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Antenatal tests

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Original poster

First GP visit tomorrow

35 replies

Rachyy · 29/05/2018 15:43

So this weekend just gone, me and my husband found out via 5 home pregnancy kits that we’re expecting our first baby.
I have my first GP appointment tomorrow to confirm the pregnancy. Apparently you’re supposed to do this to get the ball rolling.
I’ve Googled like crazy what the Dr’s confirmation will entail, but I can’t find a difinitive answer.

Will they ask me to do a urine test there and then? I’ve read that as the home tests are reliable, they will often take your word for it rather than do tests.
Will they do an ‘internal examination’? This is my biggest worry...will I need to make sure I’m presentable?

Any tips from the UK would be great (I say UK as out of the UK procedures may differ).

Thank you

OP posts:

gamerchick · 29/05/2018 15:45

They'll take your word for it and tell you to self refer to midwife services. You probably could have skipped the gp completely.

Your first booking in visit is long and mostly form filling. Nobody is going to examine you anytime soon.

Good luck on your pregnancy.

polsha · 29/05/2018 15:45

Waste of time. You do not need an appointment. Call your surgery and ask the procedure. We just self refer to midwife here at about 8 weeks.

gamerchick · 29/05/2018 15:46

*booking in visit with the midwife that is

Windydayz · 29/05/2018 15:48

We just go straight to MW instead of GP. Earliest is 8 weeks. They did do a urine test though. But definitely no examination.

BossWitch · 29/05/2018 15:49

I booked a GP appointment with my first pregnancy, as that's what the NHS website tells you to do, and the doctor basically said there's no need to see them. We had a nice chat about stuff, but essentially it was a wasted appointment and I felt a bit silly! Next pregnancy I just went straight for asking for the booking in appointment with the midwife. Both times they have taken my word for it on the pregnancy - no retesting. Apparently the home tests are so accurate now there's no point. And definitely no physical examination! At this stage, there's nothing to look for!

BiscayTrafalgarFitzroy · 29/05/2018 15:51

Congratulations OP but they won't do anything. You don't need a GP appointment to confirm pregnancy anymore. Better not to waste valuable NHS appointments and self refer straight to a midwife through your GP surgery or other service provider.

Wildlingofthewest · 29/05/2018 15:53

Call the doctors and ask the receptionist if they usually want you to see the GP or if they want you to self refer to the MW team.
I made a doctors appointment after my home pregnancy tests but the GP didn’t do anything - she literally told me that I shouldn’t have bothered making a doctors appointment and to ask the receptionist for the details of the midwife unit so I could self refer.

MrsAlbie · 29/05/2018 15:56

Congrats!
However, please phone the surgery to check their pathway. At many you can make appt with midwife for about 8-9 weeks so that would save you a step.
It's a bit of a waste of a GP appt as they won't do anything different confirm it, just take your word. Their tests are the same as HPTs and are to be used in other circumstances.
I found it most disconcerting noone ever 'checked' I was pregnant in the early days!
At your MW appt it's lots of boring forms. I was quite excited at the prospect but it really was dull. No need to take your partner.

Stephisaur · 29/05/2018 15:56

My GP said "Congratulations, see the receptionist and she'll get you booked with the Midwife"

That was about it!

UsernameTaken2 · 29/05/2018 16:04

I'm in Oxfordshire and needed the doctors appointment to be able to book the midwife. I tried skipping the doctor entirely but when I phoned to make an appointment with the midwife, I was told I had to be seen by the doctor first, although They didn't really do much other than prescribe me folic acid and tell me congrats

polsha · 29/05/2018 16:13

They didn't really do much other than prescribe me folic acid and tell me congrats

That's shocking. Folic acid is so cheap to buy

Original poster

Rachyy · 29/05/2018 16:13

Thank you for everyones replies :)

I’m well aware that GP appointments are a rare thing these days, but several sites, including the NHS website told me that I will “need” to book an appointment to see my GP to have the pregnancy confirmed.
I even told the receptionist what I was booking the appointment for and suggested that maybe I could see their Nurse rather than a Doctor but she insisted that I see a Doctor.

This is our first baby so everything os completely new to us. As it’s easrly days (about 4 weeks), it’s not as if I can ask my friends who have given birth recently what they did. The only person who I have to ask is my mum but the last time she went through pregnancy was 28 years ago. Times have definitely changed.

I’ll still attend the appointment. Thank you for those who confirmed that I won’t have any intrusive examinations at this point.

OP posts:

PotteringAlong · 29/05/2018 16:18

Thank you for those who confirmed that I won’t have any intrusive examinations at this point.

You won’t have any intrusive examinations until you’re about 7cm dialated...

Original poster

Rachyy · 29/05/2018 16:19

Thanks.

OP posts:

WinkysTeatowel · 29/05/2018 16:20

You're unlikely to have an internal exam until you're in labour or for a sweep. The only internal type you could possible have is an internal scan if necessary (12 week scans are abdominal).

Try not to worry. Congratulations.

Original poster

Rachyy · 29/05/2018 16:20

I know it may seem like a silly thing for me to ask, but this is my first. I haven’t got a clue about what’s to come, I just need some advice from friendly, understanding people.

OP posts:

Original poster

Rachyy · 29/05/2018 16:21

Thank you WinkysTeatowel :)

OP posts:

iMatter · 29/05/2018 16:26

I'm surprised they agreed to make an appointment for you a) with GP and b) so early

When I was pg with ds1 (more than 14 years ago) my surgery would only book me in with a midwife (not GP) and only once I missed 2 periods.

Hope it goes well OP.

Original poster

Rachyy · 29/05/2018 16:33

The Receptionist didn’t ask how far along I thought I was.
I would have been happy to self refer had I been told.
I’m just going with what the NHS website has told me I need to do.

OP posts:

Original poster

Rachyy · 29/05/2018 16:36

How do I delete posts?

I’d rather just come off here now...I’m just doing what I have been told to do. I’m entitled to NHS appointments so I’m not wasting any.

OP posts:

PotteringAlong · 29/05/2018 16:36

Don’t worry about it now- if you need to self refer they’ll just tell you to go to reception and fill the forms in on the way out.

They won’t in any way confirm the pregnancy though - they just take your word for it!

PotteringAlong · 29/05/2018 16:36

You can’t delete posts

MaverickSnoopy · 29/05/2018 16:43

In our area the first appointment has to be with a GP. The midwife doesn't see you until 12 weeks and the GP has to refer you to the midwife. The GP is also the one to arrange the first scan.

This is my third pregnancy - my last two were in a different location (7 miles away) and there you did have to see the midwife first. So when I phoned to make my appointment this time and asked for an appointment with the midwife, things got very confused. I'd told the receptionist that I was new to the area and how far along I was and she booked the midwife appointment. The GP then phoned me to say I needed to see her first and moved my appointment with the midwife (apparently the receptionist was new).

Personally I think the GP appointment was a waste of time. She just went through estimated due date with me and then booked the scan. My first appointment with the midwife I was asked lots of booking in questions about my medical history and I was given my notes and that was it. At my previous practice all of there above was combined into one midwife appointment.

MaverickSnoopy · 29/05/2018 16:46

@Rachyy there is absolutely no way you are supposed to know whether you do or don't need a GP appointment- this is your first pregnancy. Different areas have different rules. The internet says something else. All you can do is go by what the receptionist says, which you did

gamerchick · 29/05/2018 16:51

OP don't worry. Not everywhere may be self refer so doing as you were told is a good thing. It's an exciting time your first pregnancy. Try not to worry about what might happen. The first trimester is pretty boring apart from the scan appointment wise and if everything goes to plan then so will the second trimester and of course the other scan. Things will heat up in the third.

Just relax and good luck

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