Dating scan

[Angelyoga]

Hello,
I self referred to my local epu for a dating scan as I have no period (breastfeeding) and my midwife appointment is in 3 weeks time.
Do you think I have any chances or being accepted?

What did EPU say/ask when you called and booked with them? I'm really surprised they'd book someone in like this. As someone who has had to use EPU a lot (successful pregnancy with lots of bleeding and then followed by 3 losses, and then lastly a reassurance scan for my current successful pregnancy) they never easily saw me and asked lots of questions regarding bleeding and pain!

I do appreciate you wanting to know how far along you are.

They asked about previous pregnancy, current symptoms (BTW I have none, no nausea cravings, tiredness), about the bleeding in December and January, the tests, my medical history, use of contraception etc.

Have you booked with the midwife? As she will palpate your uterus which will give an idea of gestation.

Yes. For end of March.

Sorry I see you put that in first post now 🤦‍♀️

I was in your exact position when I found d out I was pregnant with DS2 (I felt him kicking and that’s how I found out!!). I self referred to maternity care online in the evening but I phoned them the next day to explain that I must be very far along so they got me booked in right away for my booking appointment and scan. I think I got the booking appointment within a few days and the scan within a week.

I’m not clear from your posts if the midwife team are aware of your concerns and saying that they can’t prioritise your initial scan?

I was around 20 weeks I think when I got to my scan !! Too late for screening tests so that was a worry for me but then the pregnancy went very fast (unsurprisingly) and at least I didn’t have to deal with early pregnancy worries and/ or morning sickness!

are you able to speak to the midwife on the phone? At my trust we would give the next availiable slot in the main scan department (not EPU) with your history. So usually within a week and we are a very busy city trust.

Thanks for this. I hope everything turned out well for you.

I don't think I am that far along but still very worried.

I will try to ring the midwives tomorrow to tell them about my worries.
I think I was too excited by the news to actually understand that my appointments are so late.

Why are you so worried? If you turn out to be further along than you expect you don’t need to worry OP

@ToKittyornottoKitty its ok to be worried if you’re about to experience something life changing and you have much less time than you otherwise would have to get things in order. Financial, the birth itself, not having taken folic acid, not having abstained from alcohol or smoking, not being able to have screening tests for the baby,

I am not trying to make OP feel unnecessarily concerned. But I was in this situation and there are considerations and, for some, concerns.

I was happy to find out I was pregnant and everything worked out well for me. I’m sure it will for OP as well. But I think it is understandable to have concerns and feel a bit lost if there is no support available until the end of the month.

Would that matter? It can be done 10 to 14 weeks depending on your NHS area and is used as a dating scan.

Are you an older mother and planning to have the screening for Down's syndrome?

I didn’t say it wasn’t ok to be worried. I was reassuring she doesn’t need to panic and asking if there was something she’s specifically worried about. There’s really nothing wrong with that.

I am about to turn 'geriatric' as they say.
Yes I want to get all the screenings. I had a scare with Down's on first pregnancy.
Also was on aspirin prophylaxis for pre eclampsia, and gestational diabetes monitor.

It's £75 for a dating scan in branches of Ultrasound Direct. I used them for scans prior to pregnancy (IVF) and during pregnancy and their sonographers are usually very good for pregnancy-related scans, it's their main business.

It is actually £99 in my area. Out of my range.

Your best bet would be a private scan. An EPU would not scan you just because you are unsure of your dates.

They booked me for a scan in the epu. Should I not go?

If they’ve booked you in, just go.

I know it's a couple weeks away but please update us!

Don’t let strangers on the internet decide for you, I wouldn’t turn down a scan personally, but you have to do what’s right for you.

I will definitely update you for what I decide.

I know that in hindsight if everything goes well, I wouldn't have needed any more care than any other pregnancy. But how could anyone rule out any downturns at this moment?

Just today my friend just went for an NHS dating scan and was told she is 11 weeks. She hasn't had her first midwife appointment yet.

A dating scan usually happens around 11-13 weeks, so why is it unusual that your friend found out she’s 11 weeks at her dating scan?

It wasn't the 12 week scan where you find out edd, screenings etc.

She was invited in for an internal scan to check viability. She, like me, had no clue about how far along she is. They were thinking around six weeks. So that was a surprise.

Where is this where there is another scan before the 12 week scan?

In the NHS, for routine scans, it’s only 12 weeks (which is the dating scan), 20 weeks (the anomaly scan) and some trusts do another scan at 36 weeks.

It says in her post it was a scan to check for
viability. So it will have been an epu scan