Midwife not checking for HB at 16w appt

[Beans1977]

I (belatedly, am nearly 18 weeks pg) had my 16 week appointment with the MW this morning. I'd hoped she might check the baby's HB, but she said in my PCT they don't do this when someone has had a MC previously (I had a MMC at 13w last year and began this pg as twins but lost one at 7w) in case they can't find it and it causes extra and unnecessary anxiety for Mum.

I appreciate this but my 12w scan was 6 weeks ago, and while I've been feeling flutterings and poppings internally, have symptoms and have a bump developing, I was hoping for extra reassurance (this is DC#1).

I'm wondering if it's worth getting a private scan, but as I'm in central London the cheapest I've found is £85. I'll be nearly 22w by the time my anomoly scan comes around - 10w since my scan. Should I just try and relax? Have other people not had HB looked for at 16w appt and not worried?

Thanks!

Hi, my hct won't check for hb before 20 weeks.

I was told that it is because that it can be really hard to find and it was causing a lot of stress to new mums.

That seems a bit of a backwards way round approach to me. However - if you've seen a heartbeat at 12 weeks and have normal continuing pregnancy sysmptoms then I would say the overwhelming liklihood is that baby is just in fine in there.

Hey there, yeah not to worry this is normal. I've seen other threads about this around here before and seems to be the case for loads of people including me!

I was about 26 weeks when they did mine

A consultant tried at 14 weeks without asking me and I was upset for days as he didn't get one so I can see why they are wary!

Don't Worry hun try and relax x

It's in the NICE guidelines that they don't have to anymore.

If you ask, they will do it, but they don't have to do it.

My midwife said at booking that I would need to book an appoitment at 16-18 weeks as she is sure I will want to hear heartbeat. So i guess all areas are different. I have put off this appointment as long as possible as I would find it really stressful if she fails to find heartbeat.

beans -I've seen reassurance scans for 65 in London, some clinic in highgate village.

Mine wasn't checked at 16 weeks either. The first time we heard it was at the 20 week scan, and then at my GP's in my 26 week appt.

With my first dd, the mw tried to listen and couldn't find it, although she didn't exactly try very hard, I left not knowing any better and was really quite upset for a couple of days thinking the same as you, its been a while since the scan and I wanted reassurance. I ended up going to see my doctor who was really annoyed that they had left me like that, she tried and found it straight away. Now pregnant with ds and they did check at 16 weeks and found it straight away. I promised myself that I wouldn't let them leave me worrying like last time!!

I know it can take a bit of time, but is totally possible for them to find at 16 weeks, make an appointment! If you do go for a scan 85 is good, i am in london, cheapest i found was 100!

Had my 16 week check (At 15 + 5) but midwife said they are now no longer allowed to check for a heartbeatbat this stage. I was very disappointed as this is my second pregnancy and I'm not feeling very much movement, I was feeling lots at this stage last time & hb was picked up straight away last time, so I am a bit concerned. She said she couldn't check, despite the Doppler sitting between us. My point is, i did ask & she refused.
My next appointment isn't until 22 weeks, although I do have 20 week scan at @ 20 weeks.
DH ordered a Doppler from eBay last night to try and put my mind at rest which is something I never thought I'd do but 4 weeks is a long wait if I don't start feeling much movement.
I can see their point but was quite shocked the she outright refused.

Hi everyone - thanks so much for the comments, I appreciate the replies and it has reassured me - a bit, for now at any rate! I need to stop being such a worrier. But sometimes it's hard when you've had disappointments before. Will keep mulling the private scan - and look into Highgate!
Thanks again x

I was checked for a hb at 16wks, would have been surprised not to- had no idea about these guidelines!

I had HB checked at 16wk appt, but they MW did warn me at this stage it's possible not to hear it.

They said the same thing to me in hospital the other week (I was in for 3 days), but most MWs managed to find it, but on the last day two MWs couldn't find the HB at all (at first).

It took them two machines, a change of batteries and about 15 minutes to locate the heatbeat, because bump was hiding in such an awkward position where they couldn't hear either placenta or bump.

Needless to say it freaked the life out of me, and this was at 22 weeks, so I guess at 16wks they are a lot littler and it's not guaranteed.

Good luck x x

It's not that they're not confident, it was scrapped because it doesn't actually tell you all that much, apart from 'yes, at this exact moment in time, baby is Indeed alive' Quoted from my MW.

Later in pregnancy, dips in heart rate are more relevant I think.

I'd read this before so wasn't expecting it when I went for my 16 week appointment. At the end the MW asked if we'd like her to 'try and hear' heartbeat. She gave us a big (but very nice) talk before about how if she couldn't find one she wouldn't do anything like refer us for a scan as it's usually tricky to find the HB this early (baby often tucked down behind pubic bone) She found ours fairly easily but I can imagine why they stopped doing it as routine.

NICE guidelines don't just say that midwives don't have to but that they shouldn't listen in for the hb. There is reseach saying it gave women too much false reassurance. That women (further along in pg probably) were not feeling movements but not bothering to do anything as they were thinking "oh baby is ok, I heard the hb 2 days ago".

Instead women should be advised to concentrate on movement.

Oh and where I am midwives run the risk of getting disciplined if they listen in.

How odd that things are so different all over the country??!! My MW offered to see me, & even try to listen for the hb from any time from 12wks 'if I was worried' & if I didn't get my scan soon, and didn't want me to worry that I had to wait until 16wks... All this at my booking in appt at 8+wks, which is another thing that doesn't necessarily happen everywhere either!!!

I guess my MW was going against the guidelines or doesn't know about them then??!!

If you're concerned in any way OP, could you not see if your MW will see you again?

I totally appreciate that, later on, movements are more reliable than the hb but at 16wks, when movements are less reliable, & calm & measured monitoring of the hb would be reassuring, no?

I had my (belated, like yours!) 16 weeks appt last weds and my midwife didn't have her doppler (her collegue had borrowed it and then been called to a home birth) so shee couldn't check for the heartbeat. I wouldn't worry too much but if you are concerned, why don't you book in to see her again or book to see the gp and ask them! Its worth a shot if you are really concerned!

I wouldn't worry too much, the first time I heard my firsts HB was at the 20 wk scan and then at the 24 week MW appt!

The midwife perhaps shouldn't have worded it that way, but your baby is in all likelihood absolutely fine, and it's really not worth the money for a private scan. Usually my mentor will listen that early if a woman really wants it, but I have seen mothers become so anxious and upset even after promising that they won't, that I can well understand why midwives won't do it.

Viva, I can't believe your trust is that strict! But certainly evidence and guidelines do support that stance.