Anomaly scan delayed - too late?

[alliemarg]

Hi there - I was meant to have my 20 week scan this Monday but I got a letter today saying it has been put back until Dec 3! Not enough sonographers working at that time apparently. I'm fuming as I had been so looking forward to it and building up to it as well in terms of prepping myself, because we've had a v.bad experience at a scan before.

My question is, I'll actually be 21 weeks + five by the time I finally get it, does that sound too late/long to wait? I'm booked in for an enhanced look at the placenta as well as my first baby was born >5th percentile so I am worried things might be missed while I wait for this appt. I know it might not change anything but there must be a reason they look between 18-21 weeks :-(

They look then because it's the EARLIEST that such anomalies can be detected and still gives you a few weeks to make the unpleasant decisions if necessary.

When your'e slightly later on, around 22 weeks anomalies are more pronounced so should be easier to see.

So basically don't worry.

In my maternity notes the anomaly scan is down as being between 20 and 22 weeks so I don't think it's unusual. Mine was done at 22+5.

Not unusual at all. In both my pregnancies, the DCs wouldn't get into position for the anomaly scan, so I had to go back for a rescan at 23 weeks.
Absolutely no need to be "fuming", though I can understand the disappointment.

Thanks everyone, that's reassuring. I am still wondering if the additional enhanced ultrasound doppler needed to be performed at 20 weeks so I've emailed my consultant.

Runningupatthathill82 - apologies, fuming does sound a bit OTT but I'm fed up with this hospital - at my last birth I was recommended for induction ASAP but due to a lack of beds we had to wait three days and eventually I went into labour myself and still they had no room for me, despite being told I would definitely be seen as I was high-risk, consultant-led. I went to a hospital an hour away from home where the care was great, luckily.

It's fine. I had my anomaly scan yesterday at 22+6, no problem. My first was on the 0.2nd centile and I'm high risk for pre-eclampsia... I had an extra (grim) transvaginal scan a few weeks ago as my placenta was low and they wanted to check it wasn't attached to my c-section scar, but at my (large, teaching) hospital no-one has their anomaly scan before 21 weeks.

thanks BurningGubbins, that's really reassuring. Hope everything goes well with your pregnancy, glad the scan went well

Hi,

I had mine at 23 weeks and he was face down so they couldn't check the heart or face. They wanted to re-scan me but I had a 4d one booked privately for 25 weeks so they said don't worry about booking an extra one at the hospital just get them to check the bits the hospital couldn't see at the clinic if he's in the correct position or I'd have to book another one. Thankfully at my 4d scan he was in the correct position and they were happy to check for me. so I was nearly 26 weeks before they were able to check everything and nobody seemed worried about that.

Good luck op!