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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

can anyone recommend s/where for a private utrasound in London?

42 replies

madgirl · 31/03/2004 09:40

friend at work had scan at 21 weeks with ealing hospital, it's her first baby and it sounds like she had a horrible experience - really cold sonographer, wouldn't give out any information - when asked if there were 10 fingers and 10 toes, was told that parents-to-be were expected to love their child whatever they looked like, i was quite shocked. anyway, they have decided they would like to have another look and are happy to pay for it- does anyone know of anywhere in london/greater london that does private scans? thanks.

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sykes · 31/03/2004 09:47

My brain is disengaged this morning but my ramblings should, hopefully, provoke the answer. I've been to the Professor Nicolaides place - the Fetal Medicine Centre is the private arm, NHS is the Harris Birthright Centre (I think). It's on Harley St - the private arm and is excellent. It can be difficult to get appointments but the staff are wonderful - in my opinion.

bunny2 · 31/03/2004 09:50

Wont the Portland Hospital do one?

Original poster

madgirl · 31/03/2004 09:51

thanks sykes, i didn't know nicolaides did private work as well, well it doesn't have to be him i know but i have heard such fantastic things about him i can believe that the clinic's staff are good. do you know by chance how much it is?

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Original poster

madgirl · 31/03/2004 09:52

bunny2, bit scared of portland as 2 of my posh mates had their babies there and had nightmares both of them - v good at minibar and menus but not so hot on surgical care!

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WideWebWitch · 31/03/2004 09:56

here

sykes · 31/03/2004 10:00

madgirl, a price list is available from their web site, address is: www.fetalmedicine.com - sorry can't do links, tel: (0)20 7486 0476 . Think it's about £150 but could be completely wrong as I had various treatments there. The staff were wonderful.

Original poster

madgirl · 31/03/2004 10:14

blimey, wish i myself had known about this place before. (am 26 wks) it sounds wonderful, and the fact that it is under nicolaides, even better. thanks both sykes and www. will pass this info on immediately.

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smellymelly · 31/03/2004 10:20

I had one done at 9 weeks for ds at the Portland Hospital and they were great.

But the best one I had done was at BABYBOND, in Ashford Middx. 01784 244 975

WWW.babybond.com

At 15 weeks pregnant with DD I was desperate to know the sex of her, and this place was fantastic, they gave me 40 mins, (as long as we needed to find the sex,) and it was 100% confirmed. (They were very accomodating; the woman before me had her whole family in there.)

It was very relaxed and unhurried...

I got a video of her yawning and waving at me in my tummy, it is so special and my DS used to want to watch it all the time before she was born.

I had a really bad experience of a scan at an NHS hospital with DS, but the one at Babybond was the best thing I ever did.

Original poster

madgirl · 31/03/2004 10:54

smellymelly, thanks for that also. in the process think have recruited another mumsnetter

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SpringChicken · 31/03/2004 11:08

Can also second babybond - Have never been there personally but have looking at their website this mornign as i ahve been considering going for a private scan just to get the video etc.

Bear in mind with babybond that they do say on their website that this is purely for pleasure, it is not a scan as you would get from the NHS - they do say if they came across an abnormality in the process of scaning they would obviously get in contact with your hospital but they do not search for abnormailities as such.

P.S the pictures they show on the website are great

Blu · 31/03/2004 11:14

Can I be Blunt Blu for a second?
Madgirl, I'm sorry your friend felt she had a disappointing experience at her scan, because we all want every moment of our pregnancies to be special. But I do think that it is worth bearing in mind that as part of standard ante-natal care, a scan is primarily a medical diagnostic test, and she could perhaps spend a moment thinking whether her dissatisfaction is with the lack of an emotional chance to have a sneak preview of her baby, or whether she is not happy that any potential problems may have been dealt with.

My Baby does NOT have ten fingers and toes, in fact he is missing a whole bone in his leg, and even in the state-of-the-art scanning unit at Harris Birthright (Prof Nik and all), it was not possible to detect this before birth because the bones are not yet calcified and small ones do not show up well.

I know this phrase was used as a figure of speech, but she needs to be realistic about what can and cannot be detected. If it is the emotional chance to see her baby, there are lots of private scanning units advertised in baby mags. If she has outstanding medical concerns, a private scan with the Harris Birthright Unit (and I think you can pay at their unit in Kings) will probably be the best. BUT, they are likely to be businesslike rather than touchy-feely: I got the best scanning expertise there, but, until a problem was spotted (which it was) the staff were no more than professional, and were concentrating hard on their job, not being gooey about my precious baby!

Lesley76 · 31/03/2004 11:15

I know this doesn't answer your question.......but just wanted to say how sorry i am about your friend having such a bad experience. Dh and i had a wonderful time at our 18 week scan at local NHS hospital. It was done by the consultant, she took ages and showed us everything. Certainly counted fingers and toes, also showed us the chambers of the heart beating, bladder, all the internal organs, it was AMAZING.I think it really helped Dh bond with baby

Lesley76 · 31/03/2004 11:22

I think you are being a bit hard Blu. We already have a child who is profoundly handicapped, so i think we know how to love a special needs child. But I still think the sonographer's comment was a bit out of order.

Of course, medical science can't deliver us a "perfect child" but I think its reasonable to be given all the information they have about the well being or otherwise of your unborn child. This isn't about being gooey IMHO

Original poster

madgirl · 31/03/2004 13:55

Blu I appreciate your opinion but I have to say I am disappointed. It was meant to be a quick question for a colleague's wife, and has somehow turned into something sinister. Thanks everyone else for your feedback.

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highlander · 31/03/2004 14:01

............ and let's all not forget that the jury is still out on how 'damaging' ultrasound scans are for the baby.

The less the better IMHO.

Marina · 31/03/2004 14:07

Madgirl, there is the issue though that if your colleague's wife is concerned about the diagnostic aspect of her scan, she shouldn't have to pay good money to go private...if she can bring herself to, she should be complaining to the Women's Services Department at the hospital and asking to see another sonographer.

Batters · 31/03/2004 21:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Blu · 31/03/2004 21:46

Madgirl - Sorry, I really am. I just meant to get clear whether she felt that the diagnostic angle may have been neglected, or whether she felt cheated of the enjoyable experience a scan should be, cos the answer could determine where she should go next - as Marina says.

It came out all wrong, sorry, and I really hope your friend gets what she wants and what she needs.XX

WideWebWitch · 31/03/2004 22:01

Batters, you're right about Ealing Hospital, although I have to say I had fantastic treatment from them. Didn't have scans there though as was booked at QC to start with but was told this was the case - they won't give much info.

tomkitty · 01/04/2004 08:36

Madgirl, I am so sorry for your friend's experience. Life would be easier if these people would just spare us the attitude.

Try the Fetal Medical Centre in Harley Street and the Portland Clinic on Great Portland Street.

I have had one scan at each - both on short notice. They both were lovely and extremely efficent, scans conducted by doctors not just technicians.

Original poster

madgirl · 01/04/2004 12:18

thanks tomkitty for recommendations. jems, hello you! batters, don't mind you asking at all, just don't want this to become sth else, or some kind of moral forum. she is white european, and just very very nervous as apparently (just found this out) her sister is also pregnant (c 30 weeks) and found out at her 20 week scan that her baby has serious disabilities.

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carriemac · 01/04/2004 12:22

can i just reiterate that ultrasounds during pregnancy should be kept to a minimum and haveing one just to "see" the baby and get a video to my mind is unethical of the clinic- here are the safety giudelines
\linkwww.bmus.org/BMUS%20Safety%20Guidelines%20final.htm{}

Batters · 01/04/2004 15:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

smellymelly · 01/04/2004 17:14

carriemac - surely decisions taken during pregnancy are down to parents, I hardly think that getting a chance to 'look' at my baby, while only 15 weeks is a serious problem.

As it was, I actually had about 5 scans during both pregnancies most of which were organised by my GP because of my fibroids.

Perhaps mothers who smoke whilst pregnant may be more realistically putting their babies at risk than I ever did.

carriemac · 01/04/2004 19:12

Decisons down to parents during pregnancy? - responsible parents wouldo consider risks in an informed manner first IMO- which is why i posted the link

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