Fetal Medicine Centre AND NHS Scan??

[twoshoes86]

Hi There

We have booked the harmony package at FMC and so will have a scan at 10 w 5 days and then again at 12 weeks 5 days. I read somewhere else on here that others who had the FMC scans were then advised they didn't need the NHS scan, either by the midwife or the sonographer when they went.

Does anyone else have experience of this? Our NHS scan is booked for 13 w 5 days so it will be a week on from the FMC one. So, really I would like to have both but don't want to waste NHS time/resource. Should I advise the sonographer at the 13 week scan that we have already had the harmony test?

Any advice appreciated!!! x

I've done it both ways,

In one pregnancy I went private for scans and testing, did not get the 12 week NHS scan and this placed me out of the system and it was hard for me to book a 20 week scan.

In this pregnancy, I did all the pre-natal testing privately and went for the NHS 12 week scan and the sonographer was irritated and told me I should have informed them I'd had private testing and they would have given me a different kind of appointment. (But, after lots of private scans I had forgotten to bring my notes to the 12 week NHS scan. I may as well have turned up drunk for all the drama and disapproval that caused!. So, they were already irritated with me before we got to the private scan part).

I had the NHS scan in between the 2 at FMC that came along with having the harmony test. I read the same as you on another thread about somebody not having the NHS one but I think it's important to be in the system with the NHS! It didn't even really come up that we had had the private scans (I might have mentioned it to the midwife at one of my appointments, but not to the sonographer, I can't remember!). I don't see it as a waste of resource as it's important to get in at the hospital and get an NHS date assuming that the rest of your pregnancy will be under NHS care.

Another option would be to pay for your 20 week scan as well and not bother with any NHS scans. They won't tell you anything different from what I've experienced.

Thanks for the advice. I think I'll just be honest and explain what we have done privately. I'll let the midwife know at my booking in appointment too. Part of me is tempted not to even mention at the NHS scan just as a sort of double check...!

I just had harmony package at FMC, and because all was well I cancelled the NHS 13 week scan. I booked the NHS 20 week scan at the same time.

My understanding is that harmony is practically diagnostic for Downs (although they can't claim this) and that the FMC nuchal scan is more detailed than the NHS one.

Thanks Poosnu. I think will probably end up doing the same thing as you. Did you find the scans really detailed at FMC?

I've done both (I didn't realise the 12 week fmc scan was a combined one too)

I'd say you don't need the nhs scan. The fmc give you the results for your hand help file and another copy for you medical file.

The scans are really detailed and much better quality than the nhs ones.

Yes, the scan was more detailed than the NHS Nuchal scans I have had in previous pregnancies.

The FMC looked at more markers than the NHS scan in calculating the downs risk (disregarding harmony) so that assessment alone is more accurate.

The FMC also looked at the heart, spine and other major organs as part of the Nuchal scan, which I have not experienced at the NHS at this stage.

Also - the FMC are quite happy for you to bring your children to the scan, whereas with the NHS this is prohibitive.

I did both and it caused unnecessary stress as after getting he all clear at he FMC, he NHS raised concerns. I went back to FMC which has better quality machines and amazing doctors, they reassured me that NHS scan had not taken account of certain factors and I was low risk. NHS still classed me as high risk and advised Amnio. It was awfully stressful. This was before Harmony.

With subsequent pregnancies I had Harmony at FMC and scans there too and told the NHS. NHS didn't scan me, took FMC reports and got me into the system with no problem.

I should say - I'm still very much in the NHS system.

When I cancelled the NHS Nuchal they were very happy to book the 20 week scan as normal.