The examination began normally.
The baby’s heartbeat filled the room, quick and strong, and I felt my eyes burn as soon as I heard it.
For a moment, the fear and the humiliation receded.
There was only that steady sound, proof of a life continuing inside me.
Then the doctor studied the scan more closely.
She was kind, careful with her words, but I noticed the pause before she spoke.
“There’s something we should keep an eye on,” she said.
My fingers curled around the edge of the examination table.
“Is something wrong?”
“Not necessarily,” she said. “The images suggest your baby may need to see a specialist after birth. It’s too early to draw conclusions, and many children do very well with the kind of follow-up we’re
discussing.”
I heard the reassurance, but my mind caught on one phrase.
“After birth?”
“Yes. We’ll gather more information and make sure you have the right team in place. For now, I don’t want you to panic.”
