Anomaly/dating scan - should I chase it up?

[germl]

This is my second pregnancy, but just wanted other people's opinions.

My last pregnancy I missed the dating/anomaly scan at 12 weeks as I only found out I was pg at 10 weeks. Bloods were taken but I opted out of the triple test that was offered as I was of the opinion that I wouldn't end the pregnancy if there was a problem. However, this time I have the chance to have the scans and tests and want to as my situation has changed and if there are issues I want to know.

Anyway, on previous advice I booked in with my local unit at 8/9 weeks (not sure exactly as my periods were irregular - hence needing a dating scan too). I chose my hospital and info was handed out, urine sample taken, BP taken, weight/height etc and I said I wanted a dating scan and the anomaly scan. Taking blood was a problem (as it always is with me) and the M/W said that when I attend my booking in appointment with consultant (shared care due to high BMI and previous CS) I should request a phlebotomist to take all my bloods. The M/W managed to get blood to test for Thalassaemia, so not a complete loss.

I thought I would get a letter requesting a booking in appointment at about 12/13 weeks with a scan also, however, I am now nearly 12 weeks and have received the letter today which puts the appointment at 15 weeks. Now maybe I am being a bit panicky and maybe it is normal, last time I didn't do the scan/booking in until later, but I'm worried that this is a bit late. I've just read about blood tests and when they are done (11-14 weeks nuchal translucency and blood tests for downs, 15-20 weeks for triple blood tests etc) but I just wondered whether it would be an idea to chase them up a bit about when my anomaly/dating scan would be, or would that be really pushy and stupid as I know the hospital is really busy?

As you can see, at the moment I am all over the show - can't make a decision about anything and just want a bit of perspective - bloody pregnancy hormones send me doolally and last pregnancy I got fobbed off a lot so am a bit paranoid! It's Yeovil District Hospital if that helps (doubt it will!)

Here they only do the dating scan at 12+ weeks, they don't do the nuchal scan. And the Anomaly scan is 20 weeks.

Not sure if that is helpful or not sorry.

If you want a nuchal scan on the NHS, and if your district does them, you definitely need to chase. Otherwise you would need to go private.

Because I was abroad for much of my first trimester (I didn't get back to the UK until 11 weeks and my GP, very annoyingly, let my referral form sit on his desk for weeks) I went private for the nuchal (glad I did actually because of various things that happened later)... but I am in London and it is probably much easier here to do that.

If you want a nucal scan and your PCT offer them, you need to have it before 13+6. So you'd need to chase that. The website for my hospital has the phone number for the scan appointment line on it and I've always found them really helpful (can't always accommodate, but I get the impression they're doing their best to make things easy for me and explain dates etc).

Any scan at around 10 - 13 weeks can be used as a dating scan, so you won't get a nucal and a dating scan, just one to do both jobs.

As nunnie says, the anomoly scan is done at around 20 weeks (I think the official guideline is 18 - 22 weeks). So you're a bit early for that yet.

I would try to get the scan unit's number, either from the web, your midwife or doctor, or maybe just ring the hospital switchboard, and give them a call. They can't always change appointments, but if they're not aware of a possible problem with your dates then they can't even try ....

Thankyou for your quick replies, I will give them a call. It may be that there is a letter on it's way but that it's been held up - or a mix up as it's one NHS Trust dealing with a Foundation Trust (don't know if that should present much problem, but stranger things have happened!).

Right, time to find that telephone number!