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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Not to bother chasing the midwife?

25 replies

victoriascrumptious · 21/07/2009 22:16

So I called the doctors surgery and told them I was 2 months pg. They said that a mw would call me back and arrange an appointment. They haven't done this. The more I think about it the less I fancy going into my swine-flu ridden surgery.

I know I have to have a 12 week scan soon but i'm not sure what the point will be of this. If there is something wrong with the baby I would never abort anyway. I'm monitoring my blood pressure at home. So AIBU not to bother with anti-natal checkups for the time being?

OP posts:
giantkatestacks · 21/07/2009 22:17

It only really matters if you want a choice of hospital - in our area you have to get in quick if you want the popular one.

Also the 12 week scan can obv show a mmc.

EccentricaGallumbits · 21/07/2009 22:23

depnds if you need sickle cell and thalassaemia screening which needs to be done between 8 and 11 weeks.

The 12 week scan is to confirm your dates. Are you sure your dates are right? if you are then there's not much point.

If you don't plan on acting on anything found at an anomaly scan then there's also not much point in that either. Although if there was a fixable problem this might also show up.

Are you well? Have you had any other baseline blood tests recently? (Hb etc). Have you sent in a urine sample to check for any underlying asymptomatic infections? Do you have up to date information about diet, screening tests, benefits? Is there any family history that may make your pregnancy more complicated?

Original poster
victoriascrumptious · 21/07/2009 22:24

But wont a mmc resolve itself in due course anyway? I mean a MMC wouldnt be a heath threat to myself would it? ?

I still have all the pg symptoms

OP posts:
Original poster
victoriascrumptious · 21/07/2009 22:26

Yes i'm sure my dates are correct Eccentrica . I'm well otherwise with no other issues

OP posts:
FattipuffsandThinnifers · 21/07/2009 22:29

Up to you of course, but I would go. Your surgery won't be full of swine-flu patients as they shouldn't be there (should only be having phone consultations).

A scan could confirm your dates, tell you if anything was wrong (eg mmc), or whether you are having more than one baby.

How long are you talking about going without any sort of check? After a certain point you should also have regular urine tests to check for early signs of pre-eclampsia.

FattipuffsandThinnifers · 21/07/2009 22:30

VS a mmc would not necessarily resolve itself, and left untreated could lead to serious infection.

Original poster
victoriascrumptious · 21/07/2009 22:32

I was thinking of leaving it until i'm about 6m gone Fatti. Thanks for the heads up about mmc

OP posts:
pooka · 21/07/2009 22:33

Well I had a midwife appointment today, and the surgery was completely empty!

They have 2 waiting rooms, and signs directing people to one waiting room if they have flu symptoms, but I didn't see a single person come in the whole time I was waiting. I think people are generally staying away, and that includes people with flu symptoms as well as people who might have ordinarily been quick to go.

StrikeUpTheBand · 21/07/2009 22:40

I have had so many problems in my pregnancies (this is my 3rd one) that had I not had antenatal checks I wouldn't have had a good outcome at all. SO from my point of view, I can not understand someone who would not have at least their minimal antenatal checks. They do have them for a reason. Blood pressure and urine checks and blood tests will check for lots of different potential threats to your baby.

I really don't think you should take it for granted that it will all be OK.

FattipuffsandThinnifers · 21/07/2009 22:48

6 months!

You wouldn't have a mid-term scan either then?? So would not be bothered about, say, low-lying placenta, placenta preveia, anaemia, etc, let alone any problems with the baby (that could or couldn't be resolved pre or post-natally) such as anacephaly, heart problems, etc etc.

Not sure if I think YABU rather than irresponsible tbh.

MissyBellatrix · 21/07/2009 22:50

What about your health though? What if you developed gestational diabetes or polyhydramnious? Anaemia? Monitoring your own BP won't tell you those things.

The quality of your health can impact the development of the baby. Antenatal appointments are not limited to just checking for abnormalities which you wouldn't act on.

TBH I think its quite a selfish attitude to take if you don't make or attend antenatal appointments

ShrimpOnTheBarbie · 21/07/2009 22:53

I'm in Aus and pregnant with my second (after very easy 1st pregnancy) and have hardly had any medical checks. I did go to my gp and she gave me a referral for the initial blood tests and then a nuchal scan at 12 weeks and then I saw no-one until 20weeks (another scan and drs visit). These were the recommended visits. We don't have urine tests for pre-eclampsia at all.

Firawla · 21/07/2009 23:41

you should have ur scheduled apts/scans/checks, they are there for a reason
its an overreaction not to go into the gp cos of swine flu, u should attend for the checks even if you feel fine because if there was an issue wouldnt you rather know so that you could have it sorted out?

Stayingsunnygirl · 21/07/2009 23:46

I agree with the others here. Antenatal checks are for your health and wellbeing and that of the baby. You can take risks with your own health if you want to, but I don't think you can take unneccessary risks for the baby.

If you are worried about swine flu, then please contact your midwife and talk to her about it - you won't be the only woman with similar concerns, and they may already have thought about what to do for women in your position.

But hiding your head in the sand won't make any potential problems go away - it will just mean that they may turn into big and insoluble problems when they didn't need to have done so.

NotanOtter · 21/07/2009 23:48

i am with you victoria although i did go for scans
last time (bear in mind number 6) i barely went. struggling with a toddler to have urine dipped and bp taken seemed pointless...

if you have any issues you should see someone though

if you are well and go for bloods at 20 weeks ..

most people do not agree with me though!

oldraver · 22/07/2009 00:21

I really think you should go for the basic check-ups, and to get baseline readings of weight, bp, urine and blood tests etc.

I have had pre-eclampsia three times, you dont know you have it until quite late and can still feel very well. As a first pg you are more at risk.

woozlet · 22/07/2009 08:53

don't you want to see your baby at whatever scans you are entitled to?

you · 22/07/2009 09:01

You're only 2 months pregnant, give them a bloody chance!

belgo · 22/07/2009 09:03

Victorianscrumtious - I don't blame you.

Some HCTs don't even offer 12 week scans. The main benefits are:
Confirming the pregnancy is continuing as expected
Counting how many babies are there
Confirming the due date.

I do know someone who didn't have a 12 week scan and missed a miscarriage at about 15 weeks. The miscarriage was spotted when no heart beat was found with the heart beat monitor.

Regarding other check ups, it really is up to you. I know someone who bought urine dip sticks and a blood pressure monitor so that she could do those checks herself.

Maybe you could get a private midwife to come to your house? Some midwives do home visits.

giantkatestacks · 22/07/2009 09:05

In some areas if you say you want a home birth then the midwives will come out to do your antenatal at home as well...

And Notanotter - I would agree if the OP was on her 6th but the first is a bit different dont you think?

Besides which I needed my Matb1 earlier than 6 months.

BertieBotts · 22/07/2009 09:12

You don't have to go at all - but make sure you are informed and know the symptoms of any big risks - preeclampsia for example, if it gets to the eclampsia stage it can be fatal Thankfully it's rare now - but that is mainly because of all the checks and everything. (Blood pressure not the only symptom of this)

In my opinion leaving it until 6 months is fine - not a lot of people agree though judging by this thread! Some people don't have scans at all because they are not convinced of the safety of them.

But I also agree with you - they didn't contact me until 10-11 weeks.

theyoungvisiter · 22/07/2009 09:19

I think you are being slightly irrational - the risks to your health from missed problems in pg are arguably far greater than the risks from swine flu. Could you not ask for appointments in the community? Some places will have alternative MW drop ins not in surgeries.

If you do choose not to go for appointments, I think you should probably at least have a booking in apt even if you choose to "forget" later appointments.

Without a baseline reading for your blood pressure, weight etc, and without confirmation of dates, number of foetuses at your 12 week scan, you may find you are treated as a possible high-risk pregnancy later on because without having all the boxes ticked, they can't possibly know what your real risks are.

Things like pre-eclampsia are not assessed simply on your bp, but rather on how high your bp has climbed over the course of your pregnancy. I doubt they will be able to accept your home readings as "proof" so you might find that minor concerns are treated as potentially major problems because they don't have sufficient information to guide them.

caykon · 22/07/2009 09:21

with my first I went to a midwife to registar and get appointment for 12 week scan after that scan booked my next one whilst at the hospital and never saw my midwife again until I was overdue. I always felt well could feel baby moving and scans showed no problems. With second pretty much did the same.

theyoungvisiter · 22/07/2009 09:27

oh and you usually need proof of your pregnancy before 6 months in order to be entitled to maternity pay.

Your legal requirement is to inform your employer at least 15 weeks before due date (ie before the end of the 24th week) and you need the MatB1 to get maternity pay.

That's why they normally issue it at the 20th week appointment.

Original poster
victoriascrumptious · 22/07/2009 09:49

Giantkatestacks: This isnt my first child

You: Sorry should have clarified. I phoned them when I was 2months. I'm 3.5m now.

Thanks everyone for you comments re: pre-enclampsia etc

OP posts:
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