Early scan rejected by hospital after mmc

[EmilieR91]

Hi. I just wanted to vent my frustrations and see whether I'm overreacting... DD is 6 and has spina bifida. This time last year I was pregnant, went for my booking apt and then my 12 week scan to find that the baby had died at 8 weeks. I had no idea. I didn't feel any less pregnant, I just had no idea. Obviously it was a huge shock and was extremely difficult to get over. It's taken a year to conceive and I'm about 8/9 weeks, with my booking appointment 2 days away. Because of my mmc history and my huge anxiety, my doctor requested an early scan. I was extremely shocked to discover that the hospital rejected the request. The reason being that 'they couldn't tell whether a miscarriage would happen so it would be pointless'. That ISNT my point. My early scan was booked because I don't want to have to sit through a booking appointment and walk around for a month with my baby dead inside me again. I just want to know that everything is ok. This is how I felt last time so how do I know that the same isn't happening again? Am I being ridiculous?

Yes, it obviously does vary area to area - I know that my hospital will only do early scans (without bleeding/severe pain) after three early miscarriages, or one late one. I can see the logic, horrible as it is for women in your situation - after one miscarriage you're no more likely to have a miscarriage in your next pregnancy than anyone else, so I can see why they feel there is no clinical need.

I don't think you're being at all ridiculous, and I'm so sorry you're feeling like this, but I agree with others that you may need to get a private scan.

Bloody hell, I wish every thread by someone desperately anxious & looking for support didn't turn into a nasty blame game about NHS funding and how little we ought to expect and how grateful we all should be.

OP I'm very sorry about your miscarriage and I hope everything's ok this time. If your GP has led you to expect you can have a scan, it must be a real blow to be told you can't have it. I had a stillbirth & mmc and was never given any early scans on the NHS but at least everyone I spoke to was clear about it so I knew where I stood. I did find it a comfort when I had private scans to know I wouldn't have to wait and wait and wait for another nasty surprise in a grubby understaffed maternity ward full of happy pregnant people.

As a Sonographer we only scan early pregnancy for diabetics, for patients with a previous ectopic and multiple recurrent misc. Also we will scan for heavy bleeding.
Depending on the type of your dd's spina bifida you "may" be offered an extra scan at 16 weeks to assess then before you have your anomaly scan.
But otherwise a scan to see what's going on at this stage is not necessary and could be stopping someone who genuinely needed a scan from getting one. We just don't have time and resources to scan every one every day.
Your GP shouldn't have said you'll get a scan, going against national guidelines. He should have been the one to put your mind at rest to start with not attempting to refer you on and causing you further distress.