Can't get first appointment or scan until 14 weeks

[Cohyn92]

Hi all

I was due to go for my first midwife appointment today but unfortunately the midwifes poor 5 year old son had a fall at school and split his face open so she's had to cancel (understandable), and she couldn't be more apologetic.

The only thing is that she now can't fit me in until 23rd when ill be 14 weeks. Is that really late on for a first appointment? She said she'd get my scan booked in for within days after it but I can't help that worry I am getting left a little late.
She said herself for me to ring first thing tomorrow and see if they can pop me in a cancellation for sooner but can't be 100% they will be able to.

Can people put my mind at rest please because I'm feeling guilty on my baba at the min and my partner is so disappointed we have to wait even longer.

That's not acceptable. Your scan needs to be done by 13+6 at the latest to enable them to do all the screening tests accurately. I'd ring up again and say you're not happy to accept that date.

OP may not help but can you afford private? Our local nhs hospital lost my maternity referral and couldn't get me in till 13+5 but I remembered that in my previous pregnancy, they couldn't complete the dating scan the first time as DD was too wriggly still is so I had to go back a week later.

When they offered me that 13+5 appt I thought it left no wiggle room in case the same happens, so I booked in for a private dating scan a fortnight before which cost £89. Is that an option?

I had my scan at 14 weeks. I thought I was 13+3 but I was a bit further on. I opted not to have the testing done though so maybe it doesn't matter as much. If you are having the nuchal test done, I would ring and emphasise that, especially if private is not an option

Agree with others that you need to go in well before that. Here in the US they try to have scanned by 12w6d so if they need to rescan they can do. The first scan is considered more important than the second scan here, I assume because that is when you would pick up a bigger issue and you can terminate the pregnancy if you want to.

Also do not go private. This is something that should be covered by the NHS. It sets an awful precedent if the expectation is that residents pay for very necessary medical care.

Your booking in appointment should be done before 9+6 & your scan before 13+6. I'd call up and talk to someone. Are you working dates from LMP?

If you don't have your scan done by 13+6 or the nuchal-fold translucency test isn't accurate - that's one of the best predictors of a number of abnormalities.

If you are certain that no abnormality could be revealed that would make you think twice about the pregnancy then it doesn't matter that much.

If you aren't certain of that, then you need the scan done sooner.

They might be able to book in a scan for you at the hospital ultrasound unit without you having been booked in?

If not then I would investigate paying for a private scan but that would have to be a full medical scan - many private ultrasound services are only able to offer "reassurance" scans ie checking for a heartbeat, or checking genitalia for a prediction of sex.

Sorry reading the above back it looks confusing "having been booked in" is the term midwives use for having had the long first appointment to take a full medical history and identify any particular risks.