Private vs NHS birth

[Sith]

Hi everyone,

I'm currently 7 weeks pregnant and I've been very disappointed about the NHS care I've received so far. When I first saw my doctor to say I was pregnant, she never mentioned having a flu jab, she said she was going to put me on referral for a consultant (as I'm 38) and it's never happened, and I wasn't given a pregnancy pack - I only found out this week that I should have one and that I've already missed a blood test I should have had.

The midwives unit won't see me until 10 weeks, I kind of feel a bit abandoned at the moment.

In short, my experience with the NHS care so far has been chaotic and uncaring. So I started thinking about the scariest part - what about giving birth? Will that be the same?

So to cut to the point, I was wondering what experiences anyone else has had of private births and if you'd consider it worth it?

I don't live in London so I've no idea where the private birth centres are around Worcester, but I think it's worth inquiring about.

I'd really appreciate any thoughts, thanks :)

[RedToothBrush]

What's the data on still births born privately in the UK?

Unless you can compare the rate for both (and take into consideration any differences in the demograph between women who go private and those who use the NHS) then you are spouting scare mongering completely unproven bollocks.

Incidently, private hospitals are reluctant to give any data relating to birth outcomes so I will be pleasantly surprised and interested to see any data you can provide.

My understanding regarding the scans/still birth debate, is that there is a push to do with an extra trimester scan on the NHS. As yet, its not been proven that this would decrease rate. I believe there was research and trials going on in parts of the UK. Cochrane did a review of the studies already available last year Third Trimester Ultrasound and drew the following conclusion:
Based on existing evidence, routine late pregnancy ultrasound in low-risk or unselected populations does not confer benefit on mother or baby. There was no difference in the primary outcomes of perinatal mortality, preterm birth less than 37 weeks, caesarean section rates, and induction of labour rates if ultrasound in late pregnancy was performed routinely versus not performed routinely. Meanwhile, data were lacking for the other primary outcomes: preterm birth less than 34 weeks, maternal psychological effects, and neurodevelopment at age two, reflecting a paucity of research covering these outcomes. These outcomes may warrant future research.

So if you feel it would help you, then you could just go private for this one scan, but there is no evidence to say that it will prevent anything at present.

It will however have a cost to your wallet (which begs the question are private health companies cashing in on health anxiety which would be morally dubious. And if so, do you really want a morally dubious medic to treat you?)

Evidence based medicine please. Not hocus pocus.

[Sith]

Ok, I think some people here have taken this a little to heart. I'm not bashing the NHS or anything, I've used their services all my life.

I'd like to be spoken to a little more kindly please - this is my first pregnancy after all.

Frankly I'm shocked at how unsupportive and downright ratty some people are being here. I've posted on these forums before and had some very supportive responses, so I don't know what's happened here.

In my OP I was originally scared because I'd not been given all the info I needed straight away, and I had had conflicting info as to when tests would be done.

Regarding the pack - yes it has important info on what tests are done when and a claim form for free prescriptions. So it's not all spam. It also said I should have had a blood test by now.

Regarding the flu jab - someone at my work is pregnant and has just had her flu jab on the advice from her GP, so it's not necessarily out of season, I know two people who have the flu right now!!

The doctor said I would see a consultant before 8 weeks and that time has now passed, so yeah I am rightly confused and concerned.

So please, I'm not stupid and I'd like to be spoken to with a little more respect.

[PerspicaciaTick]

It is not the GPs job to hold pregnancy packs, send you for blood tests or jabs or do anything expect refer you to your community midwifery team. It is really unusual for GPs to be involved in the care of pregnant women, so they often seem a bit out of touch.

Do you have a medical history which required early intervention? If you do, I'd call the midwifery team and ask to see them sooner rather than later.

Otherwise your MW will see you at around 10 weeks to do your booking in appointment. They will give you forms for blood tests, book your scan, advise you on flu jabs and refer you to the consultant clinic if necessary.

So the main things you can do are make sure you have an appointment to see the midwife and double check with them when you will get your scan appointment.

[poocatcherchampion]

One of the disappointments of my first pregnancy was that noone was particularly excited by my pregnancy - healthcare professionals that is. They ask how you are but really justvwant of know whether there is anything you need from them.

Its a bit of a shift in thinking tbh.

[mouldycheesefan]

It can be a bit of a shock early pregnancy as you presume your GP will wrap you in cotton wool and look after you and the reality is nobody sees you till your booking in appt. having had five years of private fertility treatment, yes when you hit the NHS it's different, but actually my care was good it was just without the frills. I had twins and all sorts complications so I did have consultant care. I don't think you get consultant care just for being age 38 though.
I old suggest, give the NHS a chance, you haven't actually had any maternity appointments yet. Find out if there is a private hospital in your area that does births and what the cost is. I probably would have gone private but there wasn't a private unit where we live and actually we would probably have ended up in NHS NICU anyway.
Downscale y our expectations and you should be fine.

[writingonthewall]

I'm a GP. Congratulation on your pregnancy OP. I completely agree with everyone who says that early pregnancy is a bit of an anti climax re medic or MW appointments. You aren't due bloods yet, unless you have a preexisting condition like thyroid problems or are bleeding or having pain. Triple test is done a bit later 9-11 weeks I think but you can double check. There is loads of time for the exemption form and you Dr can't sign it until you have an official due date so after the first scan at the earliest.

If you are happy to say, why are you seeing a consultant? Age alone? I can think of very few reasons where you would see an obstetrician before 8 weeks and the ones I can think of all relate to pain, bleeding or pre existing medical problems.

Good luck with everything.

[OhShutUpThomas]

Congratulations on your pregnancy

In the nicest way possible, your expectations are a little out of line with reality.

Please believe that I am a good authority on this.
There are no blood tests necessary or usual before 8-10 weeks when you have your initial consultation.
You would NEVER be offered a consultant app before 7 weeks. That's madness. That isn't even enough time for you to get a bfp, go to the GP, get booked in with maternity services and receive and appointment.
And, as previous posters have said, a flu jab in February is not really necessary and so would not be offered, especially at 7 weeks.

I understand how impatient early pregnancy makes you feel. But the care you have received so far is absolutely normal, safe and standard.

You would usually see the consultant around 20 weeks.

[jellycat1]

Having done a mix of NHS and private for ds1 and private only for ds2 I can tell you you definitely wouldn't have seen anyone or had any bloods done by 7 weeks either way. Sad fact is chance of pregnancy progressing needs to get to a certain level before care kicks in. If you have the money go private but outside of London I don't think I'd have bothered. For us there were a number of factors and the sheer busy-ness of the London hospitals we had to choose from made us anxious. It's eye wateringly expensive tho so you really have to weigh up whether it's worth it. If we hadn't had help with costs id have done a mixture of NHS and lots of private scans. My advice would be to look after yourself and relax and you'll find things really start moving and getting interesting after your 12 wk scan. Or have a private one at about 8 weeks and you should start to see the beginnings of an embryo. No point til then. You'll have bloods etc 8/9 weeks. Nothing else doing.

[RedToothBrush]

Lets face it, you want to go private.

You just want someone / something to justify it.

[Lj8893]

Your work colleague who has had the flu jab is probably further on in her pregnancy though. You wouldn't be offered the flu jab at such an early stage in pregnancy, NHS or private.

The pack (I'm assuming this is your notes etc) you would have either got now or at your booking apt with the midwife so it doesn't make a massive difference to when you got it, the midwife needs to sign the free prescription form anyway.

The first lot of bloods you have are at your booking apt, which is normally 8-10 weeks. NHS or private.

The consultant thing is unusual I will give you that, normally that would be a midwifes decision/referall so I'm unsure why your gp has said that to you. It's very unusual for you to see a consultant before a midwife in your first pregnancy so don't worry too much yet, ask the midwife about it at your booking apt. If she feels you meet the criteria for consultant led care she will make the referall.

I don't mean to be harsh or rude to you, I understand and remember that feeling of being in limbo in early pregnancy when your not under any bodies care at the time but it's completely normal and you don't need to worry.

[Pooka]

its unusual without having pre-existing medical condition, to see a midwife before 10 weeks.

Blood tests happen once you've got to that stage really. I am Rh Negative, so had all the antibody screening for all 3 of my pregnancies. Nothing until 10 weeks (or later). Nuchal scans at about 11/12 weeks. Anomaly scan at 20 weeks. More frequent midwife appointment during first pregnancy. Saw a consultant with first and third, not at all with second, in each case at about 28/30 weeks.

There is no need for you to have seen a midwife at 7 weeks if there is no history of miscarriage or an underlying medical condition. Ditto blood tests.

[BeautyIsTruth]

Congratulations!

I'm a midwife and you definitely haven't missed any standard blood tests. They'll be done either at your booking appointment or 12 week scan (varies between hospitals). Triple test is normally between 11-14 weeks, along with the dating scan. I'm sorry your booking appointment isn't till 10 weeks, it does feel like a very long time due to women finding out so early now but it is very normal to leave it that late.

GPs have very little to do with pregnancies nowadays so won't have pregnancy packs laying around, you'll have to get that from your midwife. Don't know why she'd be referring you to a consultant either - the guidelines change a lot and the midwives are going to be more up-to-date with what comes under consultant care. I can't see why you being 38 is a reason, I've only ever known it to be 40+. As others have said, the general time to see a consultant for any reason is about 16 weeks, unless you've had recurrent miscarriages, lots of gynae problems or need a cervical stitch. There's generally little need to see one before then.

I think flu jabs aren't given routinely at this time of year but I'm sure you could pay for one if you're very concerned. Or wait till your booking appointment and ask the midwives about it.

If your pregnancy is straight forward and low risk then you're not going to get a huge amount of care until really you're in your second-third trimester. Of course, you're welcome to make more appointments to see your midwife if you want to but that is the standard package. I will say though that the majority of NHS labour wards are very, very good. Postnatal care I'm afraid to say not so much (and I would recommend an independent midwife for that - they normally see women up to 6 weeks after birth whereas NHS it's 10 days unless there are lots of problems).

Unless your local hospital is really dire, I don't think I'd bother paying privately for labour care and living in Worcester it's not going to be easy for you to access, which will add another stress. You can go down the independent midwife route again, but they only conduct births at home. If you need to go to hospital, they will go to hospital with you and act as a labour supporter but they can't act as your labour carer any more. During pregnancy though they have much longer appointments and can see you more often than NHS midwives can. If you have a normal pregnancy, I can't really see what private consultant care can do for you other than an extra scan or two. If you've got a long medical history or think you might have problems, then that's a different matter.

[PerspicaciaTick]

TBH I would be saving my cash to buy in support after the baby arrives, whether that is a night nanny, cleaner, ironing, food from a company like Cook or whatever you need to get through the first few weeks in one piece.

[RedToothBrush]

www.mumsnet.com/pregnancy/health

[sparechange]

I went private for my first pregnancy, with a top London hospital and a well-known consultant.
He wouldn't see me before 12 weeks! He suggested getting a reassurance scan at the Fetal Medicine Centre or Well Woman centre, but said there was no point in seeing him before then.
After then, I saw him at the same intervals that I would have seen a midwife

[RedToothBrush]

Sorry, I had to readdress this as this thread is really bugging me.

The OP goes 'I've had a terrible experience so far on the NHS' without even bothering to check what you'd normally get in the way of tests. The automatic assumption is - 'oh its the NHS, therefore its shit'. Not 'I'll find out what I should get, and then go from there'. Nope its a really hostile and negative attitude to the NHS.

I actually find that offensive on a few levels. Its disrespectful to people who do a good job and disrespectful to those who genuinely have had poor care. Simply because someone has such a negative attitude.

[GenevaMaybe]

I went private and encountered the same ratty behaviour in real life OP. I have no clue what is behind it

[OhShutUpThomas]

Totally agree RedToothBrush.

[Duckdeamon]

Congratulations on your pregnancy OP.

Agree with PPs that your expectations of the NHS are unrealistic!

You can get a flu jab cheaply at a pharmacist. And chase up for your 12 week scan / blood tests.

Private obstetric care is £££££. Unlikely to be affordable. Especially the birth: it's not a package, since there's uncertainty about what kind of birth etc, you go in and pay whatever the bill is! For a C-section that's £10k +++. Or it was when I looked into it 5 years ago! (Had antenatal anxiety!)

[maamalady]

OP, in the kindest possible way, you are stressing over nothing. You are very, very early on in your pregnancy, and there's really nothing that can be or needs to be done yet. Other posters have already said it all - you just have to wait until you're further along, and even then there's not actually much that happens unless you have existing health problems.

Try not to let yourself get so worried and stressed, or the next thirty-three weeks are going to seem interminable.

[Hedgeh0g]

On the flu jab front - I am 10 weeks and was given one last week by my GP. However, I was pregnant at exactly the same time 2 years ago and was told it was too late in the season. Go figure. I reckon it comes down to whether they've got stocks left or not, I don't feel like I needed it this time but went along anyway.

I agree with others though - you haven't missed anything at 7 weeks that you would have got private. No blood tests due until your booking in appointment, which will be a bit later. It can be worrying, I know - I am supposed to be referred to a consultant this time round on a number of different fronts and was worrying about whether GP or midwife should do it, but honestly, the booking in appointment with the midwife was so efficient - all referrals done, scan booked, blood tests done, form for mat exception provided - and yes, a crap load of useless marketing given. The GP's really don't get involved in pregnancy much and it sounds like they've given you a lot of bad advice. Hang in there for your booking in appointment and then decide whether you feel more comfortable going private.

[fbradf01]

Hi Sith,

Feel the need to apologise for your experience here.
Netmums has a much more supportive forum, see you there x

[Focusfocus]

Let me say it then -

Awe hunnie it sux doesn't it it will be okay Jimmy don't worry your little bubba will be fine u go private if you want to hunz it's you're decision hugs xxxxxxx

[Pooka]

I think the op has been given v sensible advice from folk who have had babies with private care, on NHS and also from HCP about what is normal practice.

The op has clearly been given wrong or misleading info re blood tests and flu jabs. Posters have attempted to explain what usually happens so she has a better idea of whether the care so far has been substandard or whether it's actually case of private/NHS following same protocols at this stage in pregnancy.

I well remember the feeling at same point in pregnancy of willing the time to pass so could get the early necessary checks done, the scans, booking in and so on. People generally find out so early these days that the first trimester can really drag. I remember my grandmother saying that she didn't even go and see her doctor until she had missed 2 or maybe even 3 periods - no home testing, and so for her, pregnancy felt about 3 months shorter than mine!

[DustOffYourHighestHopes]

It's a difficult hormonal anxious time, I've been there and I sympathise, but having a load of ladies tell you 'calm down, everything's okay, stop panicking' and telling you the facts of NHS antenatal care, is actually very valuable. Don't take it personally.

OP, I know it feels all a bit aggressive, but on Mumsnet people generally speak their minds without the polite fluff before or after. No one has insulted you. You said you'd appreciate 'any thoughts'.

Also, most people on mumsnet have been or are mums/dads so we generally don't see being pregnant or a 'fellow mum' as any sort of reason to soften the tone.