Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Hospital refusing to tell gender but will at a separate gender scan for a fee!

67 replies

thecakeisalie · 09/11/2013 20:44

We had our 20 week scan for dc3 yesterday and found our hospital have a non disclosure policy for gender. Fair enough some hospitals don't for various reasons including moral ones - however to then be told they do gender scans at a cost of £50 seems like a bit of con! So they will sell out on their 'morals' for a fee!

I'm not bothered about needing to find out privately as I know the nhs are scanning for health reasons, are limited on time and so on. So is it just us who think it's out of order for them to be charging?!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Applepiesky · 09/11/2013 20:54

Wow I think that is absolutely shocking!!

NickysMam · 09/11/2013 20:59

That's shocking!! it is a blooming con.. £50 as well?

worley · 09/11/2013 21:04

As a sonographer I understand why they won't sex them. I wish we didn't.. A few of the consultants are trying to stop it being part of the scan if parents want to know.
I think it's more than £50 at a local private company here for a gender scan..

At another hospital close to me their sonographers are unable to tell but can suggest that if they want to know they can pay the dr to scan privately and he will reveal the gender for them..

It's all being turned into a money making scheme sadly.

Original poster

thecakeisalie · 09/11/2013 21:08

So glad it's not just us that were shocked at this. I understand non disclosure policies are there for a reason but to then sell out for a fee seems bang out order! Nhs aren't meant to be trying to make money out of us. My Mum has offered to pay for a private scan as a Christmas present which is good otherwise we would end up having to have a surprise as we can't afford one ourselves.

OP posts:

VashtaNerada · 09/11/2013 21:11

Is it true they won't tell you in case you terminate the pregnancy on the basis of gender? Is that... like... a thing?
Or is it more that sonographers don't have time to do an extra non-medical check?

Original poster

thecakeisalie · 09/11/2013 21:11

worley - I know what you mean and I know the purpose for of the scan is to monitor the health of our baby. I just can't understand the trust deciding to implement a money making scheme.

There's local companies offering a basic gender scan for £45 so I'm afraid the nhs are not any cheaper.

OP posts:

VashtaNerada · 09/11/2013 21:17

FWIW the NHS were more than happy to tell us the gender. I think they could at least have a quick peek and let you know if they can't see properly!

Chocolatemolehill · 09/11/2013 21:19

I think it's shocking.
What are the reasons for non-disclosure policy, out of interest? Selective abortions? But Surely if somebody is determined to get rid of a child of specific gender they would have a private scan anyway?

neversleepagain · 09/11/2013 21:31

Our hospital were great. I was scanned 12 times (twins) and I asked 3 different sonographers the babies sex and they had no problem with this.

Your hospital is being cheeky.

bundaberg · 09/11/2013 21:35

you know, I thought it was pretty unreasonable when I first read the post...
but actually, it IS a bit of a waste of their time. The scan is an anomaly scan and should focus on that.
if you want them to spend time finding out the sex, then I guess you should have to pay for their time?

I think complaining that you'd have to have a surprise because you couldn't afford it yourself is a bit weird tbh. People always used to have to have surprises, it's not the end of the world!

Original poster

thecakeisalie · 09/11/2013 21:47

Just to clarify I do not expect them to do extra checks simply for the purpose of checking gender. I do find it odd that even if they spot the gender they will not disclose due to moral concerns but will for a fee.

I was mainly filling in as opposed to complaining that as we wouldn't be able to afford a private scan it makes £50 seem like a lot to us right now.

OP posts:

bundaberg · 09/11/2013 22:55

But they can't tell some people and not others, jyst because they happen to notice on some scans.

MrsHY1 · 09/11/2013 22:56

I think too much is being made of the 'extra time and work' it takes to sex the baby. Unless the baby is in the wrong position it seems fairly straightforward to do- or maybe I've just seen very good sonographers.

vj32 · 10/11/2013 06:09

Our hospital says if they see the gender they will tell you but they won't waste time looking for it. A private gender scan around here is £80 so sounds OK to me! I think we are going to get one if the sonographer can't see anything on Friday - that will be our second attempt to complete the anomaly scan as last week the baby was unco-operative. DS is convinced he wants a sister and I want to get him used to the idea if it is going to be a boy.

hazchem · 10/11/2013 06:18

I'm going to go against the grain and say I think it's totally fine for a hospital to refuse to provide an unnecessary service for free. Have they said it was for moral reasons? Or just we don't do that as part of the medical scan if you want it you need to pay?

Although personally I'm against routine scans without a medical indication as I think it removes women agency over their pregnant body.

HaPPy8 · 10/11/2013 06:38

Im a bit torn - on one hand i think its a great idea if the money raised is reinvested back into the maternity services. On the other hand i don't agree with privatisation of the NHS so don't think it should need to raised money this way and I wouldn't want it to lead to charging for other things. As it is, i think its a good idea as long as it doesn't lead to charging for too many other 'extras' that are really essentials.

WaitingForMe · 10/11/2013 06:46

Arguably unnecessary services at my hospital for pregnant/labouring women:

tours
mood lighting in midwife led unit
essential oils
CD players

Do we really need to go down that route? It's usually possible to tell the sex and people often want to know for sensible reasons - mine was partly that DSS1 can be a bit obsessive (SEN) and by visualising all the details he could about the baby, the calmer he was.

SaltySeaBird · 10/11/2013 06:57

I think it is fine.

We chose not to find out the sex and while we might next time I know the hospital don't like it. They have said it takes the focus away from the real meaning of the scan and that it can extend the duration (if it isn't seen as part of the course and the sonographer needs to hunt it out). They want to get people out of the mindset that the 20 week scan is the one where you find out the sex.

They charge for the photos too. I think that is quite common.

hazchem · 10/11/2013 07:16

Waitingforme I think those things would come under pain relief options for women so as valid as having access to an epidural.

I'd think having a child in the family with SEN could/would/should be considered a medical indication. It would come up as part of full antenatal care.

I guess the biggest thing is I think at the moment women don't have a choice to opt out of antenatal testing because they aren't then allowed to continue with standard antenatal care. Partly because having the scan is so normalized as part of pregnancy when it's really a medical test that needs to be used with other clinical work.

I totally shouldn't have clicked on this thread I've just finished an essay on antenatal choices so it's all going round and round in my head still.

picnicbasketcase · 10/11/2013 07:27

My nearest hospital do the same thing. The reason they give is that the 20w anomaly scan is medical and not for entertainment (you can only have one person with you) - but finding out the gender is 'social' and they'll do a separate scan at 24 weeks costing £50. You can bring the whole family to it and the photos are part of the fee.

Bakingtins · 10/11/2013 07:29

Is that true hazchen ? I have my booking appt this week and have been given an opt in/out form for all the testing including scans. I have no intention of refusing 20 week scan but it seems optional in our system.

PoppadomPreach · 10/11/2013 07:36

I understand that the reason for not disclosing gender is not because of risk of subsequent abortion, but because of the risk of subsequent increase in domestic violence against the mother as she is not carrying a child of the father's preferred sex.

Obviously the father will find out eventually, but in theory the mother and unborn child are a little safe until the end of the pregnancy.

So I am totally supportive of not revealing gender (and as the NHS is charging quite a lot less than a private scan I have no objections to the charge - they are not giving up morals for a fee, they are placing a barrier to try to help women at risk of domestic violence)

hazchem · 10/11/2013 08:55

Bakingtins yes the opt in/opt out stuff appeared to be a choice to opt out but for my treatment was very different and didn't take into account my reasons for not wanting scans. EG they wouldn't provide information that I would act on and that I was not in a risk group for any of them. I was asked about placenta priva(sp) but most women who have a low lying placenta at 20 weeks don't have one at 36 weeks. I know one anecdote is not date but I don't know anyone else who opted out.

Oh and even WHO doesn't recommend there routine use as it doesn't improve antenatal care or outcome significantly.

ivykaty44 · 10/11/2013 09:01

I agree - why should we get extras all the time for free, we need to start paying for the nice bits we don't need to have but take up time and money.

ivykaty44 · 10/11/2013 09:06

In fact I would like every treatment we get on the NHS price tagged so that everyone can see how much it costs - blood tests cost, doctors appointments, drug costs. Then perhaps people would stop and think about the cost they get through their taxes and not just take it for granted what we get for free through out taxes

Flip

1 2 3

Swipe left for the next trending thread