Termination at 13 weeks due to fetal anomaly

[Anonymous]

I am the ^^ PP - the reason I couldn't be knocked out is b/c I have federal gov't insurance and terminations, unless the mother's life is in danger, aren't allowed. So we can't have a termination stbthe hospital, but instradat the physicians building next door. They aren't equipped to knock you out there. I asked tonpay cash to get anesethia at the actual hospital, but the hospital wouldn't admit me b/c technically I wasn't insured (in the event something bigger went wrong, they didn't want to have to cover it).

There is the option of a clinic in Rockville and they will give you anesethia, bur you have to deal with protectors and after talking with Dr. downings, I decided it was better for me emotionally to avoid the clinic, protestors, and in all honesty the waiting roomful of women electively terminating (clearly I am pro-choice, but the bitter pill of women aborting healthy fetuses, while i was aborting my much wanted extremely sick fetus was too much for me to swallow at that particular time).

PP - i'll check this thread when I get home from work if you have any other questions. Dr. Downing didn't do my termination, it was another doctor at the practice, I don't want to out him/her though. I only reference Dr. Downing b/c his name was already mentioned. I feel like with all the crazies we have to protect the doctors willing to do terminations, especially into the second trimester, when many fatal or very poor diagnosis are able to be made.

[Anonymous]

PP again- sorry for all the typos, inam on my phone and in a hurry to get to work

[Anonymous]

Thank you PP! I just called the hospital and YES the issue is that as a fed. government employee my insurance doest allow terminations of rant reason unless as you said the mother's life is in danger!!! I just couldn't believe what I was hearing on the phone. On top of NO maternity leave, NO short term and long term disability, this is another perk that federal government offers!! I did a research and turns out John Hopkins does the terminations for medical reasons even without insurance. The cost: 10,000$ as opposed to the 350$ at WHC. I am seriously freaking out about going to WHC.

[Anonymous]

PP here sorry for the typos. insurance doesn't allow terminations for any reason....

[Anonymous]

OP, Could your doctor prescribe an oral anti-anxiety or pain killer to take before the procedure? It could really help if you can't get anesthesia.

[Anonymous]

OP, please go to Potomac Family Planning. They will not be able to take your Fed insurance, however it will probably only cost about $750-$1,000 for the procedure if you self pay. I too have fed insurance and ended my pregnancy due to T13 there with general anesthesia. The Drs and staff were extremely kind, and yes there is a waiting room full of women waiting to have abortions, but absolutely no protesters outside. You can call them and get all the information on the phone. I got my appointment in 24 hours. It is still a lot of money but no where near $10,000.
I wish the best OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm really sorry that you are going through this. I had a D&C at Sibley at 11 weeks and then D&E at GWU at 16 weeks due to Trisomy 13. Both involved anesthesia. Have you considered going to a doctor out of GW so that you can at least have anesthesia? I would recommend Dr Larson if you can change venues. Just seems cruel and unusual to do this sans anesthesia. Is this the doctors policy or the hospital? I know the areas Catholic hospitals (Gtown and Sibley) wont perform D&Es.

Oh yikes. NP here. I had it in my head that Holy Cross would be the hospital to avoid because of the Catholic issue (and not performing terminations). Ugh. I'd forgotten about Georgetown and Sibley as well. It is utterly obnoxious that women have to go through this.

I'm so sorry that you have to go through this, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you all for your responses. I left my OB a message to see if she could refer me to other hospitals where general anesthesia is an option.
19:06, My OB actually wanted to refer me to an outpatient clinic since the D&E is not performed in Gtown. I told her I prefer a hospital setting since I was 13 weeks and was concerned that if something goes wrong, a clinic would not be as equipped as a hospital. That is why she referred me to WHC. Do you have experience with potomac family center? do doctors perform this procedure at the clinic or are they nurses?

Hi OP - I had a TFMR at 8 weeks at a clinic and the procedure did not go according to plan (blood pressure dropped lower then the doctor was comfortable with). They had to call an abulance and take me to INOVA (a hospital in VA). Everything was fine but just to be safe, the transported me to the hospital to do a routine check. I stayed overnight and was released the next day.

A doctor at the clinic in VA performed the procedure and no pain medication was used. Everything turned out fine - and I got pregnant again a year later (she is a very healthy, active 2.5 year old girl).

I am so sorry and will be thinking of you on Friday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you PP! I just called the hospital and YES the issue is that as a fed. government employee my insurance doest allow terminations of rant reason unless as you said the mother's life is in danger!!! I just couldn't believe what I was hearing on the phone. On top of NO maternity leave, NO short term and long term disability, this is another perk that federal government offers!! I did a research and turns out John Hopkins does the terminations for medical reasons even without insurance. The cost: 10,000$ as opposed to the 350$ at WHC. I am seriously freaking out about going to WHC.

I posted yesterday about my D&C at 11 weeks for a miscarriage at WHC with Dr. Downing. I don't want you to freak out about WHC. Dr. Downing is very kind. If your insurance won't cover GA and you can't pay out of pocket I'd strongly encourage you to go there. Yes, it was extremely painful but it didn't take long. It does take place at a clinic in the physicians office building and the paperwork that I filled out seemed related to terminations not miscarriages which made me feel bad at the time. There were only a couple of other women in the waiting room. the insurance issue was screwy and caused much more angst than the pain from the procedure. I couldn't even get an appointment to see the doctor (wasn't sure if I needed a D&C or not) without providing my insurance company with clinical proof that my baby had already died -- even though my insurance covered terminations. Yeah, that's what the pro-life lobby does for grieving mothers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm really sorry that you are going through this. I had a D&C at Sibley at 11 weeks and then D&E at GWU at 16 weeks due to Trisomy 13. Both involved anesthesia. Have you considered going to a doctor out of GW so that you can at least have anesthesia? I would recommend Dr Larson if you can change venues. Just seems cruel and unusual to do this sans anesthesia. Is this the doctors policy or the hospital? I know the areas Catholic hospitals (Gtown and Sibley) wont perform D&Es.

Oh yikes. NP here. I had it in my head that Holy Cross would be the hospital to avoid because of the Catholic issue (and not performing terminations). Ugh. I'd forgotten about Georgetown and Sibley as well. It is utterly obnoxious that women have to go through this.

I'm so sorry that you have to go through this, OP.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Sibley isn't Catholic.

OP, I wish you all the best!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you PP! I just called the hospital and YES the issue is that as a fed. government employee my insurance doest allow terminations of rant reason unless as you said the mother's life is in danger!!! I just couldn't believe what I was hearing on the phone. On top of NO maternity leave, NO short term and long term disability, this is another perk that federal government offers!! I did a research and turns out John Hopkins does the terminations for medical reasons even without insurance. The cost: 10,000$ as opposed to the 350$ at WHC. I am seriously freaking out about going to WHC.

Wow. I can't believe this. As the spouse of a new fed govt employee this is beyond disappointing to hear.

[Anonymous]

I don't have any advice but just wanted to say that I'm terribly, terribly sorry, OP. You shouldn't have to be dealing with these BS insurance issues on top of having to terminate a much wanted pregnancy for medical reasons. I hope you can find a solution.

[Anonymous]

OP here, I just found out that University of maryland does the termination of medical reasons without insurance and the cost is about 2500$, although it depends on the stage of the pregnancy. I am just posting this so that in the future if anyone goes through what I am right now (I hope no one does) she is able to find some information in this thread. The cost at UMD/Baltimore is still high but much less that John hopkins.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here, I just found out that University of maryland does the termination of medical reasons without insurance and the cost is about 2500$, although it depends on the stage of the pregnancy. I am just posting this so that in the future if anyone goes through what I am right now (I hope no one does) she is able to find some information in this thread. The cost at UMD/Baltimore is still high but much less that John hopkins.

Honestly, as if you didn't have enought to worry about, you ahve to deal with insurance issues. We are all wishing you the best OP. If you don't want to/can't bear the cost and have to do WHC, i really would consider getting a sedative like valium from the doctor. You might want some for afterwards anyway.

[Anonymous]

OP, check out the TFMR board on babycenter.com. I am so sorry for your loss.