Anatomy Ultrasound

It was on September 18th that we found out about her condition. We were scheduled for a routine ultrasound at the 21st week to measure baby and make sure everything is growing accordingly! Later that day, we met with our OB which told us the news. I could tell something was wrong because she was avoiding the ultrasound results until the end of the appointment. She began by asking us "do you know what a hernia is?" Ricki and I nodded in discomfort. She proceeded to tell us that our baby may have a condition called "Gastroschisis" and that it was similar to a hernia. When she told us that our baby had a hole located on the right side of her belly button where her intestines were poking out, I couldn't help but cry. When all you want to hear is that your baby is healthy and growing well, hearing news like this can shock you.

We were assured that proper care would be taken to fix her condition upon arrival. We were then scheduled for another ultrasound, but this time with the specialist. The specialist did confirm that it was Gastroschisis and not Omphalocele, which is similar to Gastroschisis but is much more complicated as the intestines are growing in the umbilical cord. We were thankful to hear some good news!

After hearing this news, I was very hard on myself even though they told me there was nothing that I could have done to avoid it, as it was a "fluke".

We are now being watched closely and have ultrasounds every two weeks to make sure she has proper blood flow flowing in and out of her bowel. The reason they look at the flow is to assure that once the baby is born the intestines are able to function properly. We were told that if the hole is too small, it could restrict the blood flow and that the bigger the hole the better (to a certain degree of course).

So far her blood flow has been great, and they were able to locate the hole. She started off with her small intestine on the outside and now part of her big intestine is also on the outside. As much as this scared me, I was reassured that the bowel can slip in and out throughout the pregnancy.

She will require surgery which will take place in Halifax, NS. This is also where they will be helping her recover from her surgery. We have yet to meet the surgeon that will go more in depth as to what to expect for her birth and procedure.

On a more positive note, feeling her move around and kick is one of the most comforting things I have ever felt.