First scan at 20 wks

[scubamum2b]

I am only 6.5 wks pregnant and with my first. I found out today that in my area the first scan will not be until 20 wks.

I have been reading that some have scans at 6-8wks and as the midwife does not want to see me until I am nearly 9 wks, I was certain that I would have the 12-14wks one.

I am actually quite shocked that I will have to wait til I am nearly 5mths for confirmation things are ok. Also the possibility of twins (just found out my mothers' father was a twin and it runs on the mothers side doesn't it?)is not a good reason for them to do an earlier scan.

Anyone else who has had to wait so long for a scan? Could do with a bit or reassurance if this is the norm or not.

thanks

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been looking at another board where other ladies from Bristol and Oxfordshire rather than wait til around 20wks, have paid out £150 - 250 to have an earlier private one.

Another cr@p part of the heathcare postcode lottery.

all the best for tomorrow harman

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Where I live you are only offered a routine 20 wk scan too. This is my second pregnancy, and I told the dr I wasn't sure of my dates, so was given a scan at around 8 wks. I didn't see the MW until 13 wks, as I didn't want a nuchal scan, and there is no reason for them to see you before then really. Perhaps if you told MW or dr about possibility of twins, you may be offered one then.

I had one scan (external)at St Thomas's at 9 weeks due to bleeding and one at Queen Elizabeth in Greenwich at 10 weeks more bleeding (baby was fine both times). Had my dating/nuchal fold scan at 13 weeks and anomoly scan at 23 weeks (they do it at 23 rather than 20). If I hadn't been offered one I would have paid nothing better than seeing the little bubs on the screen made it real especially for DP who still goes on about seeing her yawn.

Dear Gals,
at the risk of alienating myself here, multiple scans in early pregnancy are not necessary! No-one is quite sure if ultrasound scans harm the baby so the safest thing to do is minimise the number the baby is exposed to - particulary in those early weeks when the organs are forming.

As regards to twins, a doppler can be used to quickly pick up a heartbeat and reassure mum all is well. A singleton pregnancy will reveal a heartbeat of about 150bpm and twin heartbeats overlap to give a rate of 200bpm. Apparently, it's pretty accurate.

The 20wk scan can date you and also pick up any gross abnormalities - one scan, baby's exposure to ultrasound minimised.

I was as desparate as anyone to 'see' my baby and had to wait until 17wks until the amnio. It was amazing and I could have watched it all day. I've been offered a 20wk scan as standard as well, but there's not really any point apart from a couple of things that can be picked up again at 30wks. So I'm declining the 20wk scan.

Anyway, this is getting a bit long-winded. But for everyone who is avoiding booze, soft cheese etc in the name of their baby's health, remember that avoiding unecessary ultrasound scans is another thing you can do to protect your baby.

Rant over, steps off soap box............

Actually highlander my sister had a 12 week scan and everything was fine and then at her 20 week scan a grosse abnormaility was picked up and the baby had to be terminated - this was traumatic enough at this stage in her pregnancy I dread to think what it had been like further down the line when we would have had to face all sorts of legal complications with view to terminating the pregnancy at such a late stage.

And as far as I am aware the danger to a baby from a scan has never ever been proved!!

scubamum2b,Congratulations.
when i first found out i was pregnant the area i was living in only did 20weeks so I went private to get the 12week scan done for reassurance. It was costly though at about £150-£180 cant quite remember. i found it worth every penny just for the reassurance that there was something inside me and everything was OK.
HTH