Antenatal care - how much is normal?

[Cinnamon84]

Just wondering how much antenatal care to expect.
I had a mc at 6/7 weeks last year and now currently at 8. When I went to my gp she seemed really keen for me to have an early scan to see how things are progressing. She hasn't been around this week so I've called the ultrasound ward at my hospital who have said they don't do early scans unless you've had 3 or more previous mcs or are showing signs of it happening again.... Which I completely understand- and I know different hospitals have different guidelines.

I know other people have more serious symptoms than me as I've been there myself, but I am quite worried that I don't seem to have any symptoms anymore (my breasts were so tender for the first 2/3 weeks, I haven't had sickness apart from the occasional feeling of my stomach churning a bit) so really feel like I need some reassurance.
Anyway the ultrasound dept said I am booked in for a scan at 12 weeks, so 4 weeks from now. So I just want to understand what antenatal care is normal?
The nhs website says you see a gp, have a booking in appt between 8 and 12 weeks, and then a dating scan between 12 and 14 weeks.
Is it normal to have 1 gp appt, then a scan at 12 weeks... Do they ever combine the booking in appt and scan?
Sorry for naivety, just trying to understand what to expect!

[Junosmum]

You don't always need the gp appointment, depends on your area. You should have a booking in at 8ish weeks, scan at 12, midwife at 16 and 24 weeks, anomaly scan at 20 weeks.midwife at 28, 32, 36, 38, 40, 41,42 weeks. If it's your first baby. If there are complications/ risk factors you may also have consultant appointments and/or extra scans. 1previous miscarriage is not considered a risk factor/ significantly to your care.

[bittapitta]

There is a good guide on the NHS website. Have you checked that you've been referred to midwife? The booking in appt shoild be around 8-10 weeks. Usually before the 12 wk scan. Here you can self refer without visiting GP - feel free to contact the midwives direct, maybe your appt letter was lost in the post!

[Mermaid36]

I've never seen a GP, I rang the surgery and they gave me a midwife appointment straight off.

So far, at 11+3, I've seen a MW for 1 x 10min appointment (data gathering), and then my booking in appointment at 8 weeks, which was about 40mins.

Because of the rubbishness of our hospital, my 12wk scan won't be until I'm 13 wks, and I had to push for that (over 10 phone calls made to get the scan date).

I don't expect to see anyone else until 16 wks unless I have a problem

[lastnightiwenttomanderley]

Have you been given your notes folder yet? That normally has a table of all the appts and who they're with (gp/mw).

[Bells2307]

Hi, just to add, I had a mc at 12weeks and was offered an early scan by the early pregnancy unit at hospital that dealt with me during my mc. They simply told me to ask my midwife to call when I was pregnant again for a scan at 7 weeks. I actually ended up having multiple scans due to a cyst and episodes of bleeding, despite all this I'm now 24 weeks pregnant and things seem to be going well, good luck X

[frangipani13]

My midwife came to my hous3 to do my booking in appt at about 8 weeks didn't see the GP at all. Would you consider a private scan to ease any concerns until your 12 week scan?

[sianihedgehog]

That's normal. I had a miscarriage, and was not automatically scheduled for an early scan. I did end up having an early scan because all my symptoms stopped, I started bleeding heavily, and I had a really bad bicycle accident and the kind paramedics took me to hospital and I was scanned. Could have knocked me down with a feather when they found a heartbeat.

If your symptoms have stopped, it's worth contacting your midwife or gp to see if you can have a scan, but they won't do it as routine. If you start to bleed they will almost certainly scan you.

[TheCatsMeow]

I had an early scan at 6 weeks because I was bleeding and then again at 10 weeks. I then had the normal scans and had CTG monitoring 3 times a week and growth scans every week.

I had complications OP so unless you show signs of it, I don't think you'll get the same.

[wonkylegs]

I had a late miscarrage at 17 weeks last year so was offered an additional scan at 16 weeks but I'm also a high risk pregnancy (my health condition) so have additional scans and consultant appointments throughout.
I had booking in apt with MW at 10wks (2hrs - joys of having s complicated medical history I guess), scan at 12wks - list of appointments and what to expect when is in my notes which were given to me at the booking in apt.