WEBVTT - Ep 168 Pregnancy: Act 1 0:00:00.320 --> 0:00:03.239 We want to start with a disclaimer that throughout this series, 0:00:03.360 --> 0:00:07.320 we feature explanations and stories that include some heavy material, 0:00:07.560 --> 0:00:12.240 including early pregnancy, loss, still birth, and other traumatic experiences 0:00:12.280 --> 0:00:15.080 of pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. 0:00:17.480 --> 0:00:19.880 It was the morning and my son's fourth birthday party, 0:00:20.200 --> 0:00:23.840 and I was feeling just not like myself. I was 0:00:24.120 --> 0:00:28.000 really tired, which is pretty abnormal for me, especially in 0:00:28.040 --> 0:00:31.360 the morning time, and my breasts were pretty tender, and 0:00:31.360 --> 0:00:34.240 I was feeling a little nauseous. So I started doing 0:00:34.280 --> 0:00:37.120 the math in my head, just thinking about, you know, 0:00:37.159 --> 0:00:40.960 when I could have possibly became pregnant if that is 0:00:41.040 --> 0:00:44.400 the case. And I started doing the math, and my 0:00:44.479 --> 0:00:47.479 husband's a pilots, so I know exactly when he's home 0:00:48.040 --> 0:00:51.360 and the days that we've had sex. And that's when 0:00:51.400 --> 0:00:54.840 I was like, wow, I could be pregnant right now. 0:00:55.040 --> 0:00:57.600 And it was only four weeks so I was due 0:00:57.640 --> 0:01:01.960 to get my ministress cycle that so it was very early. 0:01:02.600 --> 0:01:05.199 So I asked him to go to the store because 0:01:05.200 --> 0:01:07.120 we needed to get ice for the birthday party and 0:01:07.200 --> 0:01:10.520 pick up the cake. So I said, hey, while you're there, 0:01:10.800 --> 0:01:15.479 can you go get a pregnancy test? And he was like, okay, 0:01:15.560 --> 0:01:17.600 you know if that's what you need, then that's what 0:01:17.680 --> 0:01:22.480 you need. So remember he came home, he was putting 0:01:22.480 --> 0:01:25.840 the drinks in the cooler, and I went into the 0:01:25.920 --> 0:01:29.360 spare bathroom and I took the pregnancy test and it 0:01:29.400 --> 0:01:32.240 came up right away that I was pregnant. And in 0:01:32.280 --> 0:01:37.000 that moment, I had just this realization of wow, like 0:01:37.160 --> 0:01:43.559 I'm having another baby. And I went outside and I 0:01:43.600 --> 0:01:46.039 told my husband that I was pregnant, and we were 0:01:46.080 --> 0:01:49.480 so excited and we're like, wow, we're really doing this. 0:01:50.480 --> 0:01:54.600 And it was really neat because this whole party that 0:01:54.680 --> 0:01:58.160 we had there, we probably had about thirty people with 0:01:58.280 --> 0:02:00.760 kids and parents, and we were the only two people 0:02:00.800 --> 0:02:03.880 that knew in that moment that I was pregnant, and 0:02:03.920 --> 0:02:07.080 it felt really special. But then after the party was 0:02:07.200 --> 0:02:11.760 pretty died down, us and a couple other family friends, 0:02:12.160 --> 0:02:14.280 we're all sitting by a fire that we had in 0:02:14.320 --> 0:02:18.359 our backyard, a little campfire, and there was a baby there. 0:02:18.720 --> 0:02:21.520 And my son had a really good friend and he 0:02:21.880 --> 0:02:24.560 had just his mom had just had his baby sister, 0:02:24.720 --> 0:02:28.720 who was about two weeks old, and so I'm looking 0:02:28.760 --> 0:02:31.000 at this baby that's sitting in front of me, and 0:02:31.120 --> 0:02:34.200 I started doing the math in my head again just 0:02:34.320 --> 0:02:37.080 counting the months. You know, if I'm pregnant and this 0:02:37.200 --> 0:02:40.720 pregnancy is viable and we ended up having this baby, 0:02:41.200 --> 0:02:44.800 this baby would be born in August before school starts, 0:02:44.919 --> 0:02:47.280 and that means that this baby is going to be 0:02:47.280 --> 0:02:49.840 in the same grade as that baby that's sitting right 0:02:49.880 --> 0:02:52.760 in front of me. This baby that I just have 0:02:52.880 --> 0:02:55.480 found out i'm pregnant with is going to grow up 0:02:55.520 --> 0:02:57.480 with that little girl that's sitting in front of me. 0:02:57.760 --> 0:03:00.400 And that blew my mind that I was going to 0:03:00.480 --> 0:03:02.760 grow a whole human in. 0:03:02.600 --> 0:03:03.480 This school year. 0:03:04.960 --> 0:03:09.240 And so fast forward seven years later, and these two 0:03:09.320 --> 0:03:12.320 children are now in the same grade. Sometimes they're in 0:03:12.360 --> 0:03:16.200 the same class, and they are growing up together, and 0:03:16.560 --> 0:03:18.680 it's just something that's fun to think back on. 0:03:23.000 --> 0:03:23.840 My name is Kenny. 0:03:23.919 --> 0:03:26.799 I'm thirty four from New Zealand and five years ago 0:03:27.240 --> 0:03:29.680 I work up with pain in my right lowerbellion vomiting. 0:03:30.760 --> 0:03:33.760 I took a pregnancy test and it was positive. Well 0:03:33.800 --> 0:03:36.680 followed was the scariest two days of my life, during 0:03:36.680 --> 0:03:40.960 which they found an ectopic pregnancy on ultrasound. By the 0:03:41.080 --> 0:03:42.760 end of two days, I had pain in my right 0:03:42.760 --> 0:03:46.560 shoulder tip, but no abdominal pain as an emergency nurse, 0:03:46.600 --> 0:03:48.400 I know that shelder tip pain can be a type 0:03:48.440 --> 0:03:52.120 of referred pain indicating diaphragmatic irritation from blood in the 0:03:52.120 --> 0:03:57.000 peritoneal cavity. The obg way in on call decided that 0:03:57.040 --> 0:03:59.000 my lack of abdominal pain meant that I could go 0:03:59.080 --> 0:04:02.320 home and wait for suon. All I could think of 0:04:02.680 --> 0:04:05.160 was a case I had treated a few months prior 0:04:05.240 --> 0:04:09.480 in my emergency department. She had a ruptured ectopic pregnancy 0:04:09.560 --> 0:04:12.160 and we'd poured blood into a rushia to surgery and 0:04:12.200 --> 0:04:16.400 she nearly died. That case and my knowledge about the 0:04:16.440 --> 0:04:19.200 importance of shoulder tap pain led me to advocate for 0:04:19.240 --> 0:04:22.280 myself strongly. I put my foot down and refused to leave. 0:04:22.920 --> 0:04:25.200 An hour later, I was in surgery, and an hour 0:04:25.279 --> 0:04:27.400 after that they called my partner to say my left 0:04:27.440 --> 0:04:29.919 filopian tube was completely blocked and there was blood in 0:04:29.920 --> 0:04:32.880 my belly. If I had gone home, there is a 0:04:33.000 --> 0:04:35.359 very real chance that would have burst completely and I 0:04:35.360 --> 0:04:39.240 could have died. Being an emergency nurse and an advocate 0:04:39.279 --> 0:04:43.240 for myself saved my life. Losing a filopian tube was 0:04:43.279 --> 0:04:45.760 really hard mentally until I learned the biggest health lesson 0:04:45.800 --> 0:04:48.320 I ever have. I can't believe I'd got through so 0:04:48.400 --> 0:04:51.840 many anatomy classes without knowing this. But your filopian tubes 0:04:51.839 --> 0:04:55.120 aren't fixed, although that's how the textbox show them. They 0:04:55.160 --> 0:05:00.000 can reach out and move and grab eggs. Six months 0:05:00.120 --> 0:05:02.719 post ectopic and I got pregnant again, and all of 0:05:02.760 --> 0:05:06.159 the anxiety came back, but I was very lucky. Nine 0:05:06.160 --> 0:05:08.880 months later we welcomed our beautiful son, and another year 0:05:08.880 --> 0:05:11.800 and a half later our second son. My other two 0:05:11.839 --> 0:05:14.560 pregnancies and births had their own challenges, but I'll never 0:05:14.560 --> 0:05:17.839 forget my first, wondering what could have been for that pregnancy, 0:05:18.200 --> 0:05:20.599 what could have happened if I wasn't my best advocate, 0:05:21.000 --> 0:05:22.919 And I think about my experience every time I go 0:05:23.000 --> 0:05:26.840 to work and my own emergency department and treat potentially topics. 0:05:27.320 --> 0:05:30.240 It made me a better nurse, a better patient advocate, 0:05:30.400 --> 0:05:33.000 and I'm so grateful for my two boys who managed 0:05:33.040 --> 0:05:35.000 to find their way to my uterus instead of my 0:05:35.080 --> 0:06:21.520 one remaining tube. 0:06:22.279 --> 0:06:25.360 Thank you also so very much for sharing your story 0:06:25.360 --> 0:06:28.640 with us, and a huge thank you to everyone who 0:06:28.640 --> 0:06:32.000 has written in with their experiences like we read each 0:06:32.120 --> 0:06:36.560 and every single one of them, and the hundreds of submissions, 0:06:36.760 --> 0:06:39.320 many and We're so grateful and honored that you felt 0:06:39.400 --> 0:06:42.800 like you could share those experiences with us, and we 0:06:42.880 --> 0:06:45.200 tried to include as many of your stories as possible, 0:06:45.320 --> 0:06:47.839 and you'll hear more of these first ten accounts throughout 0:06:47.880 --> 0:06:49.680 this episode and the rest of our episodes. 0:06:49.800 --> 0:06:53.520 Yeah, it was honestly such a privilege to be able 0:06:53.560 --> 0:06:55.520 to read every one of your stories and hear so 0:06:55.600 --> 0:06:59.039 many of your stories, and as many as we included, 0:06:59.080 --> 0:07:01.040 there were so many more that we were not able 0:07:01.080 --> 0:07:03.160 to So we thank you again from the bottom of 0:07:03.160 --> 0:07:04.680 our hearts for sharing your stories with us. 0:07:04.920 --> 0:07:08.720 Yeah, thank you, thank you. Hi. I'm Erin Welsh and 0:07:08.760 --> 0:07:12.080 I'm erin Alman Updight and this is this podcast will kill. 0:07:11.920 --> 0:07:15.000 You, and we're coming to you today with the first 0:07:15.280 --> 0:07:18.040 of four episodes all about pregnancy. 0:07:18.280 --> 0:07:21.520 Four just four, just four should have been more, I know, really. 0:07:21.840 --> 0:07:24.160 And we're also coming to you from the exactly right 0:07:24.280 --> 0:07:28.280 studios for the first time, which is nerve wracking and exciting, 0:07:28.280 --> 0:07:28.520 I know. 0:07:28.640 --> 0:07:31.160 But this space is so cool. We get to decorate 0:07:31.200 --> 0:07:35.160 our little bookshelves. I feel very fancy right now, very fancy, 0:07:35.600 --> 0:07:38.119 too fancy for our real lives. I mean, for sure, 0:07:39.320 --> 0:07:42.120 very very different than my tiny little office I know. 0:07:42.600 --> 0:07:47.640 Or my closet literally, So we're super excited to be here, 0:07:47.720 --> 0:07:48.200 yes we are. 0:07:48.200 --> 0:07:51.720 We're really really excited about this series, yes for sure. 0:07:51.760 --> 0:07:54.800 And before we get into this episode, we want to 0:07:54.840 --> 0:07:57.960 share a few words about what these four episodes will cover, 0:07:58.200 --> 0:08:01.760 the language that we'll be using, and our goals really 0:08:01.800 --> 0:08:04.280 with creating the series. And so we decided early on 0:08:04.320 --> 0:08:08.320 to dedicate four episodes to cover pregnancy, just four sure, 0:08:08.840 --> 0:08:11.520 one for each trimester. And at the outset, I mean, 0:08:11.520 --> 0:08:13.520 we knew that we wouldn't be able to adequately cover 0:08:13.680 --> 0:08:18.040 every single aspect of pregnancy and childbirth and the postpartum 0:08:18.120 --> 0:08:22.640 period in just four episodes, right and throughout our research, 0:08:22.680 --> 0:08:25.440 we did begin jotting down a list of future topics 0:08:25.480 --> 0:08:29.840 to cover things like pre acclampsia and breastfeeding and Reese's factor, 0:08:29.920 --> 0:08:33.280 and so there will be more episodes on these and 0:08:33.360 --> 0:08:34.800 more topics in the future. 0:08:34.920 --> 0:08:39.200 Exactly So, this series might not, and it likely will 0:08:39.240 --> 0:08:42.920 not answer all of your questions about pregnancy or cover 0:08:43.160 --> 0:08:47.679 every experience that a person might have. Pregnancy is a 0:08:47.840 --> 0:08:51.800 very individual experience, as highlighted in so many of our 0:08:51.840 --> 0:08:54.520 first hand accounts. But what we aim to do with 0:08:54.600 --> 0:08:57.760 the series is take you through the really broad changes 0:08:57.800 --> 0:09:02.040 that happen in our human bodies during pregnancy and childbirth 0:09:02.080 --> 0:09:05.880 and postpartum, and also explore some of the historical and 0:09:06.120 --> 0:09:08.000 evolutionary aspects. 0:09:08.320 --> 0:09:09.319 Really excited about that. 0:09:09.320 --> 0:09:14.280 Aaron of pregnancy and childbirth. So each episode very roughly 0:09:14.559 --> 0:09:18.480 corresponds to each trimester. So in this episode, the first one, 0:09:18.559 --> 0:09:20.800 we're going to be talking about how you even know 0:09:20.840 --> 0:09:21.840 whether or not you're pregnant? 0:09:22.040 --> 0:09:23.880 Yeah, how do you do? How do you know? 0:09:24.480 --> 0:09:28.160 And what's happening in very very early embryonic development. 0:09:28.640 --> 0:09:32.559 And then our second episode centers on the amazing organ 0:09:32.920 --> 0:09:35.160 that is the placenta. It's really cool. I think we'll 0:09:35.160 --> 0:09:37.240 all leave with a little more appreciation for the placenta, 0:09:37.760 --> 0:09:40.000 I hope, So that's my goal, and some of the 0:09:40.000 --> 0:09:44.360 physiological changes that a person experiences throughout pregnancy, including some 0:09:44.440 --> 0:09:46.240 of the complications that can arise, right. 0:09:46.360 --> 0:09:48.480 And then our third episode is going to focus on 0:09:48.600 --> 0:09:53.040 childbirth itself, so labor and different modes of delivery, and 0:09:53.080 --> 0:09:55.040 then the history of the cesarean section. 0:09:55.280 --> 0:09:59.000 Yeah yeah, yeah yeah. 0:09:59.080 --> 0:10:02.840 And then finally our fourth episode and our season finale, 0:10:02.920 --> 0:10:07.120 our season seven season finale. That's crazy, I know, it's exciting, 0:10:07.200 --> 0:10:10.400 It is really exciting. Yeah, But the last episode in 0:10:10.400 --> 0:10:13.720 the series will be about this concept of the fourth trimester, 0:10:13.960 --> 0:10:15.720 like maybe you've heard of it, maybe you haven't, What 0:10:15.920 --> 0:10:18.360 is it. We'll get into all of that and explore 0:10:18.360 --> 0:10:22.480 the changes that happen in your body after pregnancy, and 0:10:22.520 --> 0:10:25.679 we'll also be talking like big picture history about the 0:10:25.720 --> 0:10:29.600 medicalization of pregnancy and childbirth, including the transition from home 0:10:29.640 --> 0:10:30.360 to hospital. 0:10:30.440 --> 0:10:34.240 Yeah, we intend for all of these episodes to be 0:10:34.400 --> 0:10:38.680 inclusive of all families, and we recognize that not everyone 0:10:38.679 --> 0:10:42.360 who experiences pregnancy actually identifies as a woman, so we 0:10:42.480 --> 0:10:44.760 try as much as we can wherever we can to 0:10:44.880 --> 0:10:47.480 use gender neutral language like pregnant person, and that's what 0:10:47.480 --> 0:10:50.800 you'll mostly hear through this episode. However, at the same time, 0:10:51.240 --> 0:10:53.440 we know that much of what we discuss when it 0:10:53.440 --> 0:10:56.920 comes to medical bias during pregnancy and childbirth, both historically 0:10:56.920 --> 0:10:59.960 and today, is in fact the result of gender discrimination 0:11:00.240 --> 0:11:03.080 as well as racism, and so in those context we 0:11:03.160 --> 0:11:06.160 may also use the term woman or women, and throughout 0:11:06.200 --> 0:11:08.800 these episodes we'll be using the term mother or maternal 0:11:08.840 --> 0:11:10.760 and paternal as these are terms that are used in 0:11:10.800 --> 0:11:12.440 the scientific and medical literature. 0:11:12.640 --> 0:11:16.040 Yeah, and we also want to acknowledge that there is 0:11:16.160 --> 0:11:20.160 no such thing as a normal pregnancy. Yeah, like they're 0:11:20.240 --> 0:11:23.080 just there isn't one. But we do want to provide 0:11:23.080 --> 0:11:27.880 a baseline of the expected physiological and anatomical changes that 0:11:27.960 --> 0:11:31.040 occur during pregnancy, as it helps us to understand where 0:11:31.080 --> 0:11:33.959 these complications arise from and what is a complication? 0:11:34.160 --> 0:11:37.280 Right right, Yeah, So we will get into all of 0:11:37.320 --> 0:11:39.520 that starting with the first trimester. 0:11:39.720 --> 0:11:44.880 But first, but first, it's quarantiny time. It is Aaron, 0:11:45.120 --> 0:11:47.800 what are we drinking this? And the next four weeks 0:11:47.920 --> 0:11:52.079 we are drinking great Expectations. I love I love this name. 0:11:52.120 --> 0:11:54.199 It's a really good name. It's a good name act 0:11:54.320 --> 0:11:57.960 we think, and we're also making that this is a 0:11:57.960 --> 0:12:01.880 plasyber read for reasons that probably are clear too. I 0:12:01.880 --> 0:12:04.559 would thank you for listening, Like it's not an alcoholic, 0:12:04.600 --> 0:12:07.800 it's not aholic. That means yep, it is And Aaron, 0:12:07.840 --> 0:12:09.319 what is what is in cred. 0:12:09.200 --> 0:12:14.160 Expectations really delicious combination of BlackBerry, gindreal, lemon and mint. 0:12:14.559 --> 0:12:19.439 And if you check out the exactly Rights YouTube channel, 0:12:19.840 --> 0:12:22.760 you will find a video of us making that drink, 0:12:22.960 --> 0:12:27.880 as well as a super secret surprise quarantine coming to us. 0:12:27.800 --> 0:12:30.720 From no one other than Georgia Hartstark herself. That was 0:12:30.760 --> 0:12:36.720 the secret. Oh sorry, perfect, Go check it out. It's 0:12:36.720 --> 0:12:38.960 gonna be great. It's gonna be great. Gosh, I'm so excited, 0:12:40.160 --> 0:12:42.679 beyond trilling, I know it really is very excited about it, 0:12:43.520 --> 0:12:47.439 and so yeah. To get the recipes for our quarantini 0:12:47.559 --> 0:12:50.480 and plasy berita for this episode and all of our episodes, 0:12:50.520 --> 0:12:52.920 actually check out our make sure you're following us on 0:12:52.960 --> 0:12:56.440 social media, and you can also find those on our website, 0:12:56.480 --> 0:12:58.600 the podcast will kill You dot com. You can over 0:12:58.679 --> 0:13:01.080 to you erin to tell me it's on the website. 0:13:02.120 --> 0:13:04.000 I don't have to do. Let me tell you what's 0:13:04.040 --> 0:13:06.240 on our website. We have so much information there, Aaron. 0:13:06.240 --> 0:13:11.199 We have merch we have oh translusted already, we have transfers, 0:13:11.920 --> 0:13:15.920 We've got good Reads list, we've got a link to Bloodmobile. 0:13:16.480 --> 0:13:20.040 We've got all of the sources from all of our episodes. 0:13:20.760 --> 0:13:23.679 Contact us, contact us form a first hand account form. 0:13:24.320 --> 0:13:26.280 We've got a lot, You've got a lot. There's so much, 0:13:26.320 --> 0:13:30.280 but there's so much. One last piece of business, yes, 0:13:30.320 --> 0:13:32.400 one last piece of business is okay, So I am 0:13:32.559 --> 0:13:35.240 super excited to announce that I have started a new 0:13:35.360 --> 0:13:38.360 hosting role at another podcast. We're really excited for her. 0:13:38.400 --> 0:13:41.920 She's not leaving. I'm not leaving. No. So this this 0:13:42.000 --> 0:13:45.040 podcast is called Advances and Care and in it, I 0:13:45.120 --> 0:13:49.800 interview physicians and physicians scientists at New York Presbyterian Hospital 0:13:50.120 --> 0:13:55.240 about their incredible cutting edge research and groundbreaking medical innovations. 0:13:55.360 --> 0:13:58.920 It's really it's really thrilling, very exciting stuff. I mean, 0:13:58.960 --> 0:14:01.000 it actually is, and it's like really fun to actually 0:14:01.040 --> 0:14:02.800 get to read about, like, oh, this is someone who's 0:14:02.840 --> 0:14:04.920 working on this right right now. 0:14:04.480 --> 0:14:07.280 In real life, in real time, these things that is 0:14:07.600 --> 0:14:09.880 actually making a difference in people's lives. 0:14:10.040 --> 0:14:12.360 Yeah, it's reahly cool. It's been such a fun project 0:14:12.360 --> 0:14:13.959 to work on. And if you want to learn more 0:14:14.000 --> 0:14:17.040 about the research that's truly shaping the future of medicine, 0:14:17.440 --> 0:14:20.320 this podcast is for you. Again, it's called Advances and 0:14:20.360 --> 0:14:23.360 Care and you can get it wherever you get your podcasts. Yeah, 0:14:23.440 --> 0:14:26.320 check it out. Yeah, check it out. I don't have 0:14:26.360 --> 0:14:30.640 any business. I think that's it. Yeah, shall we? I 0:14:30.720 --> 0:14:31.320 think we shall. 0:14:31.400 --> 0:14:34.480 Okay, we'll take a break and then get into the 0:14:34.560 --> 0:14:37.160 history of pregnancy. 0:14:38.000 --> 0:14:39.200 Sure, something like that. 0:14:56.840 --> 0:14:59.720 Entered my second trimester of my pregnancy. I started having 0:14:59.760 --> 0:15:02.760 really intense pain in my abdomen and in my legs 0:15:02.760 --> 0:15:05.480 and in my hips, and it kind of rendered me 0:15:05.720 --> 0:15:09.200 almost completely unable to take part in any kind of 0:15:09.240 --> 0:15:14.120 physical activity or exercise, and even walking became increasingly uncomfortable. 0:15:14.680 --> 0:15:17.000 And I really started to notice as I got bigger 0:15:17.080 --> 0:15:21.040 that my baby was really crowded to one side of 0:15:21.080 --> 0:15:24.000 my belly, and I seemed to be protruding far further 0:15:24.400 --> 0:15:26.840 forward than any other woman that I saw that it 0:15:26.920 --> 0:15:29.200 was at the same stage as me. And when I 0:15:29.240 --> 0:15:31.520 brought those concerns to my ob it was kind of 0:15:31.600 --> 0:15:34.600 laughed off. Isn't that so funny when a baby prefers 0:15:34.640 --> 0:15:38.120 one side over the other and no further exams or 0:15:38.320 --> 0:15:41.080 tests were ordered to kind of check out what was 0:15:41.120 --> 0:15:44.160 going on. So I managed through the rest of that 0:15:44.720 --> 0:15:48.800 increasingly uncomfortable pregnancy, and then I went into labor three 0:15:48.840 --> 0:15:51.560 weeks prior to my due date. It was very fast, 0:15:51.760 --> 0:15:55.800 very intense labor. I started having contractions at about nine PM. 0:15:56.160 --> 0:15:59.360 I was at the hospital at one thirty in the morning. 0:15:59.560 --> 0:16:03.320 And then and in my first cervical exams, the doctors 0:16:03.320 --> 0:16:06.560 found that I was only two or three centimeters dilated, 0:16:07.120 --> 0:16:09.680 and they really treated me as such, kind of put 0:16:09.680 --> 0:16:13.400 me on the last of the lists for an epidural 0:16:13.440 --> 0:16:16.360 request because I was a woman who was clearly not 0:16:17.120 --> 0:16:20.160 close to being ready to push, and so I was 0:16:20.200 --> 0:16:24.240 in this very extremely painful and uncomfortable state for an 0:16:24.240 --> 0:16:26.800 hour and a half while I waited for an epidural. 0:16:27.160 --> 0:16:30.120 Once they got that epidural in, they were able to 0:16:30.160 --> 0:16:33.360 perform a more thorough exam as I was more relaxed, 0:16:33.360 --> 0:16:36.760 and they found that I had a blockage in front 0:16:36.800 --> 0:16:40.440 of my cervix, and behind that blockage, I was fully effaced, 0:16:40.560 --> 0:16:45.080 fully dilated, and actively pushing to get this baby out. 0:16:45.600 --> 0:16:48.000 So I was rushed in for an emergency C section, 0:16:48.720 --> 0:16:52.440 and my daughter came out just find distressed but fine, 0:16:52.640 --> 0:16:55.880 And they held up my uterus and found that I 0:16:55.920 --> 0:16:59.440 had what's called a bicorneate uterus, which is when the 0:16:59.720 --> 0:17:03.200 memo brain that is formed when your uterus is being 0:17:03.280 --> 0:17:09.080 formed doesn't disintegrate and basically leads to you having two 0:17:09.280 --> 0:17:13.399 halves of a uterus. And so I was growing a 0:17:13.440 --> 0:17:16.520 baby in a half of a uterus and then trying 0:17:16.560 --> 0:17:20.080 to give birth in a through a cervix that was 0:17:21.080 --> 0:17:25.320 blocked by another cervix, and so while I've healed from 0:17:25.320 --> 0:17:30.040 that experience, I'm also left wondering why wasn't that found 0:17:30.080 --> 0:17:34.960 and discovered not only during pregnancy, but also prior to pregnancy, 0:17:35.160 --> 0:17:38.000 and what kind of implications does it mean for a 0:17:38.040 --> 0:17:41.080 future pregnancy. Thank you so much for allowing me to 0:17:41.119 --> 0:17:41.800 tell my story. 0:17:45.480 --> 0:17:45.560 Hi. 0:17:45.720 --> 0:17:47.639 My name is Stevie, my pronouns are they them, and 0:17:47.680 --> 0:17:50.879 I live in Ontario, Canada. In twenty twelve, my husband 0:17:50.920 --> 0:17:53.560 and I were extremely excited to be expecting our first child. 0:17:53.880 --> 0:17:55.960 At ten weeks, we had started seeing an ob. I'd 0:17:56.000 --> 0:17:57.639 been spotting off and on, but he kept saying that 0:17:57.680 --> 0:18:00.359 everything was fine, and what bleeding isn't normal? It is common, 0:18:00.400 --> 0:18:02.960 and don't worry. He said the same thing at every appointment. 0:18:03.200 --> 0:18:06.520 It's not normal, but it's common. Don't worry, Everything's fine. 0:18:06.640 --> 0:18:08.679 At eighteen weeks he sent me to a specialist. I 0:18:08.720 --> 0:18:10.520 wasn't expecting it to be a big deal. After all, 0:18:10.520 --> 0:18:11.520 everything was fine, right. 0:18:12.000 --> 0:18:12.639 I was wrong. 0:18:13.000 --> 0:18:14.760 I was blown away by the list of issues and 0:18:14.760 --> 0:18:17.679 complications being laid in front of me. The only thing 0:18:17.720 --> 0:18:19.240 I really remember is that I was at a high 0:18:19.280 --> 0:18:21.960 risk for pre term labor. About a week later, at work, 0:18:22.119 --> 0:18:23.879 I set up to get something and felt a gush. 0:18:23.960 --> 0:18:25.840 I reached down and my fingers came up red. I 0:18:25.880 --> 0:18:28.399 was hemorrhaging. Had a friend drive me to the er. 0:18:28.560 --> 0:18:30.760 My husband met me there and we waited. I was 0:18:30.800 --> 0:18:32.640 told that if I was miscarrying, I'd have to stay 0:18:32.640 --> 0:18:34.639 down in the er. I was too early to go 0:18:34.720 --> 0:18:37.919 up to labor and delivery. The ultrasound showed a good heartbeat, though, 0:18:37.960 --> 0:18:39.720 and bleeding slowed down, so I was sent home on 0:18:39.760 --> 0:18:42.840 bed rest. Around one am on November eleventh, I woke 0:18:42.880 --> 0:18:45.520 up and vomited. I had an intense cramping in my stomach, 0:18:45.520 --> 0:18:47.760 in my back. I told my husband something was wrong. 0:18:47.840 --> 0:18:50.159 We went back to the er. The ob said I 0:18:50.240 --> 0:18:52.280 was in labor and it can be triggered by dehydration. 0:18:52.359 --> 0:18:54.439 So I was given an IV and it stopped. I 0:18:54.480 --> 0:18:56.040 was moved to a room and told I was staying 0:18:56.040 --> 0:18:58.720 there until I delivered, whenever that was. But at under 0:18:58.760 --> 0:19:00.760 twenty four weeks, there was really no hope for the baby. 0:19:01.760 --> 0:19:04.960 On November fourteenth, at twenty one weeks and four days, 0:19:04.960 --> 0:19:07.919 I went into labor. This time it didn't stop. Our 0:19:08.000 --> 0:19:10.119 daughter was delivered at one twenty six in the afternoon. 0:19:10.200 --> 0:19:12.960 She weighed exactly one pound. Our families were there and 0:19:12.960 --> 0:19:15.359 we sang her Happy birthday. She lived for three hours. 0:19:15.880 --> 0:19:18.040 During that short time, she knew nothing but love. We 0:19:18.080 --> 0:19:20.159 all held her and sang to her. She took her 0:19:20.240 --> 0:19:23.320 last breath with me. That night, my husband and I 0:19:23.359 --> 0:19:25.280 went to sleep in the postpartu ward to the sound 0:19:25.280 --> 0:19:29.080 of other people's babies crying. The specialist never found a 0:19:29.080 --> 0:19:31.199 reason for our loss. She said it was probably a 0:19:31.200 --> 0:19:34.399 placental abruption, but she really wasn't sure. We went on 0:19:34.480 --> 0:19:36.600 to have two more pregnancies, and we have another daughter 0:19:36.640 --> 0:19:39.040 and a son. We have pictures of our firstborn, and 0:19:39.080 --> 0:19:41.400 she's very much part of our lives. Our other kids 0:19:41.400 --> 0:19:43.200 say they see her when they see the first stars 0:19:43.200 --> 0:19:45.040 come out at night. As I always say, she's our 0:19:45.080 --> 0:19:48.359 perfect girl, made of stars. I share our stories often 0:19:48.400 --> 0:19:51.000 as I can. Pregnancy and infant loss affects one in 0:19:51.080 --> 0:19:53.919 four pregnancies and is not discussed enough. I felt so 0:19:54.000 --> 0:19:57.080 alone after our loss. Every year on her birthday, I 0:19:57.119 --> 0:19:59.200 share our story and new people will share their own 0:19:59.200 --> 0:20:02.120 stories with me. I hope that sharing my story here 0:20:02.200 --> 0:20:04.800 will help people to feel less alone. Our loss should 0:20:04.800 --> 0:20:07.120 not be hidden. We shouldn't have to grieve in silence. 0:20:32.840 --> 0:20:35.359 If you search for a list of the top medical 0:20:35.400 --> 0:20:38.480 advancements in history, you might find on that list things 0:20:38.560 --> 0:20:45.960 like antibiotics, vaccines, gene editing, medical imaging, kidney dialysis, organ transplantation, 0:20:46.240 --> 0:20:50.000 the manufacture of insulin, and anesthesia for a start. It's 0:20:50.000 --> 0:20:52.280 a long list, a long list. I couldn't stop once 0:20:52.320 --> 0:20:54.879 I started. Yeah, but I would be shocked if you 0:20:55.080 --> 0:20:58.320 found home pregnancy tests on one of those lists. No, 0:20:58.600 --> 0:21:01.960 I don't think I wouldn't. You wouldn't have expected it. Yeah, 0:21:02.000 --> 0:21:05.000 And I know this because I've often skimmed these kinds 0:21:05.040 --> 0:21:08.280 of lists looking for inspiration for future episode topics. A 0:21:08.280 --> 0:21:10.280 lot of those are on our list, I'm really true. Yeah, 0:21:10.359 --> 0:21:12.800 kidney dialysis, we need to do that, I know, and 0:21:12.880 --> 0:21:17.240 so many I know. But I've never seen home pregnancy 0:21:17.280 --> 0:21:19.879 tests mentioned. I don't think so, And to a degree, 0:21:20.000 --> 0:21:22.760 I get it right, Like, these tests didn't provide new 0:21:22.800 --> 0:21:26.159 avenues for treatment, nor did they represent a paradigm shift 0:21:26.200 --> 0:21:29.879 in how we understood the workings of the human body. 0:21:30.400 --> 0:21:33.520 But I would argue that these sticks and the plastic 0:21:33.560 --> 0:21:38.080 rectangular boxes that preceded them absolutely deserve a place on 0:21:38.240 --> 0:21:40.560 any list of significant medical breakthroughs. 0:21:40.880 --> 0:21:43.760 I'm already just so invested in this Errand I mean. 0:21:43.720 --> 0:21:47.080 Are you convinced yes, so I can stop? Yeah? Done, Okay, done, 0:21:47.600 --> 0:21:51.439 They're on the list. But the reason I feel so 0:21:51.520 --> 0:21:54.600 strongly about this is because of the type of knowledge 0:21:54.800 --> 0:21:59.080 that they grant us. Not guiding principles, not laws of nature. 0:21:59.480 --> 0:22:03.320 Home pregnancy tests give us deeply personal knowledge about our 0:22:03.359 --> 0:22:06.919 own bodies, empowering us to do with that knowledge what 0:22:07.040 --> 0:22:10.040 we decide we want or need to do, share it, 0:22:10.280 --> 0:22:13.320 keep it to yourself. For the first time, that choice 0:22:13.359 --> 0:22:15.920 was up to the test taker. They were the first 0:22:15.920 --> 0:22:19.240 to know, not the lab technician running the test, not 0:22:19.359 --> 0:22:22.639 the frog being tested. More on that way, Not the 0:22:22.720 --> 0:22:27.760 doctor who deigned to prescribe a test, oh yeah, prescription 0:22:27.880 --> 0:22:31.359 only okay, yeah. The transfer of this knowledge out of 0:22:31.400 --> 0:22:34.000 the hands of the medical provider and into the hands 0:22:34.040 --> 0:22:39.119 of the test taker held profound implications for women's reproductive rights. 0:22:39.840 --> 0:22:42.080