Not cool, KKH!

I read about the necessity to have regular scans close to EDD to monitor baby's position, water level, weight etc. I worried about the umbilical cord more than anything else, getting paranoid because of all that tossing and turning I do when I sleep.

I checked with friends who goes to gynaes at the same hospital and they confirmed that they were scanned to monitor the baby close to their due date. It was deemed necessary close to due date for a safe delivery.

I called the hospital on Monday and was told that they do not do scans close to EDD. I was asked what scan I had intended to get, the nurse even asked me if it was my first pregnancy. I struck me that they thought I was over anxious about it.  The nurse told me that, maybe, at private doctor in the hospital have scanning machines in their offices and so they just do it for the patient as a matter of course. At subsidized clinics, they do not do further tests after the detailed scan at week 32 unless they suspect a problem.

I wanted to do it anyway and after being on the phone with the nurse for some time, clearly and specifically asking for scans to monitor my baby for the purposes of delivery (particularly the umbilical cord and water level) I gave up explaining and just said "ok, I'm now insisting to be scanned, just schedule an appointment for me."

She said "I need to check with the doctor which scan we can give you, I will call you back".

Yesterday afternoon, I received a call from KKH and the same nurse told me "I've checked with the doctor and the only scan we can think of to give you is a 4 in 1 scan for checking fluid level, baby position, weight and (something I forgot) because there's really no other scan to give you". I couldn't be bothered to say more to her. I just agreed and said "ok, I'll go for that scan."

The scan today reveals that I have low amniotic fluid and it is necessary for me to deliver Joy Joy soon by inducing (!!). The doctor checked my cervix and said it is very soft and thin although not dilated yet. Considering that I am due in a week in any case, I was advised to go for induced birth within the next few days.

This and various bad experiences with the medical at the hospital is sufficient for me to never go back to the subsidized class again. Not if I can help it.

Everytime i see a gynae there, they ask me if I have any questions rather than provide me with medical information likely to pertain to that point in my pregnancy. If one is not the kind to read up when they feel that something is amiss, their condition would have been left untreated. I am given to think that the hospital treats subsidized patients in a production line manner and simply apply a set of fixed procedures coupled with a "you're overreacting" attitude because they have "seen it all". In situations like this, too much experience (with pregnant patients) is not a good thing.

Before I left the gynae's room today I asked her about epidural and birth plans but she said that I can ask the asthestist about epidural instead when I go into the delivery room. I am not sure if she didn't have the information, didn't want to tell me about the information or it's not her job to do it so I'm not getting the information.

I think the hospital neglects to take due care of their subsidized class patients. Customer service leaves much to be desired as well. Save for the exception of a few, most of the staff do not read my notes or any paper passed to them, they just asked me what I was there here for instead. Perhaps it is faster for them to ask but its not very pleasant for a patient to repeat a story at every department they go to.