I by no means concept that my 4th being pregnant can be my first and not using a circle of relatives physician
This first person article is the experience of Maggi Campbell, which is a wife and mother in PEI for more information about the first person stories of CBC, please see FAQ.
I could hear her heartbeat for a home fetus Doppler. Our three sons gathered around us on the couch and saw that Dad put Jelly on my stomach. His younger sister’s heartbeat voice made him laugh.
I should have felt happy in this precious moment, and I did, but that happiness was seen with anxiety.
When we came to know that we were expecting our fourth child, we were not immediately ecstasy. Instead, our views were: “We do not even have doctors. Where do we go?”
I called the Osthetrix doctor’s office, who took care of me during his previous pregnancy in 2022, hopefully I can return to him. In PEI, patients usually see their family doctor for most of their pregnancy until they are low risk, and A maternity is not transferred to a doctor’s care for about 34 weeksBut the doctor’s office explained that I would have to call the provincial patient registry – waiting list for those who are not a family doctor – and they will direct me.
I have given birth in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Pei, traveling to PEI permanently to live with my husband’s family to stay with my mother and brother. Generally, I will look at my family doctor to confirm pregnancy and the process will begin. But since the doctor of my family retired in PEI and I have no new, I spent the day instead, just tried to know who I had to call and where I had to go.
Like most of Canada, PEI has Lack of family doctorsIt is also officially official: PEI has a poor access to health care compared to any other province.
Prince Edward Island is the only province not offering a practice prepared assessment program, which will speed up the process for internationally trained physicians wishing to practice on the island. Taylor O’Brien of CBCs see how the province can help the province deal with the deficiency of its family doctor.
Above all, I struggle with severe ADHD and after years of searching, found a safe, non-eccentric formation and reliable drug, but I had to stop taking it when I came to know that I was pregnant due to the potential risks of a developing child.
My ADHD means that I have a difficult time to regulate feelings and process problems or deal with unexpected. My mental health declined rapidly without any doctor’s pregnant and helping to control my racing mind, while I waited for my first appointment.
My husband has been my yellow light – slowing me, so that I need a minute to keep an eye on important appointments and keep children busy. I do not know how I would have found without him, but he has a full -time job and nights work, so we could not maintain this setup for me longer without proper medicine and therapy.
A few weeks later, I got my first appointment with a family doctor for the patient’s registry. This first appointment was a spot – we checked the heartbeat, did some regular tests and I was sent for blood work. My blood pressure was a matter of concern but we started monitoring immediately from home.
I have three healthy boys, but have not always been easy pregnancies.
We lost our second boy with a placenta in about 20 weeks. He was born in 36 weeks, after several weeks of bed rest. We spent seven days in NICU, while they were treated for jaundice and some other previous issues. Our third son was another difficult pregnancy and another difficult birth.
I was afraid that this last pregnancy would also be difficult.
Between that first appointment and the second four weeks later, my blood pressure continued to deteriorate. I was without ADHD medicine and despite lining to see and see a doctor in the walk-in clinic, I never managed to get a slot.
By the time my second appointment rolled all around, I was an emotional debris and physically decreasing. I spent most of the appointment weeping.
The doctor classified me as a high risk for pre-eclampsia, tried a new ADHD medicine along with the drug for high blood pressure, and referred to me an OB, which I was told that I had more experience with high-risk pregnancies.
I was assigned to the same OB during my previous pregnancy that I saw. He found that properly, and I think anyone felt confident to be familiar with me to see me through this pregnancy.
Without a family doctor, it took longer to reach care and the process was Tricker to navigate compared to my previous pregnancies. While the situation is far from the ideal, the medical professionals I have seen, they have done their work well and can give the status of medical system on PEI as soon as possible.
I am confident that I am in good hands for the remaining part of this pregnancy, but now after our baby girl arrives in July, my anxiety turns into life, when we regularly go back without medical care, without a doctor, my ADHD and struggle to maintain medicines without a doctor – and now, with four young people who trust me.
A huge health of northern Ontario between Timins and Thunder Bay is not almost trained in maternity science, forcing women to move to the last weeks of pregnancy. Nick Pardon of CBC went there to find out what to navigate the ‘maternity ward desert’.
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