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Test 03 - Part A - Extract 1

Vocab level: B2
First Prenatal Consultation
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The material in this exercise belongs to OET BANK — an online resource for Medical English learners preparing for OET.

So this first meeting Mrs Gordon is mainly a chance for you and I to get to know each other.
I'll ask about your medical history
and this is also an opportunity for you to ask me any questions that you've got at this point.
So some background, what kind of work do you do?
I have a job at an engineering company.
I'm a computer programmer.
I currently do four days a week,
but I hope to reduce that to three after my maternity leave.
Ah, excellent.
So tell me about your medical health.
Do you have any conditions I should know about?
Well, I have asthma attacks, but they don't happen often.
I lost about 10 kilos and that certainly helped.
I have an inhaler, but I hardly ever use it.
Oh, I should also let you know that I come out in terrible hives if I take penicillin,
but not other things.
I'm fine if I eat nuts, for example.
I have a fairly healthy lifestyle.
I'm a vegetarian and I've never smoked.
I'm afraid I don't go to the gym or anything, but I walk to work and generally keep active.
So this is your first pregnancy?
No, I have a daughter called Ella.
She's three now.
And did everything go smoothly that time?
There were no major problems during the pregnancy itself,
but it took me quite a time to fall pregnant the first time.
After having various tests, I was given some fertility drugs.
What were they called? It's on the tip of my tongue.
Um... never mind, it'll come back to me.
This time, though, I didn't need any help.
It's no problem.
What about labour last time round?
Oh, that was a nightmare.
Though everything, thank goodness, worked out in the end.
It was a breech birth.
It looked as if I might have to have a caesarean, and I really didn't want that.
I was pleased I managed without an epidural, too.
They had to use forceps to get Ella out,
but I didn't need any stitches, so that was okay.
Unfortunately, though, I had some difficulties after the birth, too.
I was desperate to start breastfeeding, but that didn't work out.
At least not until I was given some guidance by the midwife.
So, can I ask you about the baby's father?
Ehm... sure, that's my husband, Paul.
There's something in his family history that I should tell you about, I think.
His grandfather and father both had epilepsy,
though he hasn't developed it himself.
I'm not sure if that means his children have a greater chance of having it or not.
Oh, also, he has a child from his first marriage and she has down syndrome,
so he gets a bit anxious when I'm pregnant.
Oh, well, that's understandable, of course.
We can discuss various testing options if you like.
You might want to consider amniocentesis, for example.
But that carries a risk of miscarriage, doesn't it?
I don't want to go for that.
I've heard about another test called CVS.
Is that something to consider?
Well, it's certainly an option.
However, that procedure in fact also carries a small increase in the risk of miscarriage
and you'd need to come to a decision fairly soon because it's normally carried out between weeks 10 and 12 of the pregnancy.
Well, I can tell you straight away that if there's more risk then I wouldn't consider it.
I know my husband will feel the same.
Well, that's fair enough.
So, is there anything else you'd like to ask me about today?
Oh, nothing urgent.
But it'd be good to know more about how to get siblings ready for a new addition to the family.
I want to make sure Ella doesn't feel threatened or replaced or anything.
Well, there's a leaflet that many parents find helpful... here we are.
Have a look through that.
Oh, thanks, that's great.
I'm sure I'll have lots more questions at our next meeting.