German Measles and Other Pre-pregnancy Things

If you have the luxury of planning your pregnancy it is advised that you see a doctor who will perform some tests to see if you are a healthy baby-carrier. A full physical, including an internal examination and blood testing, should be performed. What really needs to happen, however, is that the information gleaned from this testing should be relayed back to the patient.

My wife had another round of blood tests today and was informed that on her previous test they found that she is not immune to German measles. Her first blood work, done pre-pregnancy, was completed at another clinic and we were informed that my wife was immune to German Measles. Now we have the pleasure of living for the remaining 24 weeks with an extra worry, albeit a worry with an incredibly small chance of coming to a nightmarish conclusion, of getting German measles and having it affect the baby. This also means that I will be using the internet tonight to learn more about German measles and how to prevent them from destroying our happy pregnancy.

What I recommend to all future mothers and fathers is to create a simple medical binder, nothing fancy but with dates for upcoming medical events, follow-up dates to check in for results, a list for medical terminology you wish to research, photocopies of medical information including health card, blood type, allergies, potential medical complications, updated weight gain and as much relevant medical history as is comfortable to lug around with you.

That is your only advice today. Be responsible for your own medical history. Doctors are too busy to notice everything.