Pregnancy and Checkup Process in America（First half）
September 11th, 2020 妊娠・出産Five months have passed since I found out that I was pregnant in May of this year. It is the 6th month now(21st week).
In this article, I would like to summarize the flow of pregnancy and screening for the last 5 months.
Pregnancy revealed
[Saturday, May 16]
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My period was delayed, so I tested it with a commercially available pregnancy test. It was positive.
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There may be product bugs, so I checked again later.
(※1) It was positive. My husband and I were surprised.
Clinic & Doctor Search, Reservation
[Monday, May 18]
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We searched for a clinic and doctor to get a proper examination.
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In the case of the United States, you have to find a clinic covered by your insurance company.
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My husband called the clinic, specified a doctor and made a reservation.
＜In my case＞
- Because I am dependent on my husband, I searched for a clinic from the insurance company that my husband is in.
- Clinic I went to
（Banner Health Center）
First Checkup
[Wednesday, June 3]: 6th week
- Physical measurement, urinalysis, inquiry (Nurse, Doctor)
(※3)
＜With Nurse＞
- Medical history, lifestyle, medical history of relatives, etc.
＜With Doctor＞
- Confirmation of positive urine test results, pregnancy process and precautions, physical condition and anxiety points
Make an appointment for the next ultra sound examination and finished. (I was able to make a reservation in 2 days)
《Time required: less than 1 hour》
Second Checkup
[Friday, June 5]: 6th week
- Ultra sound examination only (technician)
※ In the United States, ultrasound is taken by an ultrasound technician, not a doctor. The qualifications seem to be different.
(Ultra sound photo 1)
It's so small. At this time, I haven't really felt it yet.
Made the next reservation and finished.
《Time required: about 30 minutes》
Third Checkup
[Wednesday, July 15]: 12th week
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Physical measurement, urinalysis, interview (doctor) & heart sound confirmation
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Confirmation of whether to perform a blood test & receive test clinic information and test kit
(※4)
(Heart sound video)
I was having hard time with my morning sickness every day, but I was relieved to hear the heartbeat. I realized the baby was trying to live, and thought that I had to do my best. I was deeply moved by various emotions.
Made the next reservation and finished.
《Time required: 2 hours (1 hour was waiting because of previous reservation has been pushed)》
Blood test clinic
[Thursday, July 16]: 12th week
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To the blood test clinic. (ANY LAB TEST)
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Give the inspection kit to the reception. Blood sampling only.
《Time required: 10 minutes》
Test cost and confirmation of proceed
[Monday, July 20]: 13th week
- There is a phone call from the inspection clinic. Since the cost is high, they will contact to confirm the cost of the inspection and whether it is okay to carry out the inspection. I confirmed and accepted the amount.
＜Cost＞
Inspection: $ 2,000
Insurance: $ -1,502
Out-of-pocket: $ 498
Results
[Tuesday, July 28]: 14th week
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There is a phone call from the inspection clinic.
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There is no problem with the chromosomes and there are no other abnormalities.
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Gender result.
(※5)
Fourth Checkup
[Wednesday, August 19]: 17th week
- Ultra sound (technician), body measurement, urinalysis, inquiry (Nurse, Doctor)
＜With Nurse＞
- Check regular use of supplements, check sleep / physical condition
＜With Doctor＞
- Confirmation of echo results, physical condition and anxiety points
(※6)
(Ultra sound photo 2)
Last time (two months ago), it was about the size of a bean, but baby was much larger.
Made the next reservation and finished.
《Time required: about 1.5 hours》
That's all for 5 months. I would like to summarize "cost" and "what happened" in another article.
[Additional]
・ Purchase at Target
◎Banner Health Center
（Location: 1435 S Alma School Rd, Chandler, AZ 85286）
◎ What is the point for choosing the clinic?
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There was a woman doctor
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Close to home
Woman doctor feels at ease personally. It's easy to go near my house, and feel safer when something happens. About 10 minutes by car. I'm glad I made it close.
◎ What is your impression of the clinic?
- The building is new and clean. The hospital that gives birth is next the clinic. Both doctors and nurses are kind. The reception is also normal. The overall impression is good.
◎ I was worried about the low rating of Google Maps reviews
- Personally, there is no problem so far.
I have been waiting for about 40 minutes once. In my case, there was no problem because the nurse said twice that "the appointment is being pushed and it will take time for the doctor to come". After waiting for about 15 minutes, you should check with your nurse to see if it has been left unattended.
◎ Precautions before Checkup
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Since there is a urine test, do not pee in advance.
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Drink two bottles of water before the ultra sound.
◎ Do they have an interpreter?
- A tablet for interpretation is available. Japanese is also supported.
I used it only at the first visit (I told them I wanted to use it at the time of booking). A Japanese person interpret through a video call like Skype. There was no problem even without it from the second time. My husband is by side with me every time. My husband is waiting near the lobby and call with Facetime on my smartphone because he can not enter the in the clinic room because of countermeasures of COVID-19.
◎ Details of the inquiry contents
- Detail is written on this Japanese blog.（ELmama: Life in America）
In recent years, it seems that it is common to have a blood test in the United States even if you are not late-age-pregnancy.
The blood test clinic is in a different location, so I got information about the clinic and called for a reservation. I was able to make a reservation for the next day.
◎ Blood test clinic
- Any Lab Test Now
(Location: 2075 W Warner Rd Suite 2, Chandler, AZ 85224)
◎ Inspection kit
The test kit is provided by the above company. You can also check the results on the site. When I received the test kit box from the obstetrics and gynecology clinic, she said, "If you run out of parts, you can't test, so don't open it and just give it to the person at the blood test clinic." Be careful not to open it and lose the parts.
Fetal DNA can be collected from the mother's blood, and the fetal chromosome can be confirmed, so the sex can also be determined. In the United States, gender announcements tend to be quiz-like questions.
When a person at the clinic asks "Do you want to know your gender?" And answers "Yes",
She asked, "Do you have any prefer? Which do you think?", My husband replied, "I think it's a girl because I heard girl is bad morning sickness.", I replied "anything ok".
Gender was a boy.
As I wrote in the previous article, my husband suspected Corona, so I asked the doctor how to deal with it.
◎ What should I do?
- Wear a mask in the house, separate the bedroom / bathroom / toilet, and sanitize common areas.
◎ What is the effect on the fetus if I get COVID-19?
- Even if a pregnant woman gets COVID-19, it is said that the effect on the fetus is small, so don't worry too much. Spend a regular life and be careful not to weaken your physical strength.