Surprise consultant appt - panicked

[EffinIneffable]

Just received a letter for a consultant appointment in March in the fetal medicine unit. I have no idea what this appointment is for or who referred me or why. Looked up the fetal medicine unit and they seem to deal with really quite serious complications in pregnancy. I had my 12 week scan at the beginning of this week and no one mentioned any problems there - Downs risk was confirmed as low by letter yesterday. Surely the sonographer would have said at the time if anything looked wrong.

Has this happened to anyone else? I can only think it might be a routine appointment for old birds but surely the nhs don't waste money on that??

[NatalieBee]

Is it possible your pregnancy was classed as generally high risk? The consultant may just run clinics out of that part of the hospital! I have a consultant appointment due to severe asthma and they run it from different places in the hospital! If in doubt don't be afraid to ring and ask what it's for

[Lagoonablue]

How old are you? I had consultant care due to age.

[EffinIneffable]

Thanks both. I'm 36 so officially 'elderly' in their terminology, but mw at booking in said I'm overall classified as low risk. Reasonable bmi, no other complications I know of. I've tried to call but no one's answering, probably because it's the weekend. Typical nhs - great care when you really need it, but lousy communication!

[ChickenMe]

I think old birds ( I am one too) might get appointment with consultant. Is this your first?
Stuff like previous PPH, instrumental deliveries and I think tears can mean reference to consultant. Going by friends' experiences here. Ie stuff that is fairly common.
I've got consultant due to fibroids so unable to tell if age related. 2BH the stuff the consultant told me I could've found out on MN Lol.

[MrsThomson84]

Don't worry you'll just be classified as high risk for some reason, age maybe with you mentioning old birds? Anyone high risk will be referred to the consultant. I was due to my weight but wasnt told I would be. I was really worried after reading all the possible complications but the consultant was great. I found the appointment was about the extra things they will do to reduce, manage and prevent complications happening. Ive been twice so far and my husnsnd and i have found it a really reassuring experience. Remember if anything was wrong you wouldn't be waiting till March. Good luck in your pregnancy.

[EffinIneffable]

Thanks. I think coming so soon after the 12 week scan made me think the two were related, but I can't think they would wait until March if that was the case, and I'm sure the sonographer would have said if there were any concerns at the time. Must just be some flag in my notes from booking in - but wish they wouldnt send out these random letters with no explanation! I'll have to wait til Monday to get to the bottom of it I guess.

[ChickenMe]

Yeah bad communication from them. It's not the scan IMO because I had "intermediate risk" and they phoned me.

[Bondy83]

Is it not just your routine appointment with the consultant? Where I am you see the consultant once (usually after 20wks scan) they look at the scan reports do all the usual bp urine tests etc and generally refer you back to midwife led care. You'd only usually see them again if they think your high risk for any reason or if any complications develop throughout the pregnancy

[EffinIneffable]

Bondy we don't have routine consultant appts here as I live in the middle of a city experiencing a massive baby boom. At least not that my mw mentioned or any of my friends have had. This appt is also a week before my 20w scan. But reckon there must be something in my notes, or perhaps they are having a drive on a particular issue for some reason at the moment.

[squizita]

Fetal medicine dealt with a lot of minor stuff at my hospital as well as risky stuff. I had routine growth scans there for example.

[MrsLovell]

Have a look in your notes, there might be something in there that would give you a clue as to why you have been given consultant referral. I was casually looking and found a note in mine at 16 weeks that I had been recommended to take aspirin at 12 weeks by midwife, I had no idea, midwife wrote it but didn't actually tell me! If you're still not sure you could try calling your midwife. I'm sure it's nothing serious though, just keeping an extra eye on you for some reason.

[Dogsmom]

I had exactly the same thing and panicked like crazy until the Monday, turned out it was just to debrief from my first birth as I'd mentioned I'd felt out of control as it was a very long back to back with ventouse delivery.
The midwife had put it on my notes so the consultant asked to see me.
I was assured that if it had been anything to do with Downs they would have rang me and got me in much sooner, also if the sonographer had seen anything worrying she would have asked for a 2nd opinion there and then.

It will be something routine.

[Tranquilitybaby]

It could be because you're over 35. What is your BMI number?

Is this your first pregnancy?

If nothing in your notes, i'm sure it's just standard practice for your particular hospital..

[squizita]

Tranquillity it's over 40 where I live. funny how it varies. Just shows often it's arbitrary.

[DoctorDonnaNoble]

I've also got similar letter but haven't even seen midwife yet. So assuming it's because of age (36) and medical history.

[sebsmummy1]

I gave birth at 37 first time round and was never consultant led so not convinced it's age. I did have a fibroid that they were concerned about so that certainly had an impact (ended up causing me no problems whatsoever).

I assume you haven't told the midwife you want a c-section?

[NickyEds]

Is it your first baby? I'm overall low risk and all set for MLU delivery but I have to have a consultant appointment and extra scan because my son was quite small at birth (6lb5oz). Mw said that they now do this with mums who have previously delivered a baby under the 10th centile. Ds was and is absolutly fine and nothing was said at the time about his weight-I think it's a fairly new thing in our area. I'm 35 (but will be 36 when baby's born) and was told that it's 40 when we become offically "old" now!!

[EffinIneffable]

Thanks all - could be a number of things I guess, but I'm at least reassured it's unlikely to be anything worrying they've picked up at scans/bloods because they would have told me already.

First baby, bmi 22, down for MLU, none of my friends who've given birth at this hospital have had routine consultant appts so it's a bit of a mystery. I do have a small fibroid but sonographers have always said it's not of a size/type/position to cause any concern. Just wish they would include who/why I'd been referred in the letter to put a stop to my wild speculation!

Oh and on the age thing, in the late 70s my mum was down as 'elderly' for first baby - she was 28!

[skyra13]

Is there anything in your notes mine says I was refereed due to high BMI anything like that in yours when you look over them?