12 week scan, am I overreacting?

[NiceToesNaughtyToes]

Will try not to drip feed! I had my 12 week scan yesterday and, due to being on various medications (all of which I stopped once I found out I was pregnant) I was reasured by my midwife in my booking appt that the scan would hopefully put my mind at rest that baby is developing well and the medicines haven't had any adverse effects.

During the scan the sonographer spent 5 minutes zooming in and out on the baby and trying to get a "nice picture to print". She then caught sight of my notes regarding a cyst I have in my right ovary. She attempted to find the cyst and found another bigger cyst inside my left ovary.

This resulted in her spending the rest of the appt painfully pressing around my abdomen trying to find the cyst on my right ovary as she was adamant the consultant had written the wrong ovary down. I then had to tell my OH and dd to leave the room as she kept badgering me to have an internal scan (despite me telling her I have an appt with a specialist in 2 weeks) The internal was even more agonising as she kept pressing my abdomen and painful ovaries hard into the probe, trying to get a better view.

I had to eventually tell her to stop as I couldn't bare the pain. So she went and wrote up her findings. I asked her if everything was OK with the baby, especially in regards to any effects my medication may have had, as she hadn't spent half as much time checking the baby as they did at my dd's 12 week scan and she replied she thought everything seemed fine.

When we got home, had a look at my notes and every check box (heart, lungs, arms, legs etc) has been marked "not examined" and her measurements of the cyst on my right ovary are completely wrong, she has marked it down as 1.5cm smaller than the consultant who spent 45 minutes carefully and gently measuring recorded it to be just 5days ago.

Thank you if you're still with me! Am I overreacting to be upset with this? I'm no more reassured about the health of my baby, I've had no results of the nuchal scan and feel that, although I'm grateful the sonographer found the second cyst, she shouldn't have spent that time causing me so much pain when I'm already booked in to see a specialist?

[PollytheDolly]

She didn't listen to you. That's shit.

Ok the other stuff, fair enough but you are pregnant now and that's first priority surely? Xx

[ToffeeForEveryone]

If that many things were not checked on the baby I would call up tomorrow to complain and ask for another scan tbh.

[NiceToesNaughtyToes]

I can't say she totally ignored me, but every time I said I don't really like internals/ that my right ovary is very sore when it's scanned/ that I have this appt booked, she kept repeating that she'd just like to have a look and check both ovaries over. Since I've only been diagnosed very recently, I'm obviously quite worried about it, especially finding out there is another cyst in my left ovary. So reluctantly I agreed.

[Ilovecaindingle]

Ring back and say you aren't prepared to wait til the 20 week scan for reassurance that all is OK. .

[NiceToesNaughtyToes]

Toffee, would they re-do it? I thought, as it's the NHS scan, that they'd only have provisions to do the one. I have a midwife appointment on Tuesday and was planning on talking things through with her, will ask her during that time

[Lilly948204]

Cysts can change size so I wouldn't worry about that. I didn't have any notes about the heart, legs, arms, lungs etc on my 12 weeks scan. They were all checked at my 20 week one. I would speak to your midwife if you are concerned about any of the results.

[Hellmouth]

During my 12 week scan, they checked everything. I would call up and ask if for another scan, the worst they can do is say no :(

[Snowflakes1122]

They check heart lungs etc at the anomaly scan at around 20 weeks.

Some sonographers seem to really press down, some are bettter than others with that.

Her bedside manner didn't sound great at all. Sorry your scan wasn't as nice as it should of been for you.

[ToffeeForEveryone]

You can but ask. I would argue it hasn't actually been done (i.e. the check of the baby) if she missed half the things she was supposed to be looking at.

If you have any concerns about how the baby was checked, I would call and ask. Worst that happens is they say no, or more likely they will check the results and reassure you on what was looked and at that everything was normal.

[Spam88]

They don't check organs at the 12 week scan - I assume the form she's filled in is just a standard one that they also use for the 20 week scans. They're just looking at how many babies there are, whether there's a heart beat and measuring the length. Checking the ovaries is a standard part of the scan, so she wasn't getting distracted by them, it's something she was supposed to look at. I sympathise with the pain - my sonography yesterday was very firm and my bump was so sore afterwards!

Sounds like she didn't have a great bedside manner, but it doesn't sound like she missed out any checks so nothing to worry about :)

[mimiholls]

I also didn't think they checked heart, lungs etc until 20 week scan. I would ring and check if it's standard for those not to be examined. If it isnt I think you're fine. It sounds like she wasn't very reassuring but it sounds like all is fine.

[Whatthefreakinwhatnow]

www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/ultrasound-anomaly-baby-scans-pregnant.aspx

Link from NHS- 12 week scan is for seeing how many babies and dating it by measuring it, it is not a detailed scan. Anomalies are checked for at the 20 week scan when the organs are more developed.

[NoraDora]

They don't check organs at 12 weeks.

The rest sounds not great though. Cysts can change size and depending on the angle can be measured differently. Also remember they can move slightly too.

[littletike]

Another one here who thought they checked the organs at 20 weeks... If that is correct then yes you are overreacting. Although her bedside manner wasn't great it is her job to check everything carefully especially if she thinks a mistake was made on your ovary scan 5 days ago... Things like cysts can change really quickly and if the size has changed within 5 days then she may have felt that waiting another two weeks was too long especially if there may have been a risk to your pregnancy.

There's also a part of me that wonders if she insisted on checking so thoroughly because she was concerned it may have another pregnancy or something and not a cyst.

[MoonlightMojitos]

Sorry you're feeling stressed by it all, hopefully your midwife can put your mind at rest. They didn't check any of that at my 12 week scan, all the boxes are unticked, she just checked heartbeat, measured to date baby and had a look at placenta and cord. Fx for you

[PotteringAlong]

My 12 week scan notes also say not checked for organs - it's a standard form, they don't check at 12 weeks.

[Blondeshavemorefun]

Agree organs aren't checked at 12w. Usually size and due date confirmed and obv the heart

Cysts vary in size - I think she was just checking all was ok

Dildo cam aka internal probe. Shouldn't hurt and should be able to see cyst easily on screen with it

Some scanners do push on tummy more to get better results and yes can be sore :(

[harleysmammy]

My 12 week scan was rubbish and i phoned the ward the next day and refused to stop asking until they gave me another scan with a more professional and nicer sonographer. There was almost definitely a heartbeat because it is so obvious to see and if she hadnt seen it she would of said regardless of how much attention she paid to baby. Unfortunately at 12 week scans they only ever really check the edd, size of baby and heartbeat and to check everythings there (legs and arms). They do the more detailed scan at 20 weeks where they spend 30 minutes or so checking everything, i've had 6 scans due to bleeds and things and the only scan that was more than 10-15 minutes was my 20 week one. You definitely should make sure they give you another scan, that sounds really unprofessional considering it was a baby scan x

[PotteringAlong]

Unfortunately at 12 week scans they only ever really check the edd, size of baby and heartbeat and to check everythings there

Why unfortunately? What else do you want them to check? At that stage, what else is there to check?

[Buffythebabywearer]

My hospital checks the heart, kidneys, limbs at 12 weeks.

[LuchiMangsho]

They don't check them at the 12w scan. My ovarian cyst had shrunk dramatically at the 12w scan. That's a bigger concern because if it isn't shrinking it can cause some second trimester pain/issues. The 12w scan is the dating scan so the size of the baby is the main issue at stake.
She doesn't sound hugely empathetic but I doubt she did a poor job per se.
I have a high risk pregnancy (long story) and I have regular scans and fetal heartbeat checks in hospital and some of it is a tad painful because when the baby is small they need to press down more.

[haveacupoftea]

I think you are totally overreacting. It would be have been negligent of her not to exam you thoroughly if the cysts could be a potential risk to your wellbeing.

[Hellmouth]

The hospital I went to did an enhanced scan, that's probably why they were able to checkthe organs. If you weren't given an enhanced scan, I don't think they're able to see as much.

[GreenGoblin0]

at my 12 week scan they definitely checked aspects of baby's anatomy (I.e. that they are visible and whether they appear normal but obviously the scan is not as detailed as the anomaly scan.