Ultrasounds Offer Confidence in First Pregnancy [Chelsey Engstrom]

This video highlights Chelsey Engstrom’s experience with pregnancy care and ultrasound services at Brookings Health System. During her first pregnancy, weekly ultrasounds helped monitor both her health and her baby’s well-being, providing reassurance and support through a potential complication.

  • Ultrasound Definition: Ultrasound imaging uses high-frequency sound waves to create real-time images of the developing baby and maternal structures, helping guide prenatal care.
  • Monitoring Complications: Weekly ultrasounds were recommended due to a minor preeclampsia diagnosis, allowing the care team to closely track both mother and baby.
  • Patient Comfort: Imaging staff were professional, welcoming, and attentive to Chelsey and her family, respecting their preferences, such as not revealing the baby’s gender.
  • Convenience of Local Care: Having ultrasound services nearby reduced travel time and stress, allowing regular monitoring while balancing work and home responsibilities.
  • Peace of Mind: Frequent ultrasounds offered confidence and reassurance during a first pregnancy, supporting both health and emotional well-being.

Frequently Asked Questions

A prenatal ultrasound is a safe imaging test that uses sound waves to create pictures of a developing baby and the mother’s reproductive organs. It helps monitor growth, detect potential complications, and guide care.

Weekly ultrasounds may be advised if there is a pregnancy complication, such as preeclampsia, to closely monitor the mother’s health and the baby’s development.

Preeclampsia is a condition characterized by high blood pressure and protein in the urine during pregnancy. Monitoring may include frequent check-ups, blood pressure checks, and ultrasounds to ensure maternal and fetal safety.

Imaging staff can respect choices such as whether or not to learn the baby’s gender, providing clear communication and guidance during scans to honor these preferences.

Local care minimizes travel time, allows for timely monitoring, and supports convenience for patients balancing work, family, or other responsibilities while receiving regular prenatal care.

Video Transcript

Hi, I'm Chelsey Engstrom and I have lived in Brookings for about four or five years with my husband and I teach first graders at Hillcrest in town. 

Tell us about your new baby.

So my husband and I welcomed our first child on December 3rd of this year and his name is Jelmer Jack. 

Why did you choose Brookings Health System for delivery?

I chose Brookings because again both my husband and I live here and we both work in town, and we thought it's really simple to just go ahead and be able to drive right from work or right from our house down the road. And we don't need to go to Sioux Falls because all of the things that we need we can get right here in Brookings.

How was your care during pregnancy?

My care was very excellent. I couldn't have asked for anything better honestly. We worked really close with Dr. Abele and she was very supportive and patient and she answered every question that we could have ever imagined. So just very great care all around.

What complications did you experience during your pregnancy?

So luckily I didn't really have any complications. We're very grateful and blessed for that, my husband and I. And the only thing is, is I did get diagnosed with possible preeclampsia about month seven which never really got to be anything major but a minor complication with that.

What is preeclampsia?

So I was diagnosed with preeclampsia because I had two indications or two symptoms of that, and the one was the protein in the urine, and then the other one was one high blood pressure reading. And I know there's things like swelling and vision changes and headaches and things like that which I never had, but I know that I was monitored really closely for having those two symptoms. And what I understand is if things get worse then women in birth can have possible seizures and things like that and complications so that is what I think it is in my own words.

Why did you receive weekly ultrasounds?

So I had to get weekly ultrasounds. Dr. Abele suggested those because of the possible preeclampsia. And that way, if something were to happen with me or with my baby then the ultrasound technician staff would be able to get us better care if something was the matter with my baby.

What was your reaction to the preeclampsia diagnosis?

Very bad. I felt like everything was going so smooth and my husband and I prayed about things the whole pregnancy, like, every night, every week. Then, as the time went on, and we had our next appointment, we realized that it's not that bad, you're just being monitored and you have to go in so they can make sure you and your baby are safe. It's good to know that they want to watch this instead of just say, you'll probably be fine. Let's have you come in in a month. I think it's better to be monitored weekly so I felt good that they wanted to give me that care.

How did the imaging staff treat you?

They treated me very well. My husband came with every single time and when he didn't come with once because, of course, he needed to do hunting and things like that then my mom came in and they welcomed her really nicely, too. And we had two or three staff members regularly so we got to know them well with weekly appointments. They always welcomed us and as just a regular person, not knowing what's up on the screen, they were really explanative or explanatory to be able to indicate what this is and if everything is okay with the baby.

How did the imaging staff respect your wishes?

So my husband and I, we didn't want to know the gender of our baby, and then going in every single week, we were kind of nervous because we were like, what if they accidentally misspoke and said he or she or something? But at the beginning of every ultrasound, they said, "Are you finding out the gender or not?" If they didn't we reminded them, and if it would come up where they scanned the baby's bladder they'd say, "Okay, look away now." So we just felt really respected that way in our wishes. So just treated very well.

Why is local care important to you?

I appreciated that it was right here in town. It was a 5 minute drive from my work or a 10 minute drive from our house. And everything that you need is right here in Brookings, so there was really no need to go elsewhere and take extra time from work or anything. So I just appreciated that everything you need is just right here and very convenient.

Are you one of Brookings health system's grateful patients who would like to give back to us? Learn more about how you can give back at brookingshealth.org/MyThanks.

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