Posted by My OB said WHAT?!?.
Oct
28
Posted by My OB said WHAT?!?.
“…It’s Not Like You’re 30 & About To Have A Down Syndrome Baby.”
“There’s no rush. You’re still young. It’s not like you’re thirty and about to have a Down Syndrome baby.” – Primary Care physician to mother who was being treated for infertility, PCOS and thyroid issues.
There are 19 comments to this post.
Thyroid issues must be dealt with immediately! So what Jane said; treat the problems in front of your face. Plus 30 isn’t even the traditional cut off for Downs Syndrome. Plus have you seen the breast cancer stats on women who don’t have their first baby by 28? So are those enough reasons to DO YOUR JOB?
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Jennifer Reply:
October 28th, 2011 at 7:29 am (Quote)
I think I know what you are trying to go for here, but your comment is kind of insensitive as well, and I would be curious what it is based on (the breast cancer part). I for one, didn’t have my first until I was 32… and there are lots of women who can’t or choose not to have their babies earlier. And according to Komen, the age of risk for breast cancer is actually 35… Just sayin. http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/NotHavingChildrenorHavingFirstAfterAge35.html
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Details Reply:
October 28th, 2011 at 10:28 am (Quote)
My point about the breast cancer is that there are actual medical reasons to want to have your babies earlier – if that is what you want. So to throw out Downs as a reason to do nothing when there is in fact a medical reason that supports not waiting is pretty biased on the Doctor’s part. He is only giving the information that supports his do nothing attitude. Plus my grandma who didn’t marry until 29 is the one we lost at 59 to breast cancer. So that one sticks in my mind.
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tracy had this to say,
Oct 28, 2011 @ 5:30 am (Quote)
Having had a child with down syndrome at 19, let me assure you, age isn’t the be all end all. Nor is having a child with down syndrome.
Wtf kind of comment is this, really.
And furthermore, your opinion of the op’s family timing is none of your concern. Do your job and move on.
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Teresa Reply:
October 28th, 2011 at 6:10 am (Quote)
I was 19 when my oldest son was conceived, 20 at the time of his birth, he too has Down Syndrome. What most people don’t know is that 80% of children with Down Syndrome are born to mothers under the age of 35! And Tracy, I couldn’t agree with you more!
In honor of Down Syndrome Awareness month, a few good links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg2ZBPw2LyE&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cA3t1HW1Ow&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqGQjoTn2xY&feature=player_embedded
http://www.nads.org/pages_new/news/ruletheworld.html
http://myangelsaliandpeanut.tripod.com/downsyndromeiscontagious/
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1. Being 30 doesn’t mean you will have a child with Down dyndrome.
2. What’s with the implication that having a child with Down syndrome would be such a horrible thing? Anyone with a Down syndrome kid can tell you just how special they are!!
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Heidi had this to say,
Oct 28, 2011 @ 7:55 am (Quote)
The comment about Down Syndrome is really stupid. I guess the doctor’s overall message is, relax, don’t stress. I don’t have a problem with that idea IF it comes with good treatment for the medical problems she has.
I had to live with untreated hyperthyroidism for a year, and it sucked. It’s not acceptable to leave a medical problem untreated even if it’s not impacting one’s fertility.
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The Deranged Housewife had this to say,
Oct 28, 2011 @ 10:21 am (Quote)
Oh, so now 30 is the magic number where your ovaries spontaneously shrivel and your uterus falls out? I thought it was 35. 
If it is a thyroid problem, definitely get it checked out! There are some wonderful advocacy sites out there to help patients, because honestly a lot of doctors do NOT know how to deal with this. I finally had to practically beg my OB to test mine and voila, I was well on the way with Hashimoto’s, which is sort of the precursor to hypothyroidism – his advice was “Eh, your antibodies are high, you’ll eventually have to go on medication.” Totally clueless. Thankfully it didn’t affect my fertility but did screw up just about everything else.
Teresa, you are correct that a vast majority of DS babies are born to “young” mothers. Unfortunately, while being over 35 is a risk factor, there are fewer DS babies born to older mothers because a termination of the pregnancy usually ensues.
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This is mine. After some wonky periods (not getting one for four months, among other things) while my husband and I were actively trying, I went to check what was going on. She was proactive then and ran some bloodwork, it came back that my thyroid was off and she started me on a low dose (75 MCG) of meds to see if that would put my levels where they needed to be. She knew I was trying to get pregnant, and told me my thyroid was most likely the reason I wasn’t. Fast foward six months (at that point we have been “trying” for 1.5 years, despite the thyroid), and having the dose upped a couple of times, because my levels still weren’t where they should be, to this appointment that I made with her to discuss my condition. When I asked what my levels were, she went back in my chart and made the offhand comment that my hormone levels that indicate PCOS were also off, and told me I most likely have that as well, but we would “confirm” with an ultrasound (I do have it). Knowing some of the difficulties of fertility and PCOS and being a planner, I wanted to know what my future options were, knowing I most likely wouldn’t get pregnant while my thyroid is still off, but wanting to know the road ahead. When I reminded her we had been trying for 1.5 years, and asked about fertility options, she told me the first year didn’t really count, since I had an undiagnosed thyroid issue, and that it had really been only six months since that’s when we started treatment and I started getting regular periods, so I couldn’t count myself “infertile”.
She then went on to state that until my thyroid levels became normal, if I was able to get pregnant, I would most likely miscarry anyway. When I asked if I should stop actively trying, she told me I could keep trying, but to keep in the back of my mind I would most likely miscarry.
Then she threw out the gem above. When I raised an eyebrow and said “a child WITH Down Syndrome”, she kind of stammered and said, “not that there’s anything wrong with Down Syndrome babies, but you want to lower all risks possible”. She then threw out my weight (I am in the overweight, but not obese category), as another reason to keep treating only the thyroid and hold off on treating PCOS.
Despite all the other things that irked me that appointment, the quote about Down Syndrome REALLY upset me, as I am a teacher currently getting my Master’s in Special Education, and figured someone of HER education (she is not only a Family Practitioner, but specializes in Pediatrics as well) should know the correct terminology, and know the joy ANY baby brings to a family. It really bothered me that she seemed to think *I* would think there was anything “wrong” about a child with Down Syndrome, and used this as a scare tactic.
This all happened six months ago, and I have been going along with her treatment plan for the thyroid, but have recently come to the conclusion that she simply isn’t being aggressive enough in treatment (she has been checking levels every three months, and every three months ends up upping my meds by 25 MCG because my levels still aren’t where the should be). I am currently in the middle of switching medical groups (this doctor, unfortunately, is the BEST I’ve dealt with so far), and trying to find an endocrinologist so that this doesn’t continue for another year (or more).
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Jenae Reply:
October 28th, 2011 at 12:48 pm (Quote)
Forgot to add I am 27… so while still “young” closer to the “dreaded” thirty than not.
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Vy Reply:
October 29th, 2011 at 8:42 am (Quote)
Wow. I think doctors must really believe that children with special needs are throwaway (well, considering how many pregnancies DO end for this reason, it isn’t just doctors who think so). I’ve had additional ultrasounds with both pregnancies when the OB saw cause for concern, and both times, the specialist went through, happily saying “see this? No Down Syndrome! see that? No Down Syndrome!” until I finally said “I actually don’t care if my baby has an extra chromosome. I’m a little more concerned about the possible abruption that I was sent here for.” “Abruption? No… your placenta’s absolutely fine.”
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To add insult to injury, not only are too many care providers blase’ about treating apparent fertility issues in younger women, but once a woman passes the dreaded 30 (or 35 or 40, whatever) she’s told “oh, you really should have had this issue treated when you were younger! The twenties are your prime fertile years, you know.” It’s awesome, let me tell you.
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Laura--The Sushi Snob had this to say,
Oct 28, 2011 @ 8:44 pm (Quote)
Oh no she did not!!!!
My mom had to go through fertility treatments when she was the ripe old age of 25. It can happen to anyone!
And how dare that woman talk about people with Down’s Syndrome that way. That raises my blood pressure…grrrr.
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Add Your Comment.
How about this, doctor? How about you do your job…? How about you spend less time worrying about the 39823749723 things that MIGHT go wrong and instead treat the person who presents to you with something actually wrong? That’s otherwise known as “practicing medicine.”
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