Just how important is the 12 week scan?

[eatanazurecrayon]

My DP has a kidney transplant and we are shielding together so she doesn't have to be isolated in a room on her own and neither do I.

My 12 weeks scan is a week tomorrow and I had been looking forward to it but am now quite apprehensive.

If I go I'd be concerned I'd pick up Covid-19 and bring it home to our safe haven or we would have to be isolated from each other in our small flat for 14 days which is not really practical or what we want.

We did have a 6 & 8 week scan and all was well. Realistically if anything is wrong there wouldn't be much they could do at this point is there? It would require further testing and more exposure and again we'd both have to be alone for longer.

We had intended to get a NIPT test but it was cancelled due to COVID a few days before we were due to go.

Could we just wait till the 20 scan or try to get a NIPT done privately when the clinic reopens?

So much depends on your feelings about what you might do if any issues were identified. I will PM you

Personally I would never miss the 12 week scan, it's so important. I would have the scan and the blood tests (for screening) too.

I am not a midwife though and hopefully sussexmidwife will give you some helpful advice.

@NameChange30 I know. Ideally we wouldn't either. But the thought of 2 weeks of seeing no one at all will not be great for our mental health either.

@Sussexmidwife thanks will check now.

I had 6 week and 8 week scans that showed no issues. 11 week scan revealed my baby likely had chromosomal issues. T18 confirmed a week later.

12 week scan I vital and you really need to attend.

I appreciate your response and am sorry for your experience. However, it is my body and I don't 'need' to attend anything. At the moment I'm not willing to risk my partners life for a scan that can be done two weeks later. If it reveals anything at all the nhs is at half mast and don't offer NIPT testing so at best they can give me a probability and schedule me for CVS. Nhs staff are the most exposed and not being tested. I'm more scared that I'm going to kill my partner than the slim chance this baby has something that needs dealt with in week 12 rather than 14. I did ask how important it was, as in what happens, not wether or not I should go. That is an entirely personal decision.

What’s your question then?
It’s important.
For lots of reasons. Why did you need a 6 and 8 week scan?

Whether its 'important' is down to each person to decide OP, but the majority of medical professionals would said its very important! You have asked a question, and we each have given own opinion or experience, yet frankly, you come across as rather rude. It sounds like you aren't going for the 12 weeks scan, and finding reasons why its 'not' important. Is there not another place/hospital/clinic that does the NIPT?

You obviously have a lot on your plate, but many of us do! I had an 11 week scan and NIPT and our 1st baby had trisomy 13. For me, it was extremely important to find out so early on and decide what we wanted to do.

I actually think you were really rude in your reply to previous reply.

Your 12 week scan is very important.
There are checks done which need to be done before 14 week mark, plus checking for DS.

However it may be best to discuss with your midwife who is better qualified to advise you on what's right or wrong.

12 week scan is important to identity a number of problems. If you were to terminate the pregnancy after discovering, e.g., a chromosomal abnormality, it is easier to terminate it at 12 weeks rather than at 20 weeks where i think you have to actually give birth.

Having said that, I understand your worry and I think you should reflect on how you wish to handle it all going forward.

You say that there is no difference to discover problems at 12 weeks or 14 weeks, however, in 2 weeks covid will still be here and you will be exposed to a certain degree of risk if you leave the house. Then there is the 20w scan, and then potential issues later in pregnancy (I have some) which require additional scans. Covid will not have disappeared by then and, as you say, your partner is very vulnerable. Have you thought how to handle the whole thing? Reducing the number of times you go to the hospital is certainly a way to decrease risk, but might be difficult to avoid ALL of them.

Could you maybe find an alternative accommodation for the 2 weeks after the appointment?

There’s a very small window for the 12 week scan. It can’t be done two weeks later. NIPT doesn’t replace it as they also do a scan when you have your blood taken.
If I were in your position I‘d have the scan then stay apart for 14 days.

When I had my DS who is now 14 I wasn’t even offered a 12 week scan as that hospital trust didn’t do them. Take from that what you will OP.

12 week scans weren't offered in our trust until about 10 years ago as they weren't considered essential (the anomaly scan at 20ish weeks is much more important). Obviously if you want the nuchal scan and associated blood work, this is time sensitive and needs to be done now. But if you're not wanting this done then it's fine to not go.

Guidelines change though and now they are considered essential enough that every trust does it, even with an overstretched nhs.

Not sure that taking decades-old guidelines is wise. Sure, humanity made it through even without any scans at all, so nothing is essential per se. But those are not good arguments imho.

@eatanazurecrayon

It all depends on how important to you it is if the baby is found to have a problem.

Ive had a friend who was adamant they had no intention of terminating even if the 12 week scan did show a problem... she had booked a holiday before getting pregnant, didnt have her scan, did the NIPT at like 15 weeks and all was fine.

However, IF you would consider ending a pregnancy because the baby had a chromosomal anomaly then its pretty important you find out asap. 2 weeks doesnt sound like alot but in terms of a termination... it is quite a bit.

Based on your arguments against going in to hospital at this present time (which are totally understandable).... why not rebook your NIPT test for 12 weeks and have in place of the NHS testing.

My local baby bond centre is tiny ( one scan room) so much lower risk than a general hospital... you may feel much more comfortable going there instead?

I had my 20 week scan at the begining of lock down... the place was empty... I chose not to sit down but waited standing up,alcohol geled my hands about every 40 seconds and wore a short sleeved top
Took no bag with me... literally just my notes which i got them to place back in the bag and i left in my car for 3 days to ensure any bugs had died off.... im suprised at how calm i was and how confident i felt in my.ability to keep.safe. i know there were definatly corona cases im the hospital at the.time

Whatever you choose,all the best x

It’s useful for checking baby is ok, and gives you options if things are not. I think it’s worth remembering that scans have only been available for the last 30 years or so - when I was born my mum didn’t have any scans. In your situation I would definitely balance the risk against the benefits.

For me the 12 week scan with my babies was really just a dating scan as I declined any of the blood work/NT measurement, as I would not have been prepared to terminate if something was wrong, and would not have been willing to have a CVS due to the associated risk of miscarriage. Obviously you’ll be weighing up the risk/benefit ratio. For me, I probably would opt out of the scan in your scenario. However, you can’t realistically opt out of everything so you will need to give thought to how you will manage the rest of the pregnancy as it does seem inevitable you will have to isolate yourself from your partner at some point. Also the fact you are considering the NIPT rather suggests you may place different weighting on parts of what you are considering to the things I give most weight to.

I’m confused by the 12/14 week thing though - I mean, we’ll still realistically be in lockdown in 2/3 weeks (and the rest...) so what’s the relevance of the 2 weeks?

I think this thread really demonstrates how widely views vary. What is right for one person feels utterly wrong for another. My professional practice is about providing information in as balanced a way as I can, to facilitate an individual/couple to make informed decisions which are right for them. Happy to discuss by PM if it might help @eatanazurecrayon. It is very important that you do what is right for you The experience and thoughts of others can be interesting but sometimes serve to make it clear to us what our own feelings really are. Hope things go well for you and your family

@eatanazurecrayon there is quite a difference between two weeks believe me. And of course you don’t need to attend anything if you don’t wish. You asked and I told you.
I had a cv at 12 weeks which revealed Edwards syndrome, if you have heard of that Trisomy it is a life ending condition with many health issues and defects. Babies usually don’t make it through pregnancy and if they do only live hours or days. I had a surgical termination at 13 weeks because I was so devastated at the thought of having to be in labour for hours in hospital away from my other children only to give birth and each my baby die in front of me. Luckily my consultant had experience of surgical terminations at that gestation and was willing to do it in hospital for me. At first they were going to gave me deliver until she stepped in. Most hospitals won’t do it that late.Many women here find out much later and believe you me they are the strong ones delivering their babies at 20/23/24 weeks because things were picked up later. Can you imagine having to say goodbye like that ? I can’t I feel if I had waited any longer or not found out till later I don’t think I would of crumbled.
You never think it will happen to you till it does. Being taken in that room and then looking at you with all that sadness and telling you how sorry they are . I terminated on the 13th last month. I had a daughter that I’ll never see. I’m planting fruit trees instead of buying little pink baby grows.

You do whatever is best for you though, but you did ask. But read the posts in here and realise exactly where you are and what this place is about. Many here are going through unimaginable pain because their scans showed issues, many with terminal outcomes

Obviously you don't have to do anything you don't want to, but here are the facts I'd consider while making your decision :

• the 12-week viability scan will give you valuable information about the health of the baby.

• if you'd consider terminating should a serious issue arise, it'll be much easier physically and emotionally at 12 wk than 20wk.

• even if you wouldn't consider terminating, you may find it helpful to have the time and mental space to prepare and reflect on what you want to do. For instance, if a condition is found that makes it likely your baby wouldn't survive to term.

• I'm not a doctor but I don't think the Nipt can replace a scan - it will tell you whether baby is likely to have a trisomy, and perhaps monosomy or turner's syndrome etc. But I'm not sure they test for things like spina bifida, or talipes, etc. I could be wrong but this is something to consider.

• the hospital knows that pregnant (i. e., at risk) patients will be attending. Presumably they will do everything they can to keep the maternity and prenatal ward separate from the Covid wards, and isolate any pregnant patient with symptoms

• as other people pointed out, Covid will still be there in 7 weeks. At some point you'll have to go to the maternity. If you asked about any other scan or check up I'd have said, sure, skip it. But I'd attend at the very least the 12 and 20 week scans, even if you skip every other check up.

If it was me I would go and :

• do what I can to limit contagion (not touch anything you don't have to, wash hands frequently, toss clothes in the washing machine and shower when I get home). You could also wear a mask and gloves.

• inform hospital that a member of my household is shielding and ask to limit exposure (e.g. wait in your car and be called in only when it's time for your appointment rather than wait in a common area)

And frankly, after all that, I wouldn't isolate. It's simply not practical in a small flat with shared bathroom and kitchen. I'd consider that I've done everything I can to reduce the risks to all involved (your partner, yourself and your baby) and there's a limit to what can reasonably be done. I'd consider this a reasonable compromise.

But obviously the decision is yours. Why not discuss it with your partner and see how she feels ? It's also her decision, isn't it ?

Edit - I apologize, after googling it I saw I made a mistake, neural tube defects are detected at the 20-wk scan and not the 12-wk scan. But I'd ask your midwife or doctor if there are conditions that can be detected at the 12-wk scan that cannot be detected through nipt as this is an important factor to consider.

I believe you're right about NIPT v 12 week scan... I remember reading a thread which mentioned that NIPT is reasonably accurate for one of the trisomies (down's maybe?) but not really the others.

Were the 6 & 8 week scan NHS or private?

I had 2 early scans around the same time as you but, personally, would not have wanted to miss the NHS dating scan. Mine was actually at 13+6 so is it something you could try and delay for a week or 2?? They say anytime between 11 and 14 weeks is fine.

Our baby's dates changed from the early scans to the dating scan so brought our due date forward a week or so and I got my screening tests done at the same time (although I appreciate you've already mentioned about the NIPT).

It's absolutely personal choice but, of all the ante natal appointments I could miss, the 12 and 20 week scans would be the last ones on that list.

I had a growth scan yesterday in a community hospital. It felt very, very safe. The floors and seats were being cleaned. The reception areas all had clear screens separating them from the public. The staff were wearing full PPE during the scan and I probably saw about 4 other women while I was there and we just kept our distance from each other. It was a huge relief to know that baby is growing well and I would not want to have missed the appointment. It is personal choice if course but I think hospitals are probably the safest places you can be at the moment. They are very risk aware.