Difference between the UK and the US?

Question

Just curious why in the US you all have cervix checks at your appointments, but here in the UK we dont.. so surely that proves its unecessary? Also, why do you have glucose tests and we dont? Does that make them unecessary too? I dont get why if they are so important, why they are not complusory to be done everywhere. Anyone know?

Answer

The same tests etc are done in the UK,  they're just risk assessed and done for women who are higher risk rather than routinely for everyone.  The NHS has to spend public money wisely and since the risk of gestational diabetes is very low if you don't have particular risk factors or sugar in your urine (which they test for at every appointment)  it's not considered necessary or cost effective to have everyone do a glucose tolerance test. The difference in the US is that care providers are motivated by profit rather than by spending wisely or just the welfare of patients.  I also think the litigious culture in the US drives a lot of decisions - doctors will do every possible test just so no one can later come back and sue because they missed something.

Answer

They have private healthcare which they pay for. 
It's just all a way to make money. 
In the states anything health related is big business. 
More check up, more scans, more doctors appointments, having gynaecologists to do everything when it can easily be done by a midwife. 
Being on this app makes me appreciate our care in the uk. 
So many women having ultrasounds at 6 weeks and worrying there's nothing there, doctors or technicians trying and failing to hear heartbeats at 9 weeks. Sending women into such states of panic. 
I find in the uk and in France when I lived we have a much more relaxed and natural approach to pre natal care

Answer

My dr doesn't do cervix checks unless they think you are already going into labor. They don't care otherwise. It depends on the dr.

Answer

I'm in uk and I'm having a glucose test - it's called diabeties test in the UK.

Answer

The lifestyles are different so i feel like the glucose test is definitely needed like out here in California people live very very fast pace lifestyles which are sometimes very unhealthy and develop GD even some women who live very healthy lifestyles still develop GD and can lead to complications with pregnancy and baby's health.

Answer

Glucose test is necessary because gestational diabetes is somewhat  common, you don't necessarily have symptoms, and it can effect baby if undetected. I had it 2 of my 3 pregnancies, I'm a healthy weight, eat healthy, no symptoms, no sugar issues when I'm not pregnant, but I still had it. If it isn't managed, the baby can be born very large and can have a glucose crash after birth. The cervical check they only do your last 4 weeks or so and it's not required. My ob informed me it isn't necessary because some women are dilated for awhile before labor starts, while others are not dilated at all and go into active labor quickly. My Drs told me every blue moon you get a woman dilated enough that she needs to deliver and she didn't know it, but that's extremely rare. It's an optional check some women like to know if they've started to dilate or efface. I chose not to have mine checked until 39 weeks and only because we were discussing inducing due to high blood pressure. The Dr's don't get paid more to do the cervical checks, it's just part of your regular visit. Same with the glucose test,  it's the lab that gets paid for this and it doesn't cost much.

Answer

These things aren't mandatory, they're optional. So technically they're not necessary I guess. I live in the United States and my doctor doesn't check my cervix and my glucose test was optional like a lot of the screenings. If you asked for a glucose test you'd probably get one. Also you only take a glucose test between 25-28 weeks I believe.

Answer

I live in the US but I am from France and I chose to live my pregnancy like if I would have been in France.. No unnecessary shots or treatments, no glucose test, no cervix checks and no screening tests. Here in the US they make a big deal out of everything and doctors pressure you to do every test in the book so they can make $$$. And they insist to the point where they want you to feel like a horrible mother if you don't get the last fashionable treatment. If these tests are not done in other first world countries where we have very healthy pregnancies and babies, they are not necessary. My midwife just come and check my weight, my blood pressure and the heart rate. Everything is good !! 5 weeks to go !

Answer

Part of the GD test being more prevalent in the US is because we have a higher population of women that are genetically at risk; women of Native American, Native Alaskan, Hispanic, and African American descent.  
That's not saying that being white, healthy and without a history of GD keeps you from getting it. 
My doctor only does cervix checks if you ask or if you're having contractions.
Yes there is a price of being born, in the US it's ridiculously expensive, part of it is because a lot of women don't have coverage or their coverage isn't that great. It's the hospitals that makes the money, the insurance then limit your coverage based on whether they think something is necessary or not. It's not a great system.

Answer

I'm in the us and have yet to have my cervix checked... may just depend on dr or person

Difference between the UK and the US?

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