Why is there an 8 week gap between seeing a MW?

[chattychattyboomba]

I don't get it. Last appointment was 20 week scan. Next appointment is glucose test on Friday (am 28 weeks tomorrow).
That's 2 months! Is it just me or does that seem a little neglectful? It would be helpful to see a MW and discuss things since I haven't even had the opportunity (or been asked) about where/how I would like to give birth, previous history, how I have been for the past 2 months! Etc
It's my 2nd baby so not sure why I'm surprised. I guess I forgot!
Anyone else think this is strange?

moomin - That's kind of the point though. There really isn't much they can do to tell you that 'all is well' by routine appointments in the first two trimesters. People who have lots of appointments because of high risk pregnancies tend to be having checks either on their own health issues, or far more in depth monitoring of the baby (like scans every few weeks) than could realistically or usefully be offered to everyone.

I do understand the feeling, but unfortunately there is very little routine midwife appointments at high frequencies would add to anyone's care at that point.

The fact u don't need to be seen all the time is kind of like reassurance all is well though IMO!!

I personally would rather be normal than medicalised!!

I'm also a first time pregnant and had enough anxiety and stress throughout this it's untrue!'having a review every two weeks doesnt relieve that anxiety one bit

I've had a lot less appointments this time (second pregnancy).

I think part of the reason for extra appointments in your first pregnancy is to give you information about pregnancy and babies rather than actual pregnancy related check ups. So what we get in second pregnancies is probably more "normal" and we just get extra in our first ones.

Your lucky lol i have to see mine once a month and inbetween that go the hospital every two weeks! Amongst other things its non stop! Im due my glucose test in a couple of weeks i think :s x

"I personally would rather be normal than medicalised!!"

I love this quote.. it has really started me thinking a lot about a project im working on, and will probably be used anonymously.

my question is "is there a space in the middle?"

or is there a space to be both?

Is one really worse than the other? Can medicalisation be "normal"?

sorry not really questions to be answered, jsut wanted to share my thoughts.

I wonder how many mums would opt for "medicalisation" if it was offered and if it would have an impact finacially etc. on the system compared with mums would could also chose to have less interventions?

Peeapod- are you talking about childbirth or pregnancy?

With natural being seen as aspirational at the moment peapod I sometimes feel I have to justify being "medicalised" as if I'm letting the side down. It's interesting - I think wanting/needing help can come with a stigma. People assume the woman has been pressurised, especially if they have no experience of why she might feel safer medicalised.

...and "normal" is a bit of a loaded word. Are we freaks to be pitied and avoided?

When I say normal I mean having a straightforward midwifery led pregnancy- I'm very aware there is no such thing as normal in any sense of the word!

I'd rather be medicalised than natural! I'd rather have all the knowledge of medicine backing up a good outcome and it doesn't bother me to have doctor's appointments or blood tests, or ultrasounds, or most of these very low risk tests because the benefits in the rare cases of complications are huge.

I'm the opposite. I know logically it's good that they're keeping such a close on me, but instinctively I just want to hide myself away somewhere and give birth alone without anyone bothering me.

Having had a very medicalised conception (lots of investigations and ivf) I'd now like to be left alone as much as possible.

I think pregnancy is a very anxious time. You are hyper aware of your own health (especially if you have spd/hg) and hyper aware of the health of your baby growing inside you.

One of the things that made me feel better was knowing that hormones can play a part in making you anxious (so thousands of years ago you would have stayed in the nice warm cave and let others do the foraging and risk being eaten by a tiger).

It's my first pregnancy but I'm still going ten weeks without a midwife appointment (I had my 16 week appointment at 15 weeks, next is at 25 weeks). I'm a natural worrier and I quite like how the NHS treats a straightforward pregnancy as totally run of the mill... I find it reassuring in a weird sort of way - especially as when I did have a concern a few weeks ago, I rang up the midwife on call number and was seen at the hospital within half an hour! She was so nice when it turned out nothing was wrong and said it's always better to call than not call.

I think 8 weeks is to long. I'm fully aware of NHS shortage of money, over worked staff ect but my personal feeling is that it's too long.

I'm one of the "unlucky" ladies that has appointment & after appointment, except I love my appointments & don't think I'm unlucky that I'm there every week - 2 weeks.

Good luck x

i think the NHS has kinda got it right with the balance but sometimes I do think more should be made of what to do in an emergency as its often left to the mums to figure it out when that emergency is happening.

i remember a weekend where there was a little bit of blood. when i rang maternity they basically told me off and told me to ring out of hours gp. The time I spent running round different people and wasting peoples time would have been saved if there were more info available.

I think medicene has its place but often I think it is often so blurry as to where it stops being natural and starts being medical. and that its the push towards natural birth in the NHS thats done that.

There is still so much medical intervention in maternity care. You still have medical appointments and scans and blood tests and immunisations and other interventions. It is a very medicalised time. From 30 weeks new mums are seen every 2 or 3 weeks.

I would rather be seen more regularly from 30 weeks and less earlier on than have more throughout the whole pregnancy. As others have said the time pressure of having lots of appointments alone is hard to manage.

From an evidence base point of view, a large study was done in schedules of antenatal care. Different ones were tried out and outcomes monitored to see if particular schedules were missing things or if other schedules were picking up non-problems. That study evolved into the current schedule of antenatal care in the NICE guidelines, for low risk women only obviously. You can be reassured that the evidence points to the current schedule as being good enough to pick up problems.

At 12 weeks, I was told who to ring if I was ever worried about anything, and at what point in pregnancy to ring a different number, and which number to ring out of hours. I have no doubt that if I had felt there was a problem, I would have been seen quickly. This is the sort of information that should be plastered all over antenatal notes and thoroughly explained to women.

Out of interest how does the NHS deal with common issues like women who don't have antibodies for toxo? I have a cat but no antibodies so I get tested every month so that if there is a problem there is a chance of catching it early.

In France (where the medical system is insanely well funded but horribly paternalistic and lacking in patient choice) they have one good thing: dedicated maternity A&Es. You can turn up any time with any querry. E.g. with my last pregnancy I had one afternoon and evening when the baby had not moved at all, whereas usually she moved loads. I was stressed out of my head and it was a huge relief to drive up to A&E be seen immediately and see a heart beat 2 minutes after walking in.

boo toxo seems to be a particularly French obsession. It is not routinely tested for at all here.

We have early pregnancy units which are a bit like a pregnancy A&E up to a certain number of weeks. You can self-refer to some. They are primarily for issues like bleeding on early on. You will get a scan and any other care needed. After that, you call your midwife.

Hardertokidnap- that's very interesting. And somewhat reassuring. Thanks for that.

Boo....I have no idea what toxo is (and I'm not going to google it!) lol

As for A&E specifically for pregnant women- brilliant idea.
As someone who has suffered mc at 11 weeks, I found it almost impossible to see anyone. My GP referred me to A&E (Newham at the time), they referred me to an 'early pregnancy clinic' which turned out to be an abortion clinic (!!!!!) they told me to go to a walk in clinic, who told me they don't deal we pregnancy related issues and to go back to A&E, who finally saw me, after 3 days bleeding, and left me in a consultation room for 3 hours (later found out they had forgotten about me more than once and kept having to repeat my story to several different people) who then told me I could not get a scan for another 5 days so sent me home not knowing what what going on. Upon returning for my (very invasive internal) scan, I was told abruptly 'no baby, sorry. See...no heart beat...you want suppositories or scrape in theatre? Or go home and let nature take it's course?' I opted for suppositories (did I mention while this procedure was taking place in a very public consultation room, a pregnant woman pulled back the curtain- oops! Sorry!) and was then sent to a packed waiting room full of happy pregnant women to wait it out, forgotten about again, and made my way home on a bus.

And THIS is why I have little faith in the system (also why A&E is overrun! No one seems to know where to go!)

ChattyChatty You need to complain. Go via the Miscarriage association. That was appalling care and against every one of their guidelines, I'm disgusted. I have had several losses and never, ever had anything like that happen, thankfully. Mine all went A&E - EPU - day surgery in a normal ward.
Unfortunately there are some rogue/nasty GPs and hospitals out there. They need reporting.

I agree about miscarriage treatment. Our local EPU was open weekday mornings only (because women don't miscarry evenings, weekends, or afternoons ). So I had to wait over the weekend. Then I was told to go up first thing on Monday morning. Only every other woman who had had issues over the weekend was also there first thing. Meaning I queued for about four hours, after walking through the normal maternity ward full of heavily pregnant women and babies. And to rub salt in the wound, when they saw me they said that there was 'no evidence of a pregnancy and had I had a positive test' (I complained about that, as well as a few other things).

If you feel up to it OP, a complaint might be a good idea?

eurochick to be fair toxo has a much higher prevalence in Central and Eastern Europe than Northern Europe so the French may not be that unreasonable for testing. We are in the south where we have much higher incidence of all bacterial nasties. For example, my horse, which has been vaccinated all his life against tetanus (annual boosters required for horses), had an arterial bleed and the vet re-vaccinated immediately. He was adamant that it was required due to the prevalence of toxo in the area.

chattychatty that is an awful experience, I am so sorry!

Squiz, penguins and boo, thanks for your support, but it was 7 years ago now so no point complaining... Just something I hope they have now changed and no one else will experience.