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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Retroverted uterus and anterior placenta - a wee bit disappointed...

29 replies

crazycatlady82 · 11/04/2015 16:02

Hi,

I went for my 12 week scan yesterday and was told that I had a retroverted uterus which was making it difficult to see the baby. I was also told my placenta was lying in front of the baby which would make it more difficult again.

I had wanted a downs test which should have been done yesterday however it couldn't be due to the baby's position.

I was asked to empty my bladder, jump up and down to encourage the baby to move but nothing. It did have the hiccups though - Teeheehee!

I have a wonderful picture of my baby but it wasn't quite what I thought it was.

I have since found that the accuracy of the downs test reduces after 13 weeks (ie tomorrow).

I am also a tad disappointed that I may not feel baby's movement until 22-24 weeks! That's 6 months! As my mother pointed out...

I had also read that sometimes an internal scan is done, however I wasn't even offered one. Instead I have been asked to come back at 16 weeks. I feel this is too long, especially for the downs test.

I maybe shouldn't but I feel a bit deflated.

I have decided on the back of this lack of downs test to have the harmony test and take my mum and dad with me. My mum has bowel cancer and is having surgery 2 days later so I am hoping this experience will be uplifting for her prior to her surgery (her prognosis us quite good).

I do have a husband but he thinks I worry too much and doesn't think the harmony test is necessary. It's not, but on the other hand I would like the reassurance it brings. Mum will also see a 4D scan which I think is another wee perk prior to her going into hospital.

I realise I haven't asked a question but more just voiced how I am feeling.

Thank you for anyone who has taken the time to read my post. No need to comment. I think I just needed to vent.

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MustBeLoopy390 · 11/04/2015 16:10

Is this your first baby? I have anterior placenta but this is my third baby, and I felt movement (flutters) at 14 weeks, i can't advise on the harmony test as I've not heard of it, if you feel you want it then go for it, congrats on your pregnancy :)

LorelaiVictoriaGilmore · 11/04/2015 16:11

I know that you said no comment... But I just couldn't help myself! I had exactly the same as you and a total nightmare at the NHS scan. I even asked for an internal scan and was told 'that won't work'. Ummmm, ok. But the next day I had an internal scan at the FMC (along with the Harmony test) and they could see the baby so well, they could COUNT HIS KNUCKLES (and more importantly, get all the measurements they needed)!! I had a great experience having a private scan and found getting the Harmony test results immensely reassuring (even though, like you, DH thought I was being a bit OTT!)

Also despite retroverted uterus and anterior placenta, I felt the baby by 17 weeks and by 20 weeks DH can occasionally feel the baby from the outside!

I hope that cheers you up and that you and your parents have a much nicer scan experience this time around!

PenguinPoser · 11/04/2015 16:26

I had an anterior placenta and felt movement at 16-17 weeks (flutters) so you might get some earlier. Sounds like a nice idea to take your mum to the other scan though. Hope it is a positive experience for you.

Original poster

crazycatlady82 · 11/04/2015 16:29

Hi,

Yes first pregnancy.

Thank you Lorelai, I have just started filling up with relief!!! I don't even usually cry! I don't think I realised until now how much it was upsetting me.

It's reassuring to know someone else has been through something similar and had a positive outcome. I really hope they get a clear view. I'll be 14+6 on the day of the scan.

Oh that was the other thing. I didn't get a due date either as they couldn't do the measurements.

Thanks again ladies

OP posts:

anxiousannie10 · 11/04/2015 16:31

Have the Harmony Test, £500 but worth it !

Original poster

crazycatlady82 · 11/04/2015 16:33

Appointment for harmony booked for the 25th ??

OP posts:

KittyandTeal · 11/04/2015 16:33

I had an anterior placenta and felt baby move from 14 weeks.

A harmony test is an option, the fmc do a decent package. Their scans will be better as they have better scanning equipment than the general nhs (places like kings have the same quality which is how our baby's 1 soft marker on the 'normal' nhs scan turned into 5 at Kings the next day)

I imagine the 16 week appointment won't be to measure the nt but for a quadruple blood test which is slightly less accurate. Have you been told this appointment is a scan or just an antenatal?

SunbathingCat · 11/04/2015 16:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LorelaiVictoriaGilmore · 11/04/2015 16:44

Glad you're feeling better. It's such a stressful thing, I'm not surprised you cried! I did! But it was all smiles at the private scan! Fingers crossed for you!

Original poster

crazycatlady82 · 11/04/2015 16:46

My NHS one at 16 weeks is just a scan. No midwife. That's at 17 weeks.

The sonorgapher was very nice but she didn't say much about the Down's measurements as she just kept saying it was too difficult to see the baby.

She was very nice about it.

It's weird husband left happy and satisfied but I left confused.

Hence wanting the harmony. Also I feel if anything is amiss I want all the information sooner rather than later.

OP posts:

LittleBairn · 11/04/2015 17:25

I have an anterior placenta, slap bang in the middle. I felt movements from 18 weeks but I've had previous pregnancies so I knew what I was feeling.
I'm 39 weeks and my DH has still never managed to feel her move but that seems fairly unusual most DH/DP feel the baby move after 30+ weeks I just have a rather inactive baby.

The only other complication is that nearer the end of your pregnancy you are more likely to go in to be put on a trace monitor because of reduced fetal movements because the baby is hiding behind the placenta.

A transvaginal scan really won't show you anything more than you have already seen and I'm not sure if its possible at all to do the downs syndrom test during it. I've had about 12 transvaginal scans this pregnancy (nothing to do with anterior placenta) and they were far less clear than abdominal in fact I think you can only really see the cervix/uterus/head I'm not sure we ever saw anything more they aren't used to look at the baby.

Sarah2519 · 11/04/2015 20:06

I had an anterior placenta and didn't feel baby move until about 20-23 weeks and she was fairly chilled so didn't have lots of movement at all now I look back. I felt a bit sad at the lack of movement but when others told me about them not sleeping because baby moved so much or being very uncomfortable as baby jabbed them in the ribs I felt a bit better about feeling it less!

teejayem · 11/04/2015 22:15

I've got a retro uterus and an anterior placenta OP - DS1 is currently 32 weeks and I am watching him poke through my stomach as I type! It took a bit longer for me to feel movement, probably 18-20 weeks, and then another few weeks before I could feel them from the outside, but I definately felt them eventually!

SophyStantonLacy · 11/04/2015 23:27

I have a retroverted uterus. As it is my normal I can't say for sure but it hasn't made any difference to my pregnancies... In this pregnancy (dc3) I also have an anterior placenta, I definitely did feel movement later than with the others but started to feel it around 18-19 weeks, am now at 28w have strong kicks & movements that others can see/feel.

I hope you have a nicer scan experience with your parents & good results from the harmony test.

LorelaiVictoriaGilmore · 11/04/2015 23:33

It is totally possible to do the Down's syndrome measurement on an internal scan. They also looked at the top of my baby's head, the blood going in and out of the heart, counted its knuckles on both of its hands, looked at its spine etc. etc. etc. Maybe it's just not possible using an NHS scan? The technology at FMC was obviously much more advanced and they could see everything!! So, so much better than the NHS abdominal scan. You could barely tell that it was a baby in the NHS scan! Anyways, they can most definitely be used to look at the baby! They showed me everything and it was really clear what we were looking at! They could also tell that it was a boy (and Harmony test confirmed)!

LittleBairn · 12/04/2015 07:35

Like sarah I have slept really well this pregnancy even at 39 weeks the baby doesn't wake me in the night.

Loreli my transvaginal scans were all NHS but they were high tech fetal medicine unit ones. That said mine were very quick and done for the sole purpose of checking my cervical length.

Original poster

crazycatlady82 · 12/04/2015 08:30

Lorelai

I had a private scan at 8 weeks as I thought I may have miscarried on holiday as I had some spotting. My GP was fantastic, however unfortunately my midwife was quite 'factual' for want of a better description. Not comforting just said 'it's not normal but it's not unusual'.

The scan I received at the private clinic in glasgow was great and the sonographer picked up the heart beat immediately. She also didn't need to do a transvaginal scan.

This may be another reason I am a little confused about how challenging the scan was on Friday. I wasn't made aware of any potential problems at the 8 week scan, however the baby is bigger now, which may affect things. Although it is only the size of a kiwi fruit (my trusty app tells me).

My scan and harmony are with the same company but through in Edinburgh so I hope the care is as good through there. I'm sure it will be. I was going to have to wait until May to have the test here in Glasgow which I felt was too long.

I am starting to wonder if it's just the NHS equipment which needs updated.

I should say overall I am very pro-NHS (I even work for them), but private healthcare is different. They have more time and better equipment, which at this time is greatly valued.

OP posts:

KittyandTeal · 12/04/2015 09:05

Crazycat I would agree. I'm very, very pro nhs. We have had a terrible life experience but the nhs were wonderful.

Saying that, yes, it would be wonderful if all the nhs equipment was at the same standard as the fetal medicine specialist centres or the private clinics.

I was really surprised at the difference in image quality between our local nhs hospital and the equipment at Kings (still nhs patient)

Saying that I guess the amount of money it would cost to replace the equipment would be huge and seeing as abnormalities are fairly uncommon it may not be money well spent.

We were very lucky that our nhs sonographer was very careful, she could easily have missed the small brain defect that triggered our scan at Kings (where they picked up a lot more)

Fattycow · 12/04/2015 09:10

I have an anterior placenta and got my first movement at 12 weeks and this is my first baby. It only started in one spot, but I slowly got more movement all over the bump and now (at 28 weeks), the kicks cannot be missed.

sianihedgehog · 12/04/2015 09:11

I have a retroverted uterus, anterior placenta, and a big fibroid in the way, so my scans have been a bit tricky, too. I opted for the Harmony test package at the Fetal Medicine Centre, which includes a nuchal scan, and therefore opted out of NHS screening (also very pro NHS and wanted to save them money) so I can't really compare to the NHS, but they did really struggle. I had to lie on my side, cough, jump, pee, drink water, etc, etc, but they got there in the end. I think it took around an hour.

I also felt movement way later - around 21 weeks, as other people have said. The Harmony test is great, though, I think you'll feel much more confident in the results from it than you would from the NHS screening, and if you ask they can tell you the baby's sex as well. I'm glad I had it, and maybe this will mean that you have a more relaxed pregnancy in the end, too. :)

LorelaiVictoriaGilmore · 12/04/2015 10:50

I am very pro-NHS too, but like with any big organisation you will have some staff that are better than others! The sonographer I had at 12 weeks wasn't very nice to me and rather undermined my confidence by muttering 'I can't see a bloody thing!' under her breath and (when trying to save images) 'God, I hate computers!' I dunno, the whole thing just seemed a little unprofessional and she seemed genuinely annoyed with me that she couldn't see better. I have just put it down to one bad experience and a sonographer at 430/5pm on a Friday. That said, I'm feeling quite fragile emotionally (argh, hormones!) so have decided to go private for the other scans since I can afford it.

OP, I'm not at all sure about this and others may correct me but I wonder if a scan was easier at 8 weeks because the placenta was still developing then? Also, although what they are looking to see is smaller on an 8 week scan, they also don't need to see it in as much detail. That said, it may just be better equipment.

I'm sure you'll get great care in Edinburgh. Xx

Carrierpenguin · 12/04/2015 14:52

I have a very retroverted uterus and anterior placenta. At 12 week scan the sonographer couldn't see baby properly, so I suggested doing a transvaginal scan as I'm very familiar with them as had loads for ivf. Sonographer wasn't keen at first, but I was quite insistent as desparate to have all checks and combined test done.

It's not true that nt can't be measured transvaginally, my sonographer did it and also got excellent pictures, she said it was one of her best scans ever due to clarity.

Carrierpenguin · 12/04/2015 14:52

Oh I didn't feel movements until 21 weeks, but you may do sooner!

Original poster

crazycatlady82 · 12/04/2015 18:47

kitty I think you are right, because the majority of pregnancies are straight forward it probably doesn't make financial sense to have the most sensitive machines in every unit. I am very sorry about the defect that was found. I hope you have had success since

fattycow its good to hear you could feel movement from 12 weeks as it gives me some hope.

It sounds like the feeling of movement is very variable between person to person and between individual pregnancies. I think I will just need to wait and see. I definitely haven't felt anything yet.

sian delighted things are going well for you. I think I am going to opt out of my planned 16 week nhs scan. I don't want to waste their time if I have already had a scan and harmony test.

Lorelai I think your sonographer sounds quite unprofessional, especially when seeing pregnant patients who are more vulnerable at the best of times! I really feel for you. It sounds like a horrible experience! My sonographer was at least pleasant.

I will probably go for one, possibly two more private scans before the birth. It perhaps sounds selfish but I don't want to risk unclear views and then booking a private scan at short notice when I can be a little more organised. The other great thing is that I can make these appointments for evenings and weekends so it doesn't interfere with work for either me or my husband. He has actually agreed to more private scans and now reluctantly admits the harmony is a good idea...

Carrierpenguin I think they perhaps could have done a transvaginal scan but they didn't mention it. I think I was so taken aback by the fact it wasn't going the way I had imagined that my mind went blank and I just didn't ask anything. I am a little annoyed with myself I wasn't prepared for the 'unexpected'.

OP posts:

KittyandTeal · 12/04/2015 20:17

I'm only 3 months on from our dd2 still birth, we're hoping for some success in the future but it's not going to be easy.

I will be seeing a lot more of those sensitive sonograms and the staff at Kings and the fmc if we are lucky enough to conceive in the future.

I hope you manage to get the tests you need to reduce your anxiety.

If you do see the fmc I can guarantee the staff are wonderful, we saw their team at Kings for my amnio and later my tfmr (they do part time in the nhs and part time private in Harley St) they were very straight talking but sensitive as well.

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