First Consultation with Dra. Valerie Guinto

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Dra. Valerie T. Guinto is a perinatologist. She's an expert in maternal and fetal medicine. She's the doctor of my cousin-in-law, whom I wrote about here.

Last Saturday, together with my cousin's family, I went for my first consultation with Dra. Guinto in her clinic in Manila. Her clinic hours are from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. We arrived around 10:30 am and, the worrier in me thought that I might be in the queue for a loooong time. You know how it is with specialists and from what I've experienced with my previous Reproductive Endocrinologists, you need patience as you wait for your turn. Amazingly, when I asked the secretary to list me, I was patient #6 and Dra. Guinto was already with patient #3. Wow!

My turn came. I was a bit nervous. I told Dra. Guinto about my history in trying to get pregnant. I showed her my ultrasound records, from when I was diagnosed with PCOS to the one before I had a D&C. She asked me routine questions about my and my family's medical history (diabetes in the family? hypertension? cancer? etc.), if I have vices, if Hubby has, do I take drugs, any mental retardation in the family, etc. those questions.

She noticed my maiden name and asked how I was related to her patient, T. I told her T is my cousin-in-law. My cousin said their baby Pio is Dra. Guinto's trophy because of what they've been through. :)

When I told her that I live with my father who smokes, she told me to live somewhere else since fathers won't give up smoking and smoking is a cause of infertility. Yipes!

She discussed with me the five categories to check regarding infertility...and I have a hard time remembering all of them. Sorry. But, I do remember that the first two categories were about the body's immune system and reproductive organs. She gave me a list of blood tests (8 total) which could be done at the Manila Endocrine Laboratory which is near the clinic.

Dra. Guinto said that the results of my HSG and Hubby's semenalysis have expired. They could only be used within six months. She recommended that I have a Sonohysterosalpingogram (SHG), instead of an HSG. Sonohysterosalpingogram is an ultrasound of the uterus. Meanwhile, Hubby should have a semenalysis at St. Luke's - Global when he returns home. She also prescribed the medicines I should take before and after the SHG, folic acid, and vitamins for me and Hubby.

I was satisfied with my consultation with Dra. Guinto. She discussed alot of factors affecting infertility and I didn't feel she was rushing my appointment. She was organized and she covered all points of what I should do next. Her fee is P1,200. My cousin told me that I shouldn't mind the fee since Dra. Guinto was worth it. He asked me, would I rather pay a smaller fee with another OB, but still don't get pregnant in the end? Dra. Guinto has a high success rate in her TTC couples and my cousin's baby is proof. He told me that the fee would be less on my succeeding consultations.

Dra. Valerie T. Guinto
Clinic hours: Wednesday and Saturday, 8:00 am to 12:00 nn
3F Joshua Center
Taft Ave., Ermita, Manila
Tel: (02) 526-4878