Need scan advice.

[soupmaker]

Here's the background. I'm well over 40 and currently 12.3 weeks with DC2. Had 2 MC after DD who is 5.

Was surprised to get a BFP at 6 weeks. Went to GP at 8 weeks and explained that given my past history of seeing an early scan and then it all going wrong I wasn't desperate for an early scan. In the event I was offered and accepted an early scan at 11 weeks at the EPU. All was well.

Hospital does nuchal fold scan along with dating scan, however I'd been given a date for this after 14 weeks. I called and said I unfortunately couldn't do that date due to a work thing I can't wriggle out of. I've now been given a scan date when I will be almost 16 weeks. I tried to explain my situation and the staff were very nice but no one (MW, Fetal Med dept) seemed able to help get me a scan before I am 14 weeks.

I've got an appt with my consultant and thinking of stamping my feet when I see her at 13.1 weeks, next week.

Or, do we just go and get a private scan? We can just about afford it.

Anyone else been in this situation, what did you do?

I would have been wriggling out of the work thing......

So would I normally but for various reasons I can't tell work I am preg and even if I did wriggle put it's still borderline the wrong way for them being able to do nuchal scan. I was told this by MW when I was attempting to change the date of scan!

Well.... Do you actually want one?

Yes Pale I do want one. Sorry if I wasn't clear. I think the options are either go private - which goes against the grain - or hope that if I stamp my feet at consultant appt she'll sort it.

I've had 2 scans and each time baby has been in the wrong position to measure (despite bouncing and jumping on my behalf), so have decided to leave it now.
So either way there's no guarantee, but I would speak to the consultant.

Will they not do it at the 11week one?

I'd stamp my feet, but look into having it done privately. Maybe find out where they do it near you and how quickly they could fit you in. Does the hospital do the combined test? (Nuchal + bloods + weight). If not I'd want to go privately anyway. You'll get the result faster privately too, some do same day turnaround for full results, whereas you'll have to wait 2-3 days to get the phone call for high risk and a week or so for the full result.
Maybe phone your midwife on Monday, explain you're concerned that you have not been offered a scan within the time that's appropriate for nuchal scanning and ask her to sort it, very gently explaining that you will have to go down the route of formal complaint about the system if its not made available. Then second attempt with consultant, then fast phone call to get private scan if nothing else.
Good luck!

Id try a call monday, if not go private.

Thanks everyone. I haven't been in any contact with MW service. They don't assigned you to service until after booking scan. I'm going to investigate going private, book in and hope that the NHS manages to fit me in after my visit to consultant. I could have the lot in terms of screening tests on the NHS if they saw me in time, ho hum. Apparently Xmas and New Year have got in the way, which seems odd as they happen every year!

the places where a lot of the bloods get sent to have resulted in lost days o testing over the holiday period.. you may still be able to have not at 14+2..
although tbh.. I your that far I would wait and have the quadruple test done instead. I tests for more things that combined screening. the only advantage to combined screening is it can be done earlier which can then affect choices of what todo about results. the quadruple can be done from 14+5.

Go private. I had my 12 week NHS scan and despite best efforts, baby would not move into a suitable position for nuchal measurements. Because I'd had this scan early enough I still had enough time to book in for a private Oscar scan. Would thoroughly recommend it, you get the results straight away instead of having to wait a couple of weeks like the NHS.

noble giraffe - how did you get your results straight away? the bloods have to be tested in a lab. and not many labs around the country are doing this test. we have to send some of our amnio tests to Glasgow to do analysis and were south east of England.

the thing to consider with private is the sonographers status. there are 4 levels.. the white flags don't do enough scans. the red flags are not up to standard and need to improve. amber flag is in the middle but need to improve and the green flag status is the top competency level. ask the private Sonographer which level they have been assessed at. we're all assessed regularly by external bodies. out of 16 sonographers at my work only four of us are actually green flag status. only green and amber can work in nhs.

I had one done privately as it was before NHS offered the test. We had the result the same day from the consultant. Private hospitals get booked up quickly too so if you're considering it, be quick booking the appointment.
We also got DVD of DS moving around which was nice and has gone in his baby box.
Congratulations in your pregnancy.

The FMC (foetal medical centre) in London is brilliant for private scans. They do your bloods and detailed scan, and you get the results of both on the same day. They have a lab on site so can analyse the bloods quickly. Worth every penny x

It just depends on your priorities doesn't it?

If you really wanted one then you'd pay for it. Why is it against the grain?

Ds1 I paid for scan, the hospital didn't offer them
Ds2 the hospital did them as part of the nhs.

Others are right about 13+ 6. When I went for my first I was 14+1 but my dates were wrong so they did it, otherwise they wouldn't have scanned me. So you have to be under14 weeks otherwise the results will be wrong.

Otherwise wait for a amino.

My maternity notes got lost and by 12 weeks I still hadn't got a scan date.I called the hospital USS dept directly and they agreed I needed a scan but that a midwife had to re-refer me.They said def needed to be done by 13+6 as after that too late for nuchal fold & bloods.Although it's a busy unit they said as soon as the midwife had requested the scan again they could fit me in even at 1-2 days notice.Any hospital can do this.16 weeks is too late,so is 14,make a fuss!As it happened when I did get my scan I was 13+6 as my dates were a bit out and was right on the cut off.I'm 39 and the results of the nuchal were v important to me,wouldn't have liked to have missed the opportunity and then had to go for amino with the M. Risk just because of an admin error.Ask for an earlier date!

You don't have to wait for nuchal scan results on the NHS everywhere. I'm in London and I had my blood test followed straight away by my scan. I then had to wait an hour for the blood to be analysed and saw the sonographer again who explained the results.