Thursday, January 29, 2009

A Good Update - or an Anxiety Boost?

I had another ultrasound and NST today. The ultrasound measures T4's growth and assess her overall well being. The NST - non-stress test - monitors T4's fetal movement and heart rate to detect signs of distress. All looks good.

I have wondered a lot this month about the effects of all this extra monitoring. Fetal distress and cord failure could happen in a brief hour in the middle of the night - something that twice a week monitoring would never be able to predict. But yet we place our faith and our money in machines to tell us all is well.

Generations ago, every pregnancy was high risk with stillbirths and infant death common. These women had no fetal monitoring devices, just old wives tales about the inner workings of the womb. Yet the women of those generations exhibited and steadfastness of character I only dream of emulating.

So with a good update, I am tempted to once again place my faith in technology rather than trusting the Creator. And a faith in technology is a faith of shifting sand. When the storm rages in the night and the silence is deafening, will such faith sustain me or only create anxiety?

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