Update
Just got a call back from the clinic. The ultrasound didn't find anything significant but they were unable to get a good look at the heart due to the fetal position, so they'd like me to go for a third ultrasound. They have one booked for Dec 19th but the ultrasound clinic gets a lot of cancellations, so I may be able to go sooner.
I think, after doing more research, that it's extremely unlikely that I have Ehler-Danlos Syndrome. Unfortunately my research led me to something else that I'd considered years ago when I first found out about my mitral valve prolapse (but had decided not to follow up on since there didn't seem to be a point to pursuing it at that time) - Marfan's syndrome.
When I examine the list of symptoms for Marfan syndrome, I have to acknowledge that I do have a surprisingly high number of them. In terms of the skeletal-related symptoms I have the long slender limbs; the abnormally long toes (they're rather freakish, far moreso than my fingers); the thin wrists; the classical long/thin body type; minor scoliosis; joint flexibility; and pectus excavatum. I don't have any eye issues that I am aware of (but neither have I had an eye test, so there may be issues that aren't producing visible effects). In terms of the cardiovascular system, I have the mitral valve prolapse, am often fatigued by normal activities, and have poor circulation (this is especially noticeable during pregnancy and breastfeeding). I experience leg pain without an obvious cause. (I attributed the leg pain to being a lingering symptom of a back injury that I received while dancing a couple years ago and that periodically flares up, but it's possible that if I do have Marfan syndrome, it could be related.)
It sounds like, if this is a problem I have, it has the same potential risk as EDS (gradual weakening of the aorta leading to possible aneurysm). So I asked the clinic if I could get my echocardiogram ASAP rather than waiting until January; they assured me they'd faxed in the requisition form yesterday (so they want to move quickly on it too). So we'll see how that turns out.
BTW, the fetus is male. :)
An abortion-related quote; written by Dr Robert Tamis:
"We live in a world where we don't have a fail-proof method of birth control. We don't have a school system that allows us to teach young children where babies come from. We don't have a medical community that spends the time and effort to instruct patients on how to use birth control methods 100% accurately. We don't have a birth control method that everyone can tolerate. We don't have a police system that prevents rape and incest. We don't have a scientific community that can guarantee every woman, when she's pregnant, that the fetus is normal. As long as we live in this imperfect society, women have to have the right to be able to terminate a pregnancy. If we could guarantee every woman that she's only pregnant when she wants to be, we won't have to have abortions any more. Guarantee them that they'll have a nice, normal, healthy baby, we won't have to talk about abortion any more. If we can eliminate rape and incest and so forth, we won't have to talk about abortion any more. I'd be thrilled."
I think, after doing more research, that it's extremely unlikely that I have Ehler-Danlos Syndrome. Unfortunately my research led me to something else that I'd considered years ago when I first found out about my mitral valve prolapse (but had decided not to follow up on since there didn't seem to be a point to pursuing it at that time) - Marfan's syndrome.
When I examine the list of symptoms for Marfan syndrome, I have to acknowledge that I do have a surprisingly high number of them. In terms of the skeletal-related symptoms I have the long slender limbs; the abnormally long toes (they're rather freakish, far moreso than my fingers); the thin wrists; the classical long/thin body type; minor scoliosis; joint flexibility; and pectus excavatum. I don't have any eye issues that I am aware of (but neither have I had an eye test, so there may be issues that aren't producing visible effects). In terms of the cardiovascular system, I have the mitral valve prolapse, am often fatigued by normal activities, and have poor circulation (this is especially noticeable during pregnancy and breastfeeding). I experience leg pain without an obvious cause. (I attributed the leg pain to being a lingering symptom of a back injury that I received while dancing a couple years ago and that periodically flares up, but it's possible that if I do have Marfan syndrome, it could be related.)
It sounds like, if this is a problem I have, it has the same potential risk as EDS (gradual weakening of the aorta leading to possible aneurysm). So I asked the clinic if I could get my echocardiogram ASAP rather than waiting until January; they assured me they'd faxed in the requisition form yesterday (so they want to move quickly on it too). So we'll see how that turns out.
BTW, the fetus is male. :)
An abortion-related quote; written by Dr Robert Tamis:
"We live in a world where we don't have a fail-proof method of birth control. We don't have a school system that allows us to teach young children where babies come from. We don't have a medical community that spends the time and effort to instruct patients on how to use birth control methods 100% accurately. We don't have a birth control method that everyone can tolerate. We don't have a police system that prevents rape and incest. We don't have a scientific community that can guarantee every woman, when she's pregnant, that the fetus is normal. As long as we live in this imperfect society, women have to have the right to be able to terminate a pregnancy. If we could guarantee every woman that she's only pregnant when she wants to be, we won't have to have abortions any more. Guarantee them that they'll have a nice, normal, healthy baby, we won't have to talk about abortion any more. If we can eliminate rape and incest and so forth, we won't have to talk about abortion any more. I'd be thrilled."