My Medical Skills Give Me Experience Points Chapter 1214: 479: Strange Pregnant Woman—Heartbeat Without Ultrasound Image (Part 3)
Previously on My Medical Skills Give Me Experience Points...
Yang Chan figured that this odd scenario was probably the first time she'd come across something like it.
Zhou Can felt chills running down his spine; as someone who didn't believe in the supernatural, this eerie development was enough to make him wonder if 'ghost fetuses' might actually be real in this world.
Legends from ancient myths in novels spoke of the Nezha conception.
No fetus appeared on the B-ultrasound, but the heartbeat could be detected, and the expecting mother's stomach resembled that of someone in the eighth or ninth month.
“Teacher Lu, pass me some rubber gloves.”
“Coming right up!”
The gloves were already set nearby.
Everyone knew the mother-to-be had syphilis and HIV, so protective steps were crucial.
To tell the truth, getting just one such virus could stem from an infected spouse or a regrettable indiscretion.
Contracting both points to a lifestyle for this lady that's clearly lacking morals.
Private adult indiscretions are hard to regulate. Yet, for individuals without boundaries, those diseases become true horrors.
Zhou Can donned the gloves, raised the woman's shirt, and uncovered her swollen midsection.
Next, he palpated her abdomen.
This served two aims: sensing the baby's position and noting any stirrings.
“Hmm…”
While attempting a deeper touch on the abdomen, a sharp fetal motion surprised him, like a rodent slipping from under his fingers.
Heartbeat and kicks confirmed, but the scan showed nothing.
Might the B-ultrasound be faulty?
One couldn't exclude that chance.
Still, Tu Ya's imaging team stuck to precise routines. Any equipment glitch would have surfaced in routine tests.
Where lay the fault then?
Zhou Can found himself puzzled on how to proceed.
Pressing softly on the belly, it yielded easily, lacking any fetal outline.
Late-stage pregnancies have a taut abdomen where the baby's form is palpable.
“Tell me the fetal heart rate?”
He turned to Yang Chan.
“109 per minute.”
Upon that info, Zhou Can paused, then snatched the chart. Dr. Xie's earlier reading was 110. This was nearly identical.
Simple luck, or a profound tie between the two?
Standard adult pulse runs 60-100 bpm. Long-practicing meditators in monasteries often beat much slower.
Her pulse at 110 bpm stood out as elevated.
Fetal rates usually fall between 110 and 160 bpm. At 109, hers scraped the lower limit.
“Class leader, recheck the fetal pulse as I take hers! Together now. Teacher Lu, signal us.”
“Uh… Okay, got it.”
Nurse Lu blinked in surprise but consented.
Yang Chan missed the point initially but complied.
“Begin!”
With preparations done, Nurse Lu waved to launch.
To outsiders, it might seem like a contest.
During the fetal check, Yang Chan mulled over Zhou Can's intent, then her gaze sharpened as realization dawned.
The checks wrapped up swiftly.
Mother's rate hit 112 bpm, and the fetal matched at 112 bpm exactly.
The on-site medics gaped in astonishment at the findings.
Zhou Can's mind raced in disbelief; could the fetal signal simply be the mother's own heartbeat echoing through?
Yang Chan thought intensely, if the rates synced so perfectly, perhaps no separate fetus existed, and the 'baby' sounds were just her vital signs misread.
Lu Nurse felt a wave of unease, wondering if this case hinted at delusion or deception.
The room fell into stunned silence as possibilities swirled.
“This can't be right,” Zhou Can muttered, rechecking the equipment.
Yang Chan nodded slowly, “The movements felt real, but now this...”
They debated if it was a phantom pregnancy, where the mind tricks the body.
Or maybe the woman was fabricating it all for some gain.
Given her infections, trust was low.
Zhou Can suggested consulting a psychiatrist.
Yang Chan agreed, adding they needed more tests to confirm.
Nurse Lu prepared to call for reinforcements.
The bizarre case deepened, challenging their medical knowledge.
As discussions heated, Zhou Can pressed for immediate action.
They decided to monitor closely and scan with advanced tools.
Suspicion grew that no true pregnancy existed.
Yet the felt kicks lingered in memory, fueling doubt.
The team pushed on, determined to unravel the mystery.
Whispers of mythical 'ghost fetus' echoed faintly.
Zhou Can shook it off, sticking to science.
But the synced rates unnerved everyone.
Further exams revealed no growth, just abdominal swelling from other causes.
The woman claimed pains, but scans showed empty.
Diagnosis leaned toward pseudocyesis.
Treatment involved therapy and antivirals for her conditions.
The case became a hospital legend of the strange pregnant illusion.
Zhou Can gained insights, boosting his experience points.