Scanning frequency for MCMA twins

[Graciescotland]

I have my 16 week scan and first consultancy appointment booked next week. I'll be 15+2 then I have my twenty week scan booked when I'll be 20+2. The guidelines say that I should get an 18 week scan as well and fortnightly till 28 weeks. Should I be pushing the consultant for this? Our local ultrasound department is overstretched and understaffed so I kind of feel bad.

Hi Gracie, you might be better on the multiples forum if nobody can help you on here.

My friend had twins, and she had fortnightly scans/appointment; I don't know when from, but I'm sure she had them past 28 weeks. Hope someone else can give you better advice. And congratulations on your babies

According to my sheet from an English hospital, it has an ultrasound slated fortnightly from 16 to 34 weeks. However, it says on the bottom of the sheet that this would be the case until a review in august 2013 so this might be outdated. Mention it at your appointment next week and get them to give you an outline of the up to date current pathway and book you in for week 18 if you're due one. It's very much in your babies best interest to have regular checks, so don't worry about how busy they are. Let them worry about prioritising who gets seen.

I have MCMA twins. 2 crazy, gorgeous boys. I was scanned two weekly from 12 weeks and weekly from around 28 weeks. I was private so I don't know if that made a difference from NHS care.

Hi. I'm 28+4 with identical triplets and we had an early scan at 8wks due to a previous pregnancy that ended at 27wks cos of severe abnormalities. We found at 8wks we were having triplets and have been scanned every 2wks. Thankfully all is well with our boys.

I would push for being scanned every 2wks if they don't like it then tough. Your babies are more important.

Hey there. I'm 23 weeks with MCDA twins and we have been offered fortnightly scans from 16 weeks onwards. From the care pathway information sheet, this seems to be standard practise. I would push for the scan at 18 weeks, your babies and your piece of mind is important. The staffing level at the ultrasound dept shouldn't have to be your worry. Congratulations and good luck!

MCMA are most dangerous and riskier of the twins so I would really push for the 18 week scan, and seeing as MCMA are usually all early ELCS due to higher risks when full term such as cord entanglement/compression, I would suspect that they'd offer you weekly scans at some point (as they did with me), so I'd check with them on that as well.

Different trusts have slightly different protocols but I would be amazed if you have to push for the extra scans as it is very standard procedure to scan MCMA twins at 18 weeks with a consultant, then you will have your routine 20 week scan with a sonographer and then fortnightly scans following that (in my department we alternate the scans between sonographer and consultant). Depending on how the pregnancy is going, this may change to weekly scans after around 28weeks but if all is going smoothly they may stick to fortnightly scans until 36weeks. Definitely weekly scans after that if babies have not been born by cs yet.

Please don't worry about adding pressure to the department, the sonographers will be more than happy to scan your lovely twins and know how important it is to monitor them closely. More than likely, at least half of your scans will be with a consultant so you won't actually be adding that much work to the department, although that is very thoughtful of you to worry! Remember all kinds of pregnancies require multiple scans for monitoring, not just twins, they won't think you are any sort of burden I promise!