Looking for advice about baby scan photos!

[nextdoornightmares]

Posting for traffic tbh really because I'm anxious! I'm 37 weeks pregnant and had a growth scan today. So far the quality of the scans for my entire pregnancy hasn't been great and I've never felt particularly reassured every time I've left a scan because it has felt very much like they've gone "hmm well we haven't been able to see very well but we think everything looks ok" Anyway, I've got it into my head that they've missed soft markers or something in particular whether the baby has things like a nasal bone. I have tried to compare today's image to ones online but I can't make it out very well. So basically, I was wondering if there's anybody, perhaps who works in this field, who could look at this image and tell me your thoughts??

You aren’t going to know more than a trained sonographer. Your anxiety is in overdrive, stop looking at the scan images and stop googling conditions based on scan images.

if the sonographers or your midwife were concerned they would book you in for a follow up scan/consultations...

I had twins and the kept asking me to come back for more scans due to concerns they had over blood flow to one twin.

I know that. But I tried asking the person who did my scan today albeit I guess I didn't ask clearly enough because I struggle to speak up and be direct sometimes and she just asked didn't I see it in my 12 week scan photo (done at a different hospital) and I said no and she just sort of said oh ok. I thought she might have pointed it out on the screen when the above image was showing.

I've been for loads of scans but they never seem very confident when relaying their findings to me. It always just feels a little wishy washy really. Hence why I'm anxious they've missed something because it always feels a little "well I guess that'll do"

did they explain to you why they wanted to scan you? was it for growth only? I would ask your midwife at your next appointment.

It's been growth scans and measuring fluid levels and cord blood flow. But as I said they always just seem a bit...I don't know it's hard to explain. Just that they'll have to make do because there's always a lot of frowning and saying he isn't in the best position or they can't see very well and they've taken ages then just sort of given up and said that will have to do basically.

OK, sounds like the kind of scans I would have... I think it's difficult to do accurate measuements in a scan when the baby moves around or is a funny position... I suspect they simply mean their measurements might not be accurate as they would hope. If they had concerns about anything else, they would involve a doctor.

It's just been a bit disappointing because it's not very reassuring although I do understand there's not much they can do! The scan photos I've been given are the worst I've had in all my pregnancies too. Can hardly make out they're even scans of a baby. I have an anterior placenta as well. They just frown a lot, get other staff in to try, switch equipment and this is every time. I guess I just wanted somebody to say directly yes that's a nasal bone there and there are no other markers for any issues etc. I'm having baby next week so don't have another midwife appointment and just wanted to be able to enjoy my last few days and be excited rather than worrying baby is going to be taken out and we're going to look at them or be told they have something that's been missed during a scan. Yes, I know I have anxiety.

This may not help but it won't be long until you meet the baby so maybe focusing on getting through the next few weeks might take your mind off it? Have you got everything at home how you want it?

Are you looking at the nasal bone as a marker for Down’s syndrome? Not all hospitals measure this and use it as a marker - I had my children at different hospitals and one gave me the measurement and one didn’t . It depends what their policy is.

Yes that's what I'm concerned about. One of my other children (this is the 4th) came back high risk for Down's Syndrome and then was born at 26 weeks and had to undergo genetic testing so between that and the whole prematurity aspect, I guess it's made me more anxious about health issues in future children! I've never been given a nasal bone measurement for any of my children though at any of the hospitals I've had scans at. I just thought when I mentioned it today that she might have said yes there it is to offer some reassurance but she just went quiet when she had been very chatty!

I have an anterior placenta as well

That;ll be why the image quality isn't what you're used to, they're having to scan through your placenta. If you've had any sections, that worsens the problem, too.

It's quite likely that she went to look for the nasal bone when you mentioned it, and that's why she went quiet. They tend to abide by the guidelines for scan conduct, which means they don't overshare. If you're worried but not very direct, it's possible they are thinking you don't want to chat.

Nasal bone is usually a secondary marker for down's syndrome - most hospitals don't measure it as standard, and it may well not be possible to get a good measurement through your placenta, but they'd have noted on your scan reports if it wasn't visible at all, and you'd have been referred to Fetal Medicine.

It's so silly because I don't even have weeks to wait as I'm having a section next week! I'm as ready as I can be considering I have 3 other young kids at home. We have everything we need to keep the baby safe, warm, fed and somewhere to sleep so that's a bonus 🤣

Ah OK that makes sense. Thanks for explaining that. You'd think I would know and be less anxious with this being number 4 so I just feel like I'm being silly deep down!

The later scans are really poor quality usually. You’d be better getting advice about one of the earlier ones. Best wishes!

Thank you but it's been the same the entire way through! I kept hoping they would get better rather than just lots of fuzzy blobs 😂. Today's one was actually the clearest we've had!