, 06:07 PM

more hugs