Chat: number of scans for multiple pregnancies

[instantfamily]

Just saw this on weekly news roundup and was wondering what experience other multiple mums had? I had tons of scans at the beginning because of fertility treatment and a scan a day for the last month, plus lots in between really. Granted, I had private insurance but 6 scans seems quite little to me.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15078058

I was also surprised that bedrest is not supposed to be doing anything for a healthier multiple pregnancy. That can't be right, surely? I enjoyed my bedrest (lots of reading and being catered to by DH and MIL ) but on the other hand I felt I would have gotten back to normal movement and levels of activity quicker if I hadn't stopped all physical activity for more or less 5 months.

I had identical twins, and had scans every fortnight. Then after some fairly major complications weekly scans. I had a prom at 25 weeks and they came at 31 weeks. I don't smoke, I didn't drink at all during pregnancy and all the other things which are linked to proms. I do think I should have taken it a bit easier. I ended up being admitted into hospital for bed rest for 5 weeks!

Had a scan at 6 wks due to fertility drugs, 2 more scans at 12 wks, one by regular radiographer who was crap and one by consultant to determine type of twins.

Then had the 20 wk scan. Then at 24, 28, 32, 34 wks.
Dts came at 35wks so not sure how many more I would have had and I think mine was a fairly straightforward pregnancy.

6 seems a lot compared to the standard 2 a singleton pregnancy gets but thinking about it, its not a huge amount.

As fr the bed rest, I have no idea. Was running around after dd1 and working so no chance of that. But I was very uncomfortable in bed and couldnt get comfortable at all for the last couple of months, not sure how I would have coped with bed rest!

In total we ahd 24 scans, for a 30 week pregnancy. We were having them twice a week at the end as the twins had twin to twin transfusion. No chance of bedrest! 2 other children! Our consultant said there was no evidence for it anyway.

I had loads, including doppler scans as DD wasn't growing as quickly as the boys. Mind you, I do have triplets.

london, I am 13 weeks pg with twins (one 13 month old DD already) and was horrified on the twin thread on here to see that at 34 weeks some mums hadn't even met the consultant or discussed birth when 50% of twins come early according to NICE and the NHS website!! And 37 weeks is considered term for twins isn't it? and 35 for triplets?

I am in a hospital trust which has a red alert for rubbish maternity services, so has to buck up its act no help to me now by next year. The mw thinks I will be offered growth scans from 20 weeks every 4 weeks. Nothing from 12 to 20 weeks though, as she says you don' see the mw to listen to heartbeats as they can't tell them apart at that stage

Having been relatively sane throughout my pregnancy with DD I am a neurotic nervous wreck about anything happening to these babies. Normal?! I'm going to hope for extra monitoring...

Thanks londonlottie, I have had a look at the NICE guidelines- growth scans every 28 days for DCDA and every fortnight for MCDA/MCMA (or ? even more for them- I paid more attention to the DCDA as that is what they think my twins are). They did say there is no evidence that bedrest helps- I wionder if that's because there isn't enough evidence to recommend it, or that the evidence isn't conclusive it helps?

I wonder if they could even do cervical length scanning in my trust if not a single sonographer is trained to do nuchal fold scanning?!

There is nowhere private to go for me, unless I travel to Leeds or Manchester, and I'm 13+1 so would have to be done Monday or Tuesday to be in the right window of time, so I think that's out. But thanks for the encouragement, I shall certainly ask questions!!

Blimey london, sounds stressful and I'm amazed how upbeat you sound about your experience. 2 healthy babies though (I presume), would all be worth it. I would be beside myself with being in hospital, but that would be because of DD who'd be far too little to understand where mummy was, so I will hope to sail through (crosses everything)...

I've got a consultant appointment through for 2 weeks time though, so I will be looking for some more answers!

I think bedrest would be a killer for stamina, muscle tone and strength etc etc. I would do it in an instant if needed, but imagine for 'normally' progressing pregnancies it'd be best avoided. I'd need a nanny for DD- would the NHS provide that?! (no, don't answer, someone'll say social services foster care or something horrible!)

Identical twins here (MCDA). Had loads of scans, including a cervical length one (which concluded I had a 0.6% chance of labour before 33 weeks. It was right. I went into labour in week 34 ), but no-one did get around to truly discussing labour options before I actually did.

I agree dreamfeeder that bedrest is no good for stamina, muscle tone, etc. but on the other hand, as a doctor or mw explained to me, your body is sort of breathing, pumping blood, digesting, etc. for 2 (or 3 in my case) extra people which is a huge stress as well.

Also interesting what londonlottie said about different care in different systems.

Yes, very true. In a singleton pregnancy your heart increases its output every stroke by 40%, I hadn't really thought about what extra it will have to do for 2 (or 3!) babies. I can see that if you were having difficulties it would be a good start to rest to ease the strains on your body.

I saw my consultant yesterday and for my twins I will be scanned at 20 (as usual) 24, 28, 30, 32, 34 and 36 weeks. I'm pleased. Certainly hits what the NICE guidelines for multiple pregnancy recommend.

I have had scans at 12, 20 and 23 weeks so far. At my 23 week scan this week the twins were growing fine, but they noticed that my cervix had shortened to 16 mm from 30 mm since my 20 week scan. I was taken in there and then and they did some tests (the one to check you are not going into labour in the next 2 weeks) and they happy to send me home. Seeing the multiples consultant to get it checked out further next week (at 24 weeks - I already had the appointment set up). I am quite worried about my shortening cervix but think the level of care I've got at UCLH as part of a multiple pregnancy has been really good - and hopefully they've picked up the problem with my cervix before it causes any problems to my twins.

Very interesting bembie, was the 23 week scan routine? are your babies ID? I hope you're still doing well.