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| - I'm sure coming from traditional obstetrics, MomDoc is a breath of fresh air, but as a homebirth transfer, I've really not been impressed. Maybe it's just been the midwife.
I had to transfer at 39 weeks for less than ideal blood work, and my first appointment went very well. A great midwife named Brinea, who unfortunately operates out of SanTan which is way too far away for me, ordered some more routine blood work to try to figure out why my body hasn't been responding to treatment. She wrote an order for a test done by Theranos at Walgreens, which is super cheap and sends patients the results via email within 48 hours if they choose. But at my follow-up appointment to discuss the results, with a new midwife at the Gilbert location, the midwife didn't even mention them, even though 2 out of 4 of the tests came back really abnormal (luckily my former home birth midwife gave me instructions on how to proceed).
At the same appointment, I said that I'm trying to make my pregnancy go as long as possible so I can correct my blood work before going into labor (so I can give birth at home). Given the fact I'm trying hard to be pregnant as long as possible, I thought it a good time to start thinking about induction techniques offered, if my blood work doesn't improve and I run out of time to fix it. The midwife said she doesn't talk about it until you're already past-due. The only induction technique I'm comfortable with is a membrane sweep, so if they don't offer it and they won't let me discuss it with them before my appointment, I may end up going to an appointment for no reason.
As the midwife was walking out, she casually mentioned that the assistant was going to schedule me for an ultrasound during the follow-up appointment the next week. No explanation for why or another word about it. Knowing that ultrasounds to assess fetal size in late pregnancy are poor and the only thing they really do is result in a higher chance of having a c-section, and not wanting to talk to the condescending nurse again, I just called back later and cancelled the ultrasound with the scheduling office assistant.
Also, since my due date is so close and the whole reason I was referred to them in the first place is for anemia, I asked to be given the results of the blood test I took that day over the phone, or to go pick them up whenever they came in, so that I could know going into labor if I was anemic or not. They said they don't give results over the phone or if you just walk in to pick them up. This isn't even consistent, since the first blood test they ordered through Theranos, the results were sent to me right away. Also, it's a huge pain in the butt because it means I have to call and sign a medical records release and wait around for my results when I'm already in labor. I'm not intelligent enough to be able to be told over the phone whether or not my hemoglobin is still too low?
Overall, I've felt they've been everything I find wrong with current obstetrics and childbirth practices. At this point in pregnancy, they offer nothing that I can't monitor on my own - blood pressure, fetal heart rate, blood tests, etc. - so I just canceled all future appointments with them and will only use them if something goes wrong and I still have to go to a hospital. They're packaged like a more natural alternative, but I haven't found them to be any different. I just hope that my blood work gets corrected before my baby is born so I don't have to deal with giving birth with them.
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