Hi I am 38 years old and pregnant with my second child (first born when I was 35). I received the details of what tests, labs, etc. I should expect for my prenatal care. I have a different OB this time since we moved out of state. There are three scheduled ultrasounds. One to confirm pregnancy (which I had a 8 weeks- a transvaginal u/s), a second comprehensive one (45 minutes to 1 hour) scheduled around 20 weeks that evaluates every inch of the baby looking for any abnormalities (this being done simply because I am over 35), and a third one around 32-34 weeks to determine the following: that 'the fetus is head down prior to delivery, to assess the fetal size and predict the baby's birth weight, and to assess fetal well-being.'

My question is about the third trimester ultrasound. With my first child I did not have this. My pregnancy with my first child had absolutely NO complications- blood pressure was normal (not even borderline high) the entire pregnancy, blood sugar was normal the entire pregnancy, no swelling whatsoever, no false labor, and so on. I was one week LATE with my daughter, so I had no preterm labor. I have absolutely NO health issues and never have, and furthermore, none of my relatives have health problems (grandparents lived to their 90's on both sides- all died of old age). I tried for a vaginal delivery but after almost 72 hours of labor (most of it spent dilating) and 3-4 hours of pushing, I ended up with a c-section. The MD who performed said that my baby was lodged in my pelvic bones, that there was no way she would have ever come out, and that all subsequent babies should be delivered by c-section. My baby had no distress during the entire labor and had an Apgar of 9. She is normal and healthy and has had no medical problems.

Since I am going to be having a c-section and I am normal and healthy, why am I being told that this 3rd trimester ultrasound must be done? My MD has said that she will not cut corners (her answer when I asked why this is medically needed. She will not even say specifically that this is a medical necessity), but I see no reason why this is being done other than to just take a look at the baby. My insurance will not cover this and we have to pay $11,000 for this pregnancy/delivery. My husband is expecting to be laid off at any minute and I was laid off recently myself. The ultrasound is well over $500 and I will have to pay the full amount (in addition to the $11,000) because this will be rejected as not medically necessary by my insurance. I have to say I agree with them on that point. Can you please give me specific insight as to why this is being done and how 'checking the fetal well-being' is medically necessary (if that were the case, then why is an ultrasound not being done at every appointment? )? Do I have no say so in this other than I can leave the doctor and basically will have no doctor to deliver my baby?