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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be pissed off that my "12 week scan" will not be done till i am at least 16 weeks!

68 replies

MoodyDidIt · 25/04/2013 11:29

in fact i could be more like 20 weeks Shock

(long story to do with not being sure of my dates)

but anyway, got the letter today with my scan date and based on the LATEST possible time i conceived, i will be at least 16 weeks

i think its appalling. i rang and explained the situation but they will not cannot give me an earlier one

gutted. we have no money for a private one otherwise i would book one immediately

OP posts:
BlingLoving · 25/04/2013 11:30

YANBU. The screening they do has to be done before 13 weeks. I would ring again and throw a complete wobbly.

JakeBullet · 25/04/2013 11:31

Welcome to the world of NHS cuts Sad. It isn't right at all that you should have to wait this long.

KatAndKit · 25/04/2013 11:32

If you are already past 12 weeks then you will be too late for the NT test anyway so I guess they don't see any urgency. Did you find out very late that you were pregnant? I don't think you are being unreasonable to be pissed off - surely it is not unreasonable to want to date your pregnancy and check that all is going well with the baby? I had a private scan for £50 once - they are not always £150 or more if you just want a black and white 2d dating scan.
What does your midwife say about this?

ChunkyPickle · 25/04/2013 11:35

They have cancellations, then have people not turning up, these are quite important tests (if you go in for tests) - ring up again, hope for a different person, and say that you'll come in and wait for a slot (if that's possible for you)

You could get your midwife or doctor to call too perhaps? I know that when I was unsure of my dates my midwife called for me and got an emergency squeezed in appointment for me.

SpanishFly · 25/04/2013 11:35

"but anyway, got the letter today with my scan date and based on the LATEST possible time i conceived, i will be at least 16 weeks" so if you'll be between 16-20 weeks, how can they say it's to do with you not being sure of dates - surely worstcase scenario should be that you'd be 12-16 weeks?

ChunkyPickle · 25/04/2013 11:36

The standard private ones are just bonding scans - you'd probably have to pay more to get a medical scan with associated blood tests.

janey223 · 25/04/2013 11:37

They have to do measurements between 11 and 13 weeks for downs and after 14 weeks (I think) they're not accurate for dating.

I had my first scan at 10+6 (going by the latest possible date with bloods) with a days notice then was called in the next week because it has to be 11-13 weeks for the measurements they need.

ruledbyheart · 25/04/2013 11:51

They can do the downs test by bloods at 16weeks, they couldn't take the measurements at my 12 week scan due to an awkward baby so they offered me the triple test at 15/16 weeks.

littleducks · 25/04/2013 11:55

I had to travel a 5 hour on public transport round trip on Monday for a 10 minute scan as there was no space in a suitable timeframe at the hospital closer to me. My maternity care has been a bit shit, basically because there are just so many pregnant women here atm.

EssexGurl · 25/04/2013 12:00

I moved house in early pregnancy and dr at old practice wouldn't send me to MW or for scan so I had to wait until I moved house. I went for scan at about 14 weeks. The hospital were really annoyed with me and I had to have extra blood tests as they couldn't do the nuchal test at that stage. None of it was my fault but they couldn't see that. Can't believe they are making you wait. I was pretty much fast tracked once new GP had seen me. You are being treated appallingly.

BergholtStuttleyJohnson · 25/04/2013 12:04

Yes it's shit but I assume you're low risk so others have priority. I had my dating scan at 16weeks with ds1 nearly 3 years ago. I had my 20 week scan just over 3 weeks later. I saw my gp at 4 weeks and my booking appointment at 9 weeks! They were just busy and I was low risk. I did decline the screening tests though so maybe that's why it was late in my case.

JenaiMorris · 25/04/2013 12:10

I totally understand your irritation, but we had one solitary scan at 20wks, unless there were concerns.

It does seem a bit rubbish though, considering dating scans are the norm these days.

Smithsgirl88 · 25/04/2013 12:17

I know it sounds terrible, but the week scan is there to check everything's ok, so can understand why you're annoyed, so couldn't you go there and say you've been bleeding or something? They'll give you a scan then to check everything's ok. At least you'll get to see you baby and the heartbeat etc...
When I was bleeding whilst pregnant with my son at 3 weeks they got me in for a scan to check I wasn't miscarrying so they're bound to do it for someone who's at 12 or so weeks.

TalkUsernameYoudLike · 25/04/2013 12:44

This didn't happen with me, but I can completely understand how you feel.

I didn't get to see a midwife 'til I was 20 weeks pregnant!

5madthings · 25/04/2013 12:49

I would be annoyed the scan at 12wks as well as dating the pregnancy also offers the opportunity for screening tests if you want them and they can detect some serious conditions that are incompatible with life, or it may show a non viable pregnancy etc. It will show if you are having twins etc and can spot numerous things that may mean you are 'high risk' and therefore will need closer monitering.

I would not be happy to wait till 16wks, can you afford to pay privately? I had my nuchal scans done privately but at my local hospital as I was under 35 and so not offered them routinely.

5madthings · 25/04/2013 12:53

Its recommended the scan is done between 11-13wks.

littleducks · 25/04/2013 12:57

Please don't fake bleeding or anything.

I have HG so have to go into hospital regularly in pregnancy, one time I had bleeding too. The wait is ages, which is crap when you are not well and really not fair if the people in front of you are faking just to see the baby. I have had to have a speculum exam to check if the cervix was still closed and see the bleeding. It wasn't pleasant, I wouldn't do that unless medically indicated! Also as it was a portable scan the picture was poor all you really could see was a heartbeat (which was all that was needed in my case) and the placenta, it couldn't give you an accurate idea of gestation.

5madthings · 25/04/2013 13:00

www.mumsnet.com/pregnancy/12-week-scan

This is the mnet info with link to nice guidelines.

Sorry just seen you can't afford a private scan :(

Have you been back to your gp, they may be able to liaise with the hospital and get the scan brought forward, or see midwife?

5madthings · 25/04/2013 13:02

I was at uni when I got rpeg with ds1, in denial at first and then went home for the holidays and didn't see a gp till I went back to uni, by which time I was almost 12wks, the gp simply phoned the hospital and they got me in asap.

Smithsgirl88 · 25/04/2013 13:32

The one I had was an appointment and gave me an accurate gestation date - I went twice as I was genuinely bleeding both times. But mightve been an appointment as I was so early and there's no emergency as your body will usually naturally flush away the foetus if you are miscarrying but is more for your peace of mind. But I thought if she mentioned she was spotting every now and again they might bring the date forward.

Squitten · 25/04/2013 13:36

Can you not go to an EPU? I conceived current pregnany very late indeed - day before period was due! It put my dates out by a fortnight. My GP sent me to an Early Pregnancy Unit walk-in where they scanned me once, we realised the baby was only about 4wks along and I went back two weeks later to be rescanned and verified as viable.

Pobblewhohasnotoes · 25/04/2013 13:41

I wouldn't be happy with that. As others have said you have to be scanned between 11-13 weeks as they do the screening and bloods for disorders such as Downs and other abnormalities. I would phone and ask them about that.

lljkk · 25/04/2013 14:30

OP may not qualify for nuchal fold at 12 weeks for other reasons, they aren't universal (I think?).

I didn't have a scan with DC1 until 16 weeks.

How many weeks are you now, OP?

Original poster
MoodyDidIt · 25/04/2013 15:56

sorry have only just come back to the thread, thanks for all the replies. glad its not just me that thinks it takes the piss

and for those who have asked how many weeks i am, this is the thing, am not sure exactly how many weeks i am! i could be 11 weeks but could be about 15. its a long story...

my friend did what that poster did, faked bleeding. i must admit it did cross my mind, but as someone else said, its not fair to hold up the queue for people with genuine problems

well dh has found somewhere that does a private scan for £75, so we may be able to stretch to that. as MIL has given us £100 as a moving in present (just moved in to new house) we were going to buy a tumble dryer with it but this is more important atm :(

OP posts:
HorryIsUpduffed · 25/04/2013 16:19

Why is it important?

I'm not saying it isn't; I'm asking why it is.

I'm anxious enough about having mine at 12+6 because 11-13 is the nuchal fold window and I am over 30.

I get that your dates are hazy, but if it is to confirm dates then a private scan won't commit to that - the best you can hope for is "more like 12 than 16" or whatever. Please don't waste money if you're skint.

If on the other hand you're frantic about your Schroedinger baby and whether it is even alive/viable, then it could well be a small price to pay.

In my cousin's area you get a dating scan and no anomaly scan. That frightens me more, given the number of children I know whose serious conditions were identified then and otherwise could have killed them.