To refuse a scan at 38 weeks?

[Moggymorn]

I'm booked in for a c-section in two days. I have an anterior placenta and a breech baby, and I have a lot of problems with movements due to both of these factors. I had my last growth scan a week ago today, everything was fine, consultant advised no more scans were needed as although I have problems not feeling movements, baby is moving and weighs an estimated healthy 8lbs and no causes for concern. I went in on Wednesday with reduced movements, after not feeling anything for 12 hours and I went in again on Saturday for the same reason. All day Sunday I could feel the movements, and today he's wiggling away again. It just depends on his position whether I feel anything or not.

They've phoned me this morning to come in for a scan in a couple of hours, which is standard procedure after two episodes of reduced movements. I said that I'm happy with his movements today and yesterday, and my section is in two days so I'm happy to pass on the scan. They said I can reject the appointment but it will be against medical advice.

AIBU to reject it? It's DHs last day at work, he's got so much to do he can't come home and take me, so I'd have to drive myself 50 minutes there and back, at 38+4. I've not driven for a week or so now as I'm so huge and uncomfortable. I really don't think babies at risk, it's just the words 'against medical advice' that has made me doubt myself.

I feel your pain OP!

I had hundreds of scans with baby DS3. I was sick and tired of them by the end.

I'm moving house and I've been sorting through stuff and the amount of scan pictures I've got is ridiculous. I wanted to start refusing them but I didn't want to sound like an uncaring bitch and I don't think the sonographers were the same often so they wouldn't remember I had millions already.
And the parking and the cost and the queuing and waiting. It's an arse!

However, if it were me (and it was, albeit for different medical reasons), I would go. Because I wouldn't forgive myself if something went wrong
.
They also check the state of the placenta etc

I hope all is well x

Hmmm, a day of inconvenience or a lifetime regretting it, let me think, just go woman for goodness sake.

My thoughts are with you.

I feel you, OP, in a way that those who had relatively straightforward pregnancies probably cannot. I was so sick and tired of scans, CTG monitoring and hospital stays by the end of my pregnancy. It cost me a fortune going in every time (over a thousand quid cause I had to keep taking taxis cause I could not drive myself) and I just wanted to be home. I was tested and told baby was doing well so many times - until she wasn't and I had to stay and be induced right then and there. So yes, go, with my sympathies.

don't be silly! get an uber/taxi if you don't want to drive- don't take the risk!!!

I'd go

I'd go, there's a particular stillbirth in my family that a scan at 38 weeks would have been able to prevent and that's enough for me.

OP is going! She’s already said so.

@Blahblahblahnanana because I couldn’t feel my baby move at al because of the placenta and I was constantly at the hospital because of lack of moment. I also had perinatal depression that made me suicidal.
Op said that it was offered after every 2 incidents of reduced movements. I had several incidents of reduced movements

I think it depends on the stage of pregnancy Bethany. But tbh, if they knew of your depression (which I assume they did) maybe they thought the problem wasn’t with the baby but with your anxiety?

The scans are to pick up medical problems with the baby not reassurance for the mother

@Passthecherrycoke *this is true however it’s also rare’ what’s rare? Do you mean the number of still births attributed to reduced fetal movements? or the % of women who have an anterior placenta?

*an anterior placenta occurs in between 25% and 50% of all pregnancies.

In the UK, around 1 in 200 pregnancies end in stillbirth, around 9 babies every day. Up to a half of women whose pregnancy ends in stillbirth report reduced movements of their babies in the womb in the previous week. This is why there are campaigns aimed at educating women to get to know their baby’s movements and consult their midwife or local maternity unit immediately.

www.tommys.org/our-organisation/about-us/charity-news/results-affirm-trial-fetal-movements-and-stillbirth

No one mentioned anything about being constantly monitored. As I said fetal/baby’s movements are a good indicator that the baby is well, you should still be able to feel some movements even if you have an anterior placenta. In your eyes this may seem rare, however there are at least 4 babies a day in the UK that are still born after the woman experienced reduced movements, this number doesn’t include those baby’s that died shortly after/or in the weeks following birth who developed complications prior to birth.

@Passthecherrycoke I should think you are right. And I think it’s the mental health issue showing that I felt jealous that OP did get all these scans.

This is true however it’s also rare. A pregnancy can’t be constantly monitored, and a women who doesn’t feel movements well (or indeeed, a baby who doesn’t love much) can’t be on a scan every second of the day just in case.

This is true. But it's also true that increased monitoring for an at risk baby is possible in various forms and this scan may cause them to consider keeping her in for regular/constant monitoring.

Because DD's movements were difficult to monitor I spent a lot of time during induction on the machines. As I said, thank god, because it turned out there WAS a problem and she was delivered an hour after my second contraction (which was so mild that honestly, if I'd been at home I wouldn't have even been sure WAS a contraction).

I expect they're just arse covering, and I'd trust your instincts.

However, if you want to go, can someone else drive you? I don't think it sounds like a good or safe idea to drive yourself!

@BethanyGilbert I’m sorry that you weren’t offered a scan after you had multiple episodes of reduced movements. You should have been offered a scan if you had 2 or more episodes or reduced movements if you were over 28 weeks pregnant. I would contact PALS at your local hospital to ensure that the trust are following the correct procedure for reduced fetal monitoring and this doesn’t happen to other women.

Even though you were suffering from mental health problems which may have attributed to your anxiety about your baby’s wellbeing, I feel that you should have been offered a scan as you reported more than 2 occasions of reduced fetal movements. I’m sorry that this didn’t happen.

@BethanyGilbert

@Moggymorn Passthecherrycoke I should think you are right. And I think it’s the mental health issue showing that I felt jealous that OP did get all these scans

I think in your circumstances as you were clearly struggling with your mental health at least one scan may have reassured you, I’d have also recommended for you to come into hospital weekly for monitoring, and at any other time if you had any reduced movements. Anxiety isn’t good for you or the baby.

Hope all is pm op.

Go

You have all my sympathy. I had ICP and was up to the hospital every 2 - 3 days for bloods or monitoring. By the end I wanted to gnaw my own leg off with the boredom of it. Still really appreciate that the monitoring was available but I know how you feel. So hard when you’re big.

Hope it went well and good luck for the birth.

Well I'm going down for my section in the next hour... good thing I listened to you all.

I'm glad you decided to go. Hope all goes well. How exciting you get to meet your baby soon!

Oh wow! Good luck op. What happened at the scan?

Oh my goodness Good luck!

I had anterior placenta when I was pregnant too so I understand the frequent trips to hospital only to be told baby is fine but still I'd always go.