Scans - vaginal vs abdominal

[Levanna]

I'm 12 weeks along tomorrow. When I went into the EPU today, they told me the scan would be vaginal rather than abdominal. I queried this, and was told that it's got a lot to do with time - it saves waiting for ladies to fill their bladders! So, I declined, stating I'd rather have an abdominal, unless it was neccesary for little 'uns wellbeing for them to do a vaginal. (Between EPU and Scan dept, I popped outside and made a sneaky call to my friendly community midwife to double check!)
Anyway, they did an abdominal scan rather than the vaginal with little fuss in the end. But, (excuse hormones!) TBH, after my last experience in the same hospital (15 or so internals within under 5 hours of labour, it's a large teaching hospital?) it really made me think that I'd rather avoid violations if at all possible this time round!

I started writing this to ask if anyone else had been suprised to be offered an internal scan as a dating scan, but it seems to have turned into a bit of a rant! Oh well, make of it what you will

I was never offered an internal scan. I had no internat examinations of any kind except during labour, with either pregancy.

I think it's awful when they do these kind of things just to save time (or money). Well done for standing your ground.

I think an internal scan is really useful for early pgcy. I had a scan at 7 weeks and 9 weeks after 2 m/c's for reassurance and they were invaluable. It is nothing like having an internal exam, they are very gentle and just literally place the probe a couple if inches and I never felt it there. But in your case to offer it at 12 weeks is strange as it's so easy to see! They should do them for the right reasons and not for ease for them, I agree but don't dismiss the internal one cos it's really not at all bad or uncomfortable and goes nowhere near your cervix.
Glad all is well with you though!!!

I too have had and internal one, but only because I was was bleeding at 9 weeks and they couldn't see anything with the abdominal one.

I suppose if it's a teaching hospital, they have to learn somehow, just unfortunate if you are the 'guinea pig'.

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I had the same as Twiglett for 1st full term PG.
Well done you for asking for and getting what you want, hospitals don't seem to realise that internals are NEVER forgotten (I mean it's such an intrusion and violation that you never want to have one of any kindunless absolutley necessary) and the fewer you have the better.
Well done

I never has an internal at all during pregnancy. In fact only time I had any form of internal stuff was during induction.

I had an internal scan at 7 weeks as i was suffering from excruciating cramps and they wanted to rule out an eptopic. I would be suprised to be offerred one at 12 weeks though.

Sorry but I can't really see what difference it makes. They aren't doing it to violate you, just to get the clearest picture in the shortest time.

I had an internal scan twice and it made no difference to me.

I had an internal scan with my DS1 - if I remember rightly they couldn't see well enough with the abdominal one (slightly early 12 week dating scan). It was either that or come back a week later ! It was fine.

I had an internal scan at the early assessment unit when i was bleeding heavily with dd1. I was only 7 weeks so they said thet it was essential. It was quite distressing though as i was bleeding very heavily and got into quite a mess. At the end of the day it had to be done so i had no choice but i don't think i'd be happy aboput having one at 12 weeks, just because it's quicker.

I thought vaginal scans were just during the early days when eg a heartbeat wouldn't be detected through your abdomen/bladder. when I had bleeding at 12 weeks, the registrar said he wouldn't examine me internally because they'd rather not introduce the risk of infection.

Yes, I thought they were more usually used for earlier on. They classed this as a dating scan, and my dating scan with my DD was performed abdominally (at 12 weeks too), that was why I was surprised I think. Obviously, If they had said it was neccesary for babys wellbeing, I probably wouldn't have resisted. Hospital practices seem to change really often, don't they!

i have had internal scans twice. while my logical brain says it is just a procedure like any other - the wildly irrational brain says "oh god i bet this is what the aliens do to humans they have abducted" eeeuuuwww.

they use the internal one for v. early scans.

I've never been offered an internal scan, don't think they do them at my hospital but I've heard that they're very common in the United States. Usually at the first scan that they get around about 6-8 weeks.