Scan Dates

[waps]

Have to have a rant and find out if this is normal. I am 11 weeks pg (tomorrow) and am disgusted to find in Swindon that midwives don't book in until 12 weeks and dating scans aren't done until 14 weeks. My last pregnancy, in Staffordshire I was booked in at 10 weeks and had my first scan at 12. Firstly, why are women being left so alone at this most vulneralble and frightening part of their pregnancy when what they actually need is some reassurance. And secondly how cynical to arrange their care plan to make people pay for something that should be available on the NHS!! My scan appointment said on the bottom 'if you are having a private nuchal translucency scan then please cancel this appointment as the date will have been confirmed'. So by not offering a nuchal scan and waiting until 14 weeks (nuchals must be done by 13weeks+6days) they have 'means tested' a whole lot of older mums who can find the money to pay privately. As far as I am concerned it is none of their business if I choose to pay privately for additional screening and if I want to have a scan every week for reassurance then I should be allowed (on the NHS, which me, my husband and my father have been paying into for the past 50 years)

Am I being fair or just hormonal?

Nuchal scans are part of the postcode lottery unfortunately. Some places refer you elsewhere if you are over a certain age.

Here we get the nuchal but you don't get a booking in appt until after that

Its not just that they don't offer the nuchal that bugs me, its that they then make you wait so long for any kind of support so that they can avoid as many scans as possible. Its just mercenary.

Also, they tell you that you don't need a full bladder for the 14 week scan but you do for the 20 week. Surely that's the wrong way round?

I guess it's cos so many miscarriages occur before 12 weeks

i wasn't booked until 12 weeks with my first pregnancy (st mary's hospital, in london). i had a dating scan at that appointment. and then they whizzed me off for a nuchal too.

i think you are being a bit hormonal . but, hey,if you can't be hormonal when you're pregnant..... are you having a private nuchal scan? even if you are, i'd go along for the nhs one too, just don't tell them.

No I wasn't going to tell them but I am a pathological truth teller and will probably have to rant at the midwife, or at least ask here politely for the reasoning behind the policy.

what about the bladder thing though, I'm a bit worried about their competence, I had a lot of scans with DS, 3 before 20 weeks and about 4 after and it was always full bladder early on, empty later.

all mine were with empty bladder - it's all too confusing

Waps,

I completely agree with you the on the NHS scans. It is as usual with this country a postcode lottery. I live in Worcestershire and was booked in at 10 weeks and have had 12 week scan (at 15 weeks due to xmas - that annoyed me too!) and then I am having a 20 week scan. We are told about nuchal scans and recommended where to have them but have to pay £120!! I have paid for two private scans myself (just regular scans not nuchal) one at 8 weeks and one at 12 weeks. What I found amazing is that at my private scans everything was measured, including the heart rate and the body length at my NHS one today they measured the head and put for heart "seen" I asked about measuring the rate and she said oh no as long as we can see it beating...

Dont get it!
I really think that they should be measuring the body length and heart rate..
Also both ultra sound scans but the private - no full bladder and the NHS full bladder (2 pints!!)

I'm paying £140 but I think I paid more for DS. They're good though as you get the scan and blood test results on the same day and a DVD and loads of time. The last one gave me sample 3D/4D pictures as well although they didn't tempt me as DS looked like Mr Soft from the mint adverts.

Don't blame you for having extra scans Seansgirl, I would have had one by now if it were closer and not Christmas.

It is wrong to be made to wait so long, my midwife said that if I had a nuchal I was still entitled to have a nhs scan even tho it was not necessary - but that it was quite acceptable for reasurannce purposes

That sounds more like it LupinsBigLump.