AIBU to want multiple pregnancy scans?

[Pregnantpolly]

AIBU to decide to have a pregnancy scan every 4 or 5 weeks in 2nd half of pregnancy?

I'm a super anxious person and know the scan only shows you what's happening that day but I also have an anterior placenta so less likely to feel movement.

I have no more NHS scans so I'll foot the bill and have private ones. I'm not expecting DH to take time off work.

It's costly and the money can be better used preparing for baby. The money would be coming out of my account not the shared account. I don't buy clothes/bags/shoes or spend lavishly in general.

There's no studies showing ultrasounds contribute to defects or harm baby. I just think I'm being unreasonably and crazy now and want confirmation either way!

In the majority of cases baby and mum are fine, but your post just isn’t that accurate. There are plenty of things scans can pick up that a midwife won’t in the infrequent appointments that they rush through. I won’t post my experience as it was a rare one and I don’t think it will help the OP but there are absolutely things that can and do get picked up (or missed with no scan).

Personally I think one or two extra scans is fine, but addressing the anxiety is the main thing you need to do OP. Hopefully the midwife can set you on the right path with this.

There’s actually a lot of evidence that a 36 week growth and Doppler scan improves outcomes. Other countries offer this and the uk are working towards it but don’t have enough sonographers to be able to offer it. But it needs to be a growth and Doppler scan not just a photo opportunity scan.

As others have said I would look at reducing your anxiety generally as this will help during pregnancy and once baby is born.
I had lots of regular scans (every 2-3 weeks) with my pregnancies due to my health condition they didn't help with anxiety, and also didn't predict with either of them that I would go into labour 3wks early.

Welldone, you’re amazing for doing this!!!! You are taking charge and you will be a BRILLIANT Mum!!!!!

I have anxiety and I am an amazing mum xxxx

Re. the number of NHS scans, I'm an anxious person and routine medical screening sends me through the roof.

Extra pregnancy scans would have significantly increased my anxiety, not reduced it. I don't find any test in the least reassuring and will worry about it for weeks before even if there's no rational cause for concern.

Increasing the number of routine scans just to be on the safe side would be detrimental to my mental health.

I’m pregnant at the moment and my midwife said during covid they added a 36 week “reassurance scan” which is still in place now, is that not the case across all trusts?

That’s exactly what I did. I just needed that reassurance as I knew too many people with tragic stories so I was scared.

I'm not sure if this would help, but why not get a doppler instead so you can listen to baby whenever you feel like instead of expensive scans?

DO NOT DO THIS TERRIBLE ADVICE

Yea I wouldn’t do this. Unless you’re trained it won’t tell you anything and could provide false reassurance.
Also has the potential to make you feel even more anxious and use it obsessively if it’s there.

Do whatever you need to do to make you feel better. It's your body, your baby and your money!
Two previous miscarriages for me and when I fell pregnant with my third I had at least 2 scans before the 12 week scan. I think overall I had around 7 scans with additional growth scans. It made me feel better, and the fact it made me feel better meant I enjoyed my pregnancy more.

I'm onto my second pregnancy now and less anxious, I've paid for 3 private scans (one early on, second for gender and third for 3D).

Yes it is a waste of money but it's your money and if that's what you want to do then do it 😊

I had a scan - an in-depth Doppler scan to check the blood flow and everything - with my first pregnancy. Within 24 hours my first baby died in the womb at nearly 37 weeks. Yes scans provide reassurance at that moment in time but things can change within a second and scans don’t always pick up and detect problems. It’s your pregnancy and you need to do what you want. X

Please please please don’t do this.

We are not trained to differentiate between the pulse in the placenta and the baby’s heartbeat, and even then can’t tell if it’s ok.

My midwife checked baby's heartbeat at every appointment which might help reassure you. They advise not to buy home dopplers as you can mistake the sound of the womb for a heartbeat.

That's really good that you've been able to talk to your midwife and start getting stuff in place. Hopefully you'll be able to get a plan together to give you the support you need.

Do not do this, it is far more likely to put your baby in danger than anything so you may feel reassured and not get checked out as a result. Scans are worth the cost if you do decide to do anything.

Yes, you are being over the top and you should think about working on this because the anxiety will only get worse once the baby comes.

I paid for a scan because I couldn't believe I was pregnant and I did a very early one. I then ended up having another later on as I panicked when baby was not moving. All was absolutely fine though.

So I had two extra scans. I haven't looked into it really but can't see how sound waves could harm the baby.

I think it's more important to try and relax in general though because you never stop worrying about the child, they are the most precious thing in the entire world. I got very anxious, still do, and ended up telling myself 'the baby's fine, and growing, so just relax and let it all happen.'

I nearly lost my baby at 16 weeks due to a detached placenta, I then had scans at 18, 20, 24, 26 and 28 weeks, after that I felt confident enough to stop. Aside from the 20 week one I went private

@WooNoodle that's a valid point that I might become more obsessive and escalate things to more scans.@Herejustforthisone it will feed my anxiety but at least be reassuring in the moment.
@YetAnotherChanger I've journalled and done a few other things like Headspace etc.

@Heli1copter yeah I haven't really considered about them identifying non issues and more tests or scans as a result.

@Foxglovesandlilacs86 in honesty I would have them weekly if I could which wouldn't be healthy.

@OnceAgainWithFeeling there's a few lefties in the family but yes there likely has to be some effects.

@ShirleyPhallus @Figgygal@collieresponder88 @RealBecca @Msloverlover @Beelezebub @Andromachehadabadday @SundayTeatime I do see your points, the money definitely could be better spent on cbt or speaking to midwife to get mental health support. @110APiccadilly hope you're ok and all good with your pregnancy.

@123deepbreath I've never felt this bad. I have never even met my current or last gp. I'm calling the practice on Monday.

@SenoraAveiro I have had doppler done etc on midwife appointments but at the moment it just feels a long way between appointments whereby I get worried.

@jadedspark @Darkstar4855 @DingleyDel @JemimaTiggywinkle I'm just before 20 weeks and not really feeling movement which makes me more anxious. Yes it's first baby.

@BananaSplitX I'm sorry about your history and glad that they managed to reassure you.

I had an anterior placenta in both pregnancy and you do get to know what's normal for you. Both times I would definitely feel the baby as pregnancy progressed but I assume it was less intense feeling.

Have you got your midwife appts scheduled? In my first pregnancy I had one every two weeks in the 3rd trimester IIRC and the midwife measured me and used the doppler which was reassuring. I then had later growth scans for both when there was something unusual at the midwife but both babies were absolutely fine.

YANBU if it helps you feel less anxious. Do be careful though in case you start getting anxious over things the scans have or haven't shown and go down a rabbit hole that way. You don't want to end up paying for them any more frequently. My pregnancy was very high risk so I had weekly scans on the NHS. I think the risks of harm are very low. I also had an anterior placenta and felt plenty of movement. It might be you feel more than you expect and find you can do without the scans.

@Amijustagrump that's just added another worry to be fair. Glad the rest is going well.

@Badgirlgonegood you may have made me cry!

@wonkylegs yeah my mental health probably needs more work.

@orwellwasright I guess different spokes for different folks. I find it reassuring in the moment.

@youdroppedthis yeah I need to manage anxiety a lot better.

@BattenburgDonkey @Notadogowner @ShirleyPhallus @JemimaTiggywinkle I know enough not to get a doppler thankfully. @PlantsAndSpaniels yeah I've heard the doppler at the appointment .

@110APiccadilly hope so and get the reassurance.

@Mum2One23 I hope you're doing better. I know it's just a snapshot in time.

@fja Hope you're doing well now. Yeah I'll give it time and think about it.

@QuebecBagnet yeah that would likely have been a helpful option. I wish they did.

@Pregnantpolly didn't mean to! If it helps I have a 4 month old asleep on me..

OP, don’t worry about not feeling movement. I’m also a FTM, 19 weeks and not feeling anything. All the midwives have said I probably won’t feel anything until around 22 weeks as this is my first pregnancy. I had a bleed last week and had a scan. Baby was doing summersaults, I felt exactly nothing!

Why don’t you ask the midwife for fortnightly appointments where she can listen to the heartbeat? It’s soo reassuring to hear, doesn’t take up too much of the NHS’ or your time.

Not in uk. It’s standard here for everyone to have a scan every 4 weeks. After 36 weeks I had every 10 days.

Tbh I wouldn’t feel happy only having 2 scans the whole way.
I had one early about 7-8 weeks, this is where they check it’s not ectopic pregnancy etc, as if so the earlier it’s spotted the better health results for mother. Plus checking for multiples.
12 week - for dating
16 week - checking no late missed issues
20 week - measurements and gender. Abnormalities
22 weeks - organ screening. This one is super thorough and lasts about 90mins- every organ is measured and checked.
28, 32, 36 - general growth
38, 40 - again last monitoring.

All done by gynaecologist. You don’t see midwife at all until hospital, they don’t do pregnancy checks at all, and heartbeat at every check up is via scanning.

During labour baby is on heartbeat monitor and scanned almost hourly if needed.