# Pathology Results?



## erin_brycesmom (Nov 5, 2005)

We lost our baby in the 2nd trimester and the hospital offered to send some of the tissue for testing. I had a really hard time getting anyone to give me the pathology results and then I had a hard time getting anyone at the hospital to discuss the results with me. I finally asked for a copy and now have that in my hands but I do not understand it. Has anyone here ever had testing done and gotten the results? I don't think I'm ever going to get any answers as to what happened but I at least wanted to know the sex of my baby and that isn't even on here. If you had testing done, did it tell you that?


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## philomom (Sep 12, 2004)

Yes, we had our son autopsied after he was born still. There were a few things that I was able to research but nothing to "act on" for the next pregnancy. For personal reasons, I don't like to tell too much online... but I went to the local medical school and did my research at their medical library. My friends at the time thought I was being morbid, but it filled my need to "do" something during the raw grief time.

If you find something specific...be sure that your doc or midwife sees the report and any research you might do. This will help ease your mind if you decide to try again at any point in the future.


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## Dalene (Apr 14, 2008)

I had an autopsy done and also lung tissue examined, then met with my OB to have her interpret the results. You should not have to interpret the results on your own. I would ask your dr or midwife for guidance. They should be willing to help you out, not only to know what happened to your baby that died, but in thinking about a potential future pregnancy. My OB then sent me to a peri to also get his opinion on the autopsy results. In my case, all of this follow-up was helpful b/c, while the pathology reports say one thing (chronic abruption), my OB, MWs, and peri do not agree with the findings b/c there was no evidence at any point in my pregnancy/labor/birth of an abruption.

I'm so sorry for your loss. You deserve some help from you care providers, mama. Don't be afraid to ask for it.


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## moxielou (Jun 15, 2005)

First, I'm sorry for your loss.

I lost my daughter at 22 weeks and had a pathology examination done on the placenta. I had a follow up a few weeks later with a Doctor and he did explain the basics of the pathology report and gave me a copy.

However, he couldn't explain everything to me from the pathology report and I still had questions. Also he was doubtful about whether or not the evidence on the pathology report (infection) was the real cause of my placental abruption and early labor.

So, since I still had questions I decided to call the pathologist who wrote the report--there was a phone # right there on the form. I was really nervous at first but then I just thought that, "hey I'm paying hundreds of dollars for this lab report, the doctor didn't answer all my questions, I'm calling the pathologists." Well, he called me back within a few hours and he was a really nice and patient man, he explained everything to me, asked questions of his own and seemed really invested in helping me figure this out as much as possible. I was on the phone with him for 20 minutes!!!

What helped was that I had a list of specific questions in front of me and the pathology report. Also, I premised the conversation that I was trying to find out what caused my abruption as I needed to decide what, if any, further testing to do.

He was wonderful, really, and I don't know if I just got lucky and got the nicest pathologist in the world or if this was typical.

But it shouldn't be too surprising that he answered my questions; he's a professional, I'm a paying patient and I had legitimate questions.

Good luck. I know it's so hard to not know.


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## avivaelona (Jun 24, 2005)

Did you not have an OB or midwife yet? If you did, call them, its their job to do this as part of your postpartum check, if you didn't have one yet you can also call your hospital's department of Maternal and Fetal Medicine (or if they don't call it that, just ask for the "high risk OB's") and get a consult appointment to go over the pathology report.

You also can call and speak to the pathology department directly but be aware that some of the pathologists aren't used to dealing directly with patients and may not have much bedside manner...they can be very clinical and cold and forget they are talking about someone's beloved baby. Moxielou I think you may have been lucky in getting a pathologist who was kind, but yes, they should at least be able to answer questions.

Is the sex possibly addressed by chromosome somewhere?


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## erin_brycesmom (Nov 5, 2005)

Thank you all for your responses. I really appreciate it. I was seeing a homebirth MW for my prenatal care until the 18th week when this happened and then I went to the local military hospital and had a d&e with a dr that I had never met before that day.

I'm not even assigned to the Women's Health Clinic on base anymore so it is going to take a ton of work and hassle to try to even get someone to refer me back over there to get an appt with this dr to discuss it. It is hard enough to even get anyone to answer the phone. It is a pretty horrible military treatment facility. The dr even told me not to bother trying to call or get an appt for the pathology results because they are so booked and busy. He gave me his email address and that is how I have been communicating with him over these results but he is not being helpful.

To me, it looks like all he ordered was a "Tissue Exam" and not any kind of genetic testing (but he told me there was genetic testing). There is nothing on this entire (short) report about genetics. Most of the info on the report looks like the info the dr provided when he submitted the tissue for examination. I guess I was wondering what this kind of report looked like from other people who have had it done. I am confused because I would have thought there would be a lot more to it and am I reading only what my dr filled in?? All the report has listed is the clinical diagnosis, pre-op diagnosis, post-op diagnosis, gross description, and then final diagnosis. The Final Diagnosis says:

Tissue Passed Per Vagina:
- Chorionic Villi, Fetal Tissue and Decidua Present

All that means is that there was placental tissue, fetal tissue and uterine lining. There is nothing else at all on this report.

I guess he made a mistake on the test request, lied to me so now he doesn't want to admit it. I'm just not so sure I want to go through all the hassle only to be told just that and kind of have to relive it all over again and realize that I'm never going to even know if my baby was a boy or a girl or what may have happened.

It does say where the testing was done - a military hospital in TX and the name of the Pathologist is noted. No phone number but I'm sure I can get one for that hospital. I seriously doubt I'll be able to talk to him or get any info from them considering the way that the military handles these types of things but it is worth a shot so I will give that a try tomorrow.


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## onelilguysmommy (May 11, 2005)

how exactly is what you have written here useful? i mean you knew what the d&e was there to take out, now what were the findings? how stupid is that, and unnecessarily hard for you. wow.


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## Mamax3 (Nov 21, 2001)

I am so sorry that this is happening to you. I know you are seeking answers so that you may have some type of closure but this just stinks, I agree with you about the doctor screwing up the test and now doesn't want to explain the results. I am an RN and what you are describing that is written on the paper sounds to me like what the specimen contained, not actual "results".

I think I would call the lab that actually performed the testing and tell them that you just want to know if your baby had genetic abnormalities and if at all possible you would like to know if you had a son or daughter.

Is there any way you can see your midwife, depending on her training (nurse midwife or apprentice midwife) she may be able explain your results or she may even be able to call someone and have the lab results sent to her or her back up doctor. I think she would understand your need to know and if nothing else at least be more compassionate.

I know your due date is approaching, as was mine and we lost our babies at the same time, I can only imagine how painful all of this is to you at this time. Know that I am thinking of you.


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## avivaelona (Jun 24, 2005)

Oh goodness, what a situation.







Does your homebirth midwife have a backup doctor? If she does perhaps you can see them and ask them to help out. You deserve some compassion if nothing else.

I'm sorry you didn't get to hold your baby and see the sex for yourself.


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## erin_brycesmom (Nov 5, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *onelilguysmommy* 
how exactly is what you have written here useful? i mean you knew what the d&e was there to take out, now what were the findings? how stupid is that, and unnecessarily hard for you. wow.









Thanks for the hug mama, I appreciate it.


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## erin_brycesmom (Nov 5, 2005)

I have a bit of an update. I called and had to leave a message but someone finally called me back today. It was a tech and she said there was a chromosomal report but the dr must have forgotten to print it out for me. She said the report showed normal female cells with 46 chromosomes but they were unable to determine if the cells were maternal or fetal. So I guess I still have no answers. I kept asking her questions but she said she is not qualified to interpret the results and I'd have to speak to a dr. She told me my dr deployed so I can't talk to him and she can't make an appt for me since I'm not referred there anymore. So now I'm working on getting a referral which will probably take a while. It feels kinda pointless because the results seem obvious but I just still have questions. I'm at least glad to know that my dr was not dishonest with me. I jumped to that conclusion because in our follow up, he told me that they never did the testing like he asked and when I got visibly upset, he changed his story and said it must just take a lot longer.


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## erin_brycesmom (Nov 5, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *avivaelona* 
Oh goodness, what a situation.







Does your homebirth midwife have a backup doctor? If she does perhaps you can see them and ask them to help out. You deserve some compassion if nothing else.

I'm sorry you didn't get to hold your baby and see the sex for yourself.

Thank you mama. I appreciate the hug!!
My MW does not have a backup dr but she might be able to understand the report better than I do so if I can't get a dr to go over it with me, I will contact her. She is definitely more compassionate.


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## erin_brycesmom (Nov 5, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mamax3* 
I am so sorry that this is happening to you. I know you are seeking answers so that you may have some type of closure but this just stinks, I agree with you about the doctor screwing up the test and now doesn't want to explain the results. I am an RN and what you are describing that is written on the paper sounds to me like what the specimen contained, not actual "results".

I think I would call the lab that actually performed the testing and tell them that you just want to know if your baby had genetic abnormalities and if at all possible you would like to know if you had a son or daughter.

Is there any way you can see your midwife, depending on her training (nurse midwife or apprentice midwife) she may be able explain your results or she may even be able to call someone and have the lab results sent to her or her back up doctor. I think she would understand your need to know and if nothing else at least be more compassionate.

I know your due date is approaching, as was mine and we lost our babies at the same time, I can only imagine how painful all of this is to you at this time. Know that I am thinking of you.


Mama, I think of you often. My thoughts are with you during this time as your due date approaches






























I put a call into the lab and I hope to hear back from someone. Also a great idea about going over the report with my MW. Since I know there is an actual genetic report now, I asked for a copy and should get it tomorrow. Thank you.


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## Mamax3 (Nov 21, 2001)

I am so glad to know that they at least ran the tests. I would do as you are doing and pursue this until someone gives you the results and is able to answer your questions. I know you will have a bit more peace when you can understand what a happened a bit better, even if the results are that you had a healthy baby and no explanation for the loss it still gives you the answers you need to grieve your son or daughter.

Hang in there mama....


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