Birmingham mums - viability scans?

[Gentleness]

I'm about 6.5/7wks pregnant and just had my hospital appt through - not till 12wks, despite my gp requesting an early scan for me given what I've experienced before.

The background is that I've had 3 miscarriages around this stage (there were warning signs with all them that haven't transpired so I'm fairly confident it's not a similar situation), a blighted ovum (seen on a scan at around 8wks but didn't miscarry until 11.5 weeks and there was no reason to think anything was wrong other than my instinct causing us to go for a private scan at 8wks), and 2 healthy boys.

This fear that it is a blighted ovum again is really playing on my mind! I've been looking at the prices of early scans around Birmingham and they've really gone up - hasn't everything! I'm just so frustrated that we'd have to pay £80+ when my gp clearly sees the need for an early scan on the nhs. That £80 is available, but would obviously have to be taken from elsewhere in our budget. I'm so stingy, but then, that's how you make budgets work...

Any views, advice, options, links? What would you do?

I had a scan here when I was pregnant with my son, they are very good.

That's where we went when the blighted ovum was discovered and it gives me really mixed feelings about going back. It was such a horrible time. Plus its £80!!!

Bumping.

Gentleness - are you booked with the Women's Hospital? If so its worth giving their Early Pregnancy Unit a ring and explaining what you've said here and asking whether they can consider an early scan as requested by your doctor. It sounds as if some over worked administrator has over looked the request and just booked you for a standard scan. I don't know the ins and outs of the other hospitals but I do know the Women's are brilliant when they're approached directly and will advise you to the best of their ability. You should find the phone is answered by a midwife rather than an admin person and they will better understand what you're talking about.

Good luck hope it all goes well for you

Sorry i've just seen this. It is difficult going back somewhere you've had horrible news :(

I'd echo what FPL says about The Womans. I was under them for my last loss and they are truly truly wonderful and everyone I know whos been there says the same. It might be worth getting your Dr to refer you there.

Just to repeat what others have said. I had a viability scan at 7wks at the Women's too after a miscarriage two years ago. I also had fertility treatment there. They are excellent, without exception.

I would call your GP to check that you haven't bern overlooked. It happens so easily.

Good luck with everything!

Thanks for the replies.

I've chosen to go with Heartlands this time. We were there for ds1 and it was all fine. Then we went to the Womens for ds2 and again it was all fine. Really there was the same quality of care at both when we looked at it overall, but maybe the Womens is a bit "nicer" in its environment! Given the slightly easier travel to Heartlands, and that we could have some appts in Solihull, I chose that route and now I'm worried I may regret it! I suppose I could still change?

First thing tomorrow I'm going to call up and see what they can do about an earlier scan - doesn't help though that my (lovely) midwife did the booking in but then accidentally took the green notes with her! And now she's on holiday for a week...

Go Heartlands - despite it being impossible to do an early scan there according to the receptionists, there is a recurrent miscarriage unit which my gp referral should have been forwarded to or gone to or whatever. Anyway - the fax went to the right place, the lovely lady got it sorted and I have a scan tomorrow. TOMORROW! How is that for efficiency!

I trust Heartlands. They are a high risk hospital and so they really jumped into action when I had preeclampsia (twice) and they scanned me regularly.

I have had 3 friends had bad experiences at the Women's, so it's not always the rosier option. They are better for breastfeeding help etc but I think if you already have DCs you might have an idea of what you're doing anyway.

I hope this appointment lays your fears to rest and you have an uneventful pregnancy. It's so hard when you have lost that innocence I know (my DS was stillborn - I could never relax all he way through subsequent pregnancies).

Needingsomeadvice - so sorry you had to go through that. Great that Heartlands staff were so proactive.

Hope your appointment went ok, gentleness.

Great day - up all night with the kids having d&v and then to a&e because my lovely toddler went limp and grey on me in the morning - we were there 6hrs having him monitored. Everything was fine in the end (well, gastroenteritis, but nothing worse) and settled enough for me in time for me to be able to slip over to the ward for 30mins to have my scan. And the absolutely lovely nurse sorting me out found the fetus and heartbeat in seconds! I was a bit of a mess as I was so ready for it to be bad news, AND exhausted. But so, so relieved and grateful.
And for the first time ever, measuring on track (for what those early measurements are worth).

Thanks for asking and for your support!

Glad to hear it! You must not live that far from where I used to live if you are going to that hospital and Solihull is also convenient for you. I always found them to be lovely there apart from the odd person here and there (like everywhere I suppose).
I can identify with sitting there waiting to be told bad news. I think once it's happened before you end up trying to mentally prepare. I had lots of scans and dopplers due to my previous history and sometimes the machines played up (because they are ancient) and it was scary .
Hope your little one is on the mend soon. That sounds frightening to go through.