[ozmidwifery] missing twins

[Maxine Wilson]

Sue I have experienced an uss missing twins on two occasions.  I had an awful working relationship in an isolated aboriginal community setting with a doctor who thought it was appropriate to ultrasound pregnant women rather than actually palpating their abdomens at all.  All these women had no dates and so I always guesstimated their dates by fundal height etc.  We had a very basic uss machine but good enough to get a bpd and placental position etc.  Women were always in 2nd trimester at the earliest when presenting for the first visit.  Doctor scanned woman - gave estimate of gestation and placental site - singleton pregnancy.  I saw woman again in four weeks time and hello - very marked increase in fundal height - took her into town to do a formal uss with an ultrasonographer and there were 2 babies!  This also happened again within a few months with same doctor ( amazing coincidence).  Goes to show that there is a lot to be said for the power of a tape measure and the same measurer.  Suffice it to say I had ongoing issues with this person's practice, patient care and politics involved. Maxine