The Wicked Doctor

61: Intrauterine Fetal Death

Intrauterine fetal death is when an unborn baby (fetus) dies inside the womb before birth. This is described as 'late' when it happens in a woman who is 24 weeks pregnant or more, and is estimated to occur in 1% of all pregnancies. In the pregnancies where this happens, if the women were left to go into labour naturally, more than 90% would do so within 3 weeks.

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Terrence

"So? How are you feeling now?" He asked me, being his sorry ass doctor self.

"Surprisingly a lot better. Gusto ko na ring bumalik sa Oslo. I miss my home and my mom." I crossed my ankles and clasped my fingers over my stomach.

"I think you're ok to go now. Matagal tagal ka na ring nandito. But when you feel like everything is closing in again, you have my number." He raised his glass containing soda.

"Shit mukha tayong tanga. Hindi to therapy, Alvin. Tangina ginagamit pa natin tong clinic ng pinsan mo!" Humagalpak kaming dalawa sa tawa.

"Ikaw ang mukhang tanga. Gago bago ako nagmedicine clinical psychologist ako hudas ka pasalamat ka tinutulungan ka namin ni Cha. I just remembered, your dad called to ask if they can visit you next week. Hindi ka rin daw natawagan ng mom mo kaninang umaga."

"Oh that, busy kami kaninang umaga sa OR hindi ko nasagot at nasa bulsa ng scrubs ko tong cellphone ko. Shit nakalimutan ko silang tawagan!" I hurriedly took my phone out of the pocket of my jeans.

"I'm happy for you, T. You found your will to survive. Akala ko paglalamayan ka na namin."

"Gago." I threw the pillow towards him.

"Isa na lang talaga ang kulang eh."

"Ano na naman?"

"Asawa at anak. Man, ayoko nang ibalik yung kagaguhan mo dati pero that was a dick move. Pinakasalan mo si Stacy tapos binuntis mo pero dinivorce mo din! Kawawa naman si Hans, T!" He shook his head in disappointment.

"Hans is not my son."

He choked on the sandwich he was eating so I rushed to his side and slapped his back. Inabot ko rin sa kanya ang iniinom niyang soda.

"What the hell, Terrence? Wag mo nga akong pinagloloko!" Pabulyaw niyang sagot.

"I'm telling the truth. Hans is not mine."

"Ano? Panong nangyari yun! I swear to God I will really kill you if you are pranking me right now."

I sighed and sat back down.

"T, gago magsalita ka. Imposible naman yun di ba. She had IVF, kitang kita ko pa noon na malaki ang tiyan niya dala yung anak mo!"

"Intrauterine fetal death. The baby didn't have a heartbeat when he reached 8 months. They had to induce labor to get him out of her body. We named him Gabriel."

"What.. Ano? Totoo ba to? Paanong akala ng ibang tao si Hans ang anak niyo?"

I sadly smiled.

"Nasa Bergen kami noon hinihintay namin na manganak siya at pareho kaming nagtaka nung tumigil sa pagsipa sipa si Gabriel. Doon na rin namin nalaman na patay na yung bata kaya doon na rin niya iniluwal si Gab. She was so sad and depressed and she kept saying that it was her karma. It was also my karma."

"Holy damn fuck. Hindi ako matutunawan sa mga pinagsasabi mo!"

"Inampon ni Stacy si Hans days before we came back to Oslo. Actually foster parent pa si Stacy that time. I didn't agree with her so she signed up on her own." I sighed. "She said it's the only way she could stay sane. Hindi kaya ng katawan niya na magdala ng bata. She could never have her own child so she opted to adopt Hans"