Help - Navigating US medical care while pregnant

[marksgone]

Hi,
my wife is 15 weeks pregnant and after riding through South America we are now in the US and looking at the 20 week scan here. HOWEVER we are experiencing major problems trying to find a centre that can do this scan due to a) timing and the need to have all sorts of referrals and apointments well in advance and b) the insane pricing in this country.

We are heading up to Alaska over the next month or so following the coast and then inland. Our timing is flexible but we MUST get this scan.

Can anyone help with suggestions about how to navigate this challenge.

Thank you

 

[peneumbra]

Might be easier to do it in Canada - access to health care in the U.S. can be difficult at best and impossible at worst...

 

[MROONFJ]

Emergency Room?? It will still be costly though.

 

[spunky2268]

There are many free-standing imaging centers in the US. You might check with one of those and see what can be accomplished. Feel free to PM me if you need further info or help.

 

[matthewp]

I'm going to be the @$$ and give a warning question to future explorers... Why didn't you plan for this situation earlier?

 

[Caduceus]

I'm going to be the @$$ and give a warning question to future explorers... Why didn't you plan for this situation earlier?

ditto this. And, to be honest, you don't NEED a 20 week scan. it's not that big a deal if it's done at 18 weeks or 22 weeks.
Yes, you'll probably need to get a referral from someone. That being said, going through an ER will get you to see a GYN as a follow up, but don't expect to get a 20 week scan while sitting in the ER bed. About all they do is say "Yup, there's the heartbeat" and walk out.

Let me play devil's advocate here:
option A) you get the scan. Everything is great! You know the gender, you know the parts are where they belong, etc.... go about your merry way. Probably $500 poorer ... minimum.
Option B) they can't see everything and need to bring you back another day. Suddenly are you delaying your trip, or not?
Option C) something is wrong. What then? Can you afford medical care in the US, or are you just going to say "Sorry honey and baby, you'll just have to wait until we're back home?"

 

[Ozrockrat]

I'm going to be the @$$ and give a warning question to future explorers... Why didn't you plan for this situation earlier?

Yep I think I have to agree with you on one part of your statement. The bit about being an ******** :shakin: . But I don't agree with the other bit!

Planning 5 weeks out in a 20 week period and asking a learned community like ExPo for advice is planning for the situation IMHO. Do you have any idea of the planning these guys are going through to be able to have a family and continue the trip of a lifetime. A trip that most of us will never have the balls to do. They are setting up their whole trip around where to be to get (and pay for) all optimal services for this pregnancy. The original post was part of this planning process.

My advice for "future explorers" is take a leaf out of these guys book. Having a family need not mean the end of your dreams, it will just take a bit of adjustment to your timing, method of travel and potentially places of travel. A good example is the German couple traveling in South America. They have had 1 at least (I heard it was 2 now but not confirmed) children while they have been traveling. And they are still bicycling around down there (with the dogs).