11 + weeks and no antenatal appointment or scan yet - when should I worry?

[gardeninggirl]

Hi I am 11 and 1/2 weeks pregnant with my first so am clueless. I have not had an antenatal appointment or scan appointment through yet.
Phoned the hospital who said you are on the system - wait til next week something should come in the post (but will be 12 weeks by then).
I am 35 will be 36 before my EDD. Worried in case I should be having scans/blood tests for screening within a certain time frame. If so should I just let the NHS take its time / hassle more / or book some privately?
Thanks!

Has your GP said if they do a nuchal scan where you are? If you don't know you need to ask

They need to do the nuchal between 11 wks - 13wks +6days

Thanks TheBlond -
GP not v useful - a locum who could not tell me anything about the local hospitals etc.
According to hosp website all women of my age get Naucal scans and bloods - but to be honest that is what I am hoping the booking appointment would tell me - cos I am not really up on what I should be having.
Sigh........ just being a bit hormonal and having a panic that I have got lost in the system ifykwim
Its weird when its your first (after yrs of trying to conceive) how little interest the NHS shows!

Okay well it's quite common to get a booking in appt after the nuchal scan

Call the hospital again on Monday to hassle for the scan date

This website has good info on all the available tests
www.arc-uk.org

its not good enough gardening girl. You should have had an appt by now. I would kick up a bit of a fuss.Phone the surgery and ask to speak to midwife or community midwife team.

anyway, congrats on your pregnancy.Try not to worry about it, but these days you seem to have to fight to get any sort of decent antenatal care--well, thats my experience anyway.

Don't know anything about nuchal scans but thought I would just add that my midwife rang me the day before I was to have my 12 week scan to tell me about it and told me to come and collect a letter from her at the doctors before I went to the appointment the next day.

I hadn't been too worried about it as had been in hospital quite a bit before with hyperemesis so hadn't really given scans a thought but thought it was a bit much ringing me to tell me about it the day before. I don't think everywhere is like that though.

Good luck with everything gardeninggirl .

you need to shout. where are you?

with DD2 at 11 weeks i hadn't heard anything, phoned my GP who said he had sent my letter to kingston as i requested, they were full, so they forwarded it on to west middlesex.
They had me booked in for first scan at 18 weeks! Not unusual apparently.

i had a freak out and insisted on a nuchal scan - just to get an earlier scan date. Was sent to Kings College London the following week.

If you don't manage to get anywhere with the hospital, try enlisting the help of the GP's receptionists. They send out the letters to hospitals and chase things like this up all the time... and they can check with a "proper" doctor what should be happening.

Thanks Girls for all your great advice.
I am going to jump up and down and make a fuss on monday if there is not an appointment in the post (maybe like Furryfox they are only planning giving me one days notice?! Work will be really pleased - not!).

At least now I won't feel like I am making a fuss about nothing - it sounds very like as some of you said - antenatal care has to be fought for

Like you advised I am going to call both the hospital and the GPs - and will see like you suggest if the receptionist or community midwife can help.

I did not realise the booking might be after the scan - so maybe thats why I have not I have not heard - I did expect the booking to be 1st then the scan!

Thanks for the website reference TheBlond - at least now I have a read of that I have an idea about some of the tests

• though mostly of lots of questions to ask when I do get an appointment!

Thanks again to all - l feel less panicked, hormonal and left out, and ready to be calmly assertive! !!
GG

I am 16 weeks and onlky booked in this week..my choice though!!

dating scans can be done up to 16 weeks.
Do you want screening?
I didnt so that doesnt count in my case.
looking forward to 20 week scan

aunty mandy - weren't you concerned that you weren't "really pg" until you had had the scan?
that's why i couldn't possibly have waited until 18 weeks.

I agree you must kick up a fuss if you aren't happy.

I'm not having the best of times with my midwives here in Fylde.

Am supposed to have consultant led anti natal care after my pg with DD2 went abit pairshaped. Am now 21 weeks and have seen a midwife twice and no consultant as of yet.

I suppose it also depends on where you are in the country. Both my last 2 PG's were in southampton and was with the birthing unit in hythe for my care which was so much better

did 2 positive tests got all the symptoms..its no 6!

Hi Auntymandy - 6 my god you are supermum!
I think the reason I am anxious is it is my first, I'm a 'geriatric' mum and had 'subfertility' well thats what my GP said - yet no one is interested yet. Yes I do want screening. I know I can get alot of answers from websites like MN - but it would be really nice to discuss some stuff with the professionals. I think I will feel better when I am in the system - ifykwim - not forgotten!!

Sorry to hear of your experiences so far megandsoph - hope you start to see some of the consultants soon!

GG

supermum no!!!
I am an oldie too!!

gardeninggirl - how did you get on?

GG - I hope they've given you an appointment for a scan by now. I didn't send the slip off because it got lost in all the paperwork they gave me so ended up ringing the hospital directly to sort out an appointment.

Hi girls - thanks for asking how things are! Its making me tearful that someone cares to ask - see: I'm pathetic over things at the moment.
Until 30 mins ago was a tearful wreck - despite phoning St Thomas's (there: named and shamed) and kicking up a massive fuss - somehow my referral (faxed by the GP on 2/1/07) did get onto their system but did not get flaged up for action - no idea why. They cannot find the original referral now - although they do agree they did get it.
So offered my booking appointment in february (when I will be ?16 - 18 weeks ) Would not worry too much but as it is my first I really want to sit down and ask some questions about their local care etc, and am finding out how difficult it is when you are 'outside' the system to get anyone to address any worries you have.
Anyway that appointment would mean I would miss blood tests. To be fair the head midwife of the antenatal unit did get me a scan appointment for 13 - 14 weeks(after 3 days of phoning trying to get someone to respond!).
DH finally pissed off with me crying this evening - he has gone and booked a nuchal scan and triple test (which I would have missed out on) privately tomorrow at 2pm. Bless him! But it pisses me off that if could not be organised on the NHS.
So now just really nervous about the scan!! Is there still a baby in there? Is it OK? etc etc etc
Thanks for all your advice girls - and for letting me rant
GG

One of my friends saw a young locum doctor with her first pg who unfortunately failed to tell her she needed to book in with the m/w. Don't know how long it was until she saw them. Don't worry about being late booking in. They don't do much and don't start measuring until quite late on. If you have any questions in the meantime, try posting on here. There are quite a few people who I suspect are in healthcare...

Hi GG, well i am glad that you have got something sorted! your dh sounds like a good one

tbh you were lucky to get in for a private test, when i had the same issue, i found everywhere was totally booked up so well done.

It's normal to worry - i am sure everything will be fine. Take care x