#dr. schultz

Dr. Schultz: “Well, this all looks good! Do you have any questions before we get started?”

Kennedy: “Um...I-I’m still a bit confused about how I got pregnant in the f-first place...”

Dr.Schultz: “What forms of protection did you use?”

Kennedy: “Uh well, I’m on birth control and we...we always...I mean he always-”

Dr.Schultz: “Condoms, cool. So birth control is always a bit iffy, it works the majority of the time but other drugs can counteract it. Have you been taking any other prescriptions lately?”

Kennedy: “W-Well, I had viral meningitis before Christmas and my doctor prescribed a natural remedy...I think it was called S-St John’s....St John’s um-”

Dr.Schultz: “St John’s Wort?”

Kennedy: “Yeah, that’s it!”

Dr. Schultz: “Ah I see the problem. St. John’s Wort interferes with most contraceptives. While it would have helped with your meningitis and pre-established anxiety condition, it would have also reduced the effectiveness of your birth control pills by up to fifteen percent”

Kennedy: “W-What?”

Dr. Schultz: “Kennedy, are you still taking St. John’s Wort, maybe to ease your anxiety at times?”

Kennedy: “I...um...yes? I take it occasionally when my usual calming methods aren’t working...”

Dr. Schultz: “I’m going to need you to stop taking them immediately.”

She lay on the somewhat comfortable hospital bed as Dr. Schultz prepared the Ultrasound machine. Kennedy’s worried thoughts were drowned out by the whirring and buzzing of the machine beside her and the crinkling of the fabric underneath her. Dr. Schultz sat on her black swivel chair and turned to Kennedy, gesturing for her to lift up her jumper.

The air was cool on Kennedy’s skin as she peered over her black cable knit sweater and watched as the doctor placed the cold transducer probe on her slightly swollen stomach. She gasped at the temperature of the gel, freezing cold on her otherwise warm body, which solicited a small laugh from Dr. Schultz.

Dr. Schultz: “I did warn you, it’s cold huh?”

Kennedy simply smiled and nodded. She liked her doctor, she was friendly and comforting, but nevertheless Kennedy felt uncomfortable. Being on your own, especially in this situation, was terrible. At least at home she could mask her feelings of isolation by preoccupying herself, but here in the quiet hospital ward, with only the sounds of machinery echoing against the dull walls, Kennedy felt alone.

The doctor pressed the transducer probe into various places along Kennedy’s torso, searching for any sign of life. Gliding the tool over Kennedy’s bronzed skin, she offered her a small smile.

Dr. Schultz: “This normally takes a while, it’s difficult to find the heartbeat this soon into a pregnancy”

They continued in silence for a minute or two, and Kennedy began to feel a slight sensation of panic as the hands of the clock continued to tick. No sign of her baby’s heartbeat, they had been searching for almost ten minutes now. Surely there was something wrong, if they couldn’t hear the heartbeat then the baby might be in danger, and that was most likely Kennedy’s fault. She struggled to keep her panicking at bay as she focused on her breathing. If she did anything wrong this baby could die, and that was not something she could live with.

Dr. Schultz: “Well we’ll check everything out when we start your ultrasound but you and the baby are probably okay.”

Kennedy: “Probably?! What do y-you mean?”

Dr. Schultz: “Hey hey, it’ll be okay Kennedy, it’s not a major concern. St. John’s Wort just hasn’t been tested enough in the medical field so nobody really knows how it effects pregnancies.”

Kennedy: “O-Okay?”

Dr. Schultz: “We suggest expecting mothers to steer clear of it just in case it causes problems”

Kennedy: “What...what kind of problems?”

Dr. Schultz: *sigh* “Some studies showed that St. John’s Wort caused a higher number of birth defects and induced labor but again, it hasn’t been conclusively proven.”

Kennedy: “Oh god...” 

Dr. Schultz: “There has only ever been a handful of experiments done and other factors could have contributed to those results though”

Kennedy: “S-So we’ll be okay?”

Dr. Schultz: “Most likely yeah! If I have any concerns I’ll just schedule more regular appointments for you. I promise you that you and your baby will be healthy”

Kennedy: “O-Okay...thank you”