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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be irritated by what this sonographer said?

456 replies

maja00 · 10/08/2013 13:09

I recently had my 12 week dating scan. I declined the nuchal translucency scan, so was just going for the standard dating/measuring.

As soon as we got into the room the sonographer confirmed that I had declined the NT scan. The scan went as expected, baby looks fine etc.

At the end of the scan the sonographer said "I know you declined the NT scan, but I had a quick look at the baby's neck and it all looks normal. I would tell you if there was an obvious abnormality there".

Now, is it just me or is this not really in the spirit of us declining that test? If the sonographer had said it looked abnormal, then we would have been in exactly the position we wanted to avoid Confused

I understand that the sonographer was trying to be helpful, but AIBU to be a little annoyed by this?

OP posts:
everlong · 10/08/2013 22:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ICBINEG · 10/08/2013 22:07

I think the OP is upset about this because, okay this is not a biggy. But imagine it is something during labour that they are not being truthful or honest about the implications of? If this behaviour (not communicating what they will actually be doing in detail) is indicative of general practice (which it is btw) then there is a big problem. And there is a big problem.

Original poster
maja00 · 10/08/2013 22:07

everlong - the NT test can't tell me if the baby has DS.

OP posts:
ICBINEG · 10/08/2013 22:08

everlong what the hell has that got to do with anything?

Blu · 10/08/2013 22:08

Boudicea - I agree that the sonographer surely felt she had her patient's interests at heart, but the etchical agreement is important.

Not many people are advocating an actual complaint, including me. But I think she would have been v wrong to have disclosed an aspect of a test a woman had specifically asked not to have, and she needs to re-think this before she is actually in that position and causes a much worse situation than has been caused for the OP here. (which isn't actually a bad situation).

Good luck with your pregnancy.

5madthings · 10/08/2013 22:09

ever long the op does not want invasive diagnostic tests, therefore she sdoesnt want to know.

Seriously op you were whoefully misinformed as the nt doesn't just check for downs syndrome, it looks for other chromosonal abnormalities, or a tleast it looks for indicators of them.

DuelingFanjo · 10/08/2013 22:09

Ever long, the downs risk would be apparent at 20 weeks scan wouldn't it? Perhaps the op just doesn't see the point of knowing at 12 weeks.

Bodicea · 10/08/2013 22:09

Iceberg I don't see how that is relevant to this topic. You obviously have an axe to grind with medical professionals in general. We all go into this profession because we want to work in a caring job. We all do our best under tight budgets and time constraints. I am leaving it there. Have said what I need to say x

Original poster
maja00 · 10/08/2013 22:09

I'm not particularly upset about this - I was irritated initially that it seemed the sonographer had ignored my wishes.

Now it seems that isn't the case, I am irritated that I wasn't given enough (any) information about this screening.

OP posts:
ICBINEG · 10/08/2013 22:09

Any screening carries risks. The NT will lead to vast numbers of non-DS babies being terminated by the amniocentisis to confirm the diagnosis...

You are massively well within your rights to not want it.

TheFantasticFixit · 10/08/2013 22:10

This is 2013 though Maja00. Honestly, if I was declining any of the tests (I'm 10 weeks pregnant with no.2) then I would do my research first. We have plenty of information at our fingertips now via the Internet, library etc that you could have found out exactly what you are declining, and what might still be checked. Goodness, you could even have posted on here. But that's a lot of what ifs, isn't it?

Please start putting things into perspective. All that happened today was that you were told you were having a healthy baby. Does it really warrant 8+ hours of posting to determine what if?

ICBINEG · 10/08/2013 22:11

ho hum..I thought the fact that having your heart in the right place doesn't trump the informed decision of the patient was pretty damned pertinent...oh well.

5madthings · 10/08/2013 22:11

And yanbu to be irritated by the lack of information mama it is a big failing that is prevalent in maternity care unfortunately :(

Original poster
maja00 · 10/08/2013 22:12

Fantastic - yes the issue seems to be that I shouldn't have just trusted my midwife to be knowledgable and informative about the screening, which is a shame.

Not really sure what the problem with posting on MN is though Confused It's hardly onerous?

OP posts:
5madthings · 10/08/2013 22:12

fantastic yes there is lots of information on the met etc, not all of it good or accurate. But that doesn't negate the fact that hcps have a DUTY to income their patients and make sure they get informed consent!

DuelingFanjo · 10/08/2013 22:13

"The NT will lead to vast numbers of non-DS babies being terminated by the amniocentisis to confirm the diagnosis..."

Oh that's actually rubbish. The chance of miscarriage because of an amino is very small and also there is no way of knowing how many miscarriages after an amino are the result of an amino or if they would have happened anyway.

applepieinthesky · 10/08/2013 22:14

I also refused the nuchal test but it was explained to me that if there were any abnormalities these would probably still be picked up on and I would be told about it. Your midwife should have told you this too.

Dayshiftdoris · 10/08/2013 22:14

I actually took what the sonographer said a different way...

'I know you didn't want the NT but I checked the neck for abnormalities and all was fine'

Could be taken as even though you don't want the specific test I check the area for obvious abnormalities anyway - as is my duty. It would a bit like her not checking / measuring legs because you didn't want to know if talipes (where the foot is turned) is present.

She may or may not have measured but if she did it would have been part of many different measurements they take - its a major part of them recognising what is a normal size / shape.

I think it's been blown out of proportion and berating the OP's decisions regarding screening is a bit off.

mamamidwife · 10/08/2013 22:15

Maja you should have been given written info to look at about screening and a whole host of other things. There is too much info to take in at the first visit with the midwife and you can't be expected to take it all in. You have been let down if they have not directed you to websites or given you literature to read and digest so that you can go away and make an informed decisions about aspects of your care.

DuelingFanjo · 10/08/2013 22:15

' All that happened today was that you were told you were having a healthy baby'

This is rubbish too. There's no way of knowing if she is having a healthy baby.

TheFantasticFixit · 10/08/2013 22:16

No, absolutely there is no problem posting on here - unless you are determined to absolutely ignore all advice that goes against your very specific, and repeated point.

I have no idea what resolution you are looking for here. If you feel that your were inadequately prepared by your midwife then perhaps you need to speak to them about how you see best for them to continue with your care.

mamamidwife · 10/08/2013 22:18

Miscarriage after an amino is approx 1:100

DuelingFanjo · 10/08/2013 22:20

Telling the op she should have declined all tests/ scansif she's that bothered is a bit rubbish given that a routine scan at 12 weeks may actually tell a woman that he has miscarried - had a 'missed miscarriage'.

Personally I think if the op wanted to just know that there was a viable pregnancy but not have any testing for abnormalities then that's absolutely fine and quite normal and some of you are being horrible.

LoremIpsum · 10/08/2013 22:22

ICEBINEG I think it's been made pretty clear that they didn't do the testing maja declined.

I'm not sure why anybody would assume that certain parts of the body would be ignored or not looked at. It's the complete, three part test for a specific condition that is declined not an agreement that the basic visual checks won't be performed. If it's important enough for you to decline the test, then surely you'd understand that, and if not ask questions until you believe you are properly informed.

There's nothing sacred about the nuchal fold, people aren't declining the test because they're uncomfortable with someone looking at their baby's neck, but because they don't want to know the risk factor for DS.

DuelingFanjo · 10/08/2013 22:22

Add message | Report | Message poster mamamidwife Sat 10-Aug-13 22:18:19
Miscarriage after an amino is approx 1:100

And what is the figure for miscarriage after 16 weeks? And how can anyone tell if the miscarriages after amino are just because of the amino? The actual risk increase is very small.

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