I finally got the IPS testing results back and everything looks fine. There are no concerns with the nuchal measurement or blood results as per the Doctor. That's a relief!! This month's doctor visit also went well. My tummy was measured and growing right on schedule, my Blood Pressure was fine and so was Baby's heartbeat. I again addressed my concerns over my fatigue and hair loss so she gave me a requisition to have my Thyroid tested, as well as my Iron level checked. I have to wait a few weeks to have this blood work done as she also wants to do the standard glucose challenge screening which is typically scheduled between weeks 24-28.I have begun to notice a dark line forming on my belly. It's called Linea Negra (Latin for black line) Everybody has this line but it darkens during pregnancy thanks to hormones. In a non-pregnant state it's called the Linea Alba. The name means white line and it is composed mostly of collagen connective tissue. It is formed by the fusion of the abdominal muscles. Some people believe that the linea negra foretells the gender of their baby, thanks to centuries of old wives' tales. The story goes that a linea negra that runs up past the belly button, to the lower part of the sternum means that you will have a boy, and a linea negra that stops at the belly button means you're having a girl. (Mine goes all the way up!)
We've decided not to do the 3D/4D ultrasound. We figure it's one thing to have a 15 minute ultrasound done when it provides useful medical information, such as due date or indications of malformations. But to take the risk and have a 30-45 minute ultrasound for entertainment purposes only is not medically responsible. And there are risks contrary to public opinion. "Ultrasound is a form of energy-sound waves vibrating at approximately a hundred times the frequency of normal sound-and the waves can affect tissue in a variety of ways. Heat is one effect. One study found that the temperature of brain tissue can rise 4 degrees during the procedure. In addition, although ultrasound itself does not produce audible noise, secondary vibrations can produce noises as loud as 100 decibels in utero. Other effects, still poorly understood, include tiny bubbles in tissue (a process known as cavitation), sheering forces within tissues, induced flows within fluids, and creation of minute quantities of toxic chemicals." Long story short...we'd rather wait another 4 months to see his little 3 dimensional face in person than take a risk no matter how small.
What's happening with baby this week? "At 22 weeks pregnant, your baby has finally broken the one-pound mark, and is 11 inches long (crown to heel) This week, your sweetie is making more sense of the world as he develops the sense of touch. In fact, your little one's grip is quite developed by now and since there's nothing else to grab in utero, he may sometimes hold on tight to that umbilical cord (don't worry - it's tough enough to handle it). The sense of sight is also getting more developed. Your fetus can now perceive light and dark much better than before (even with those fused eyelids). But remember unless you're shining a flashlight over your belly it'll be mostly dark for your baby inside that cozy womb of yours. Moving up from the eyes, the eyelashes and eyebrows are well formed now and even more hair is sprouting atop that cute little head. You'd be quite surprised though if you could see your little one up close...hair at this stage of fetal development has no pigment, so it's bright white."
118 days to go...
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