Monitoring in a normal pregnancy

[user1485778793]

I'm just wondering what monitoring is during a normal pregnancy.

I'm 12 weeks in my second pregnancy. My first was high risk for several reasons and he died at 2 1/2 months.

I'm pregnant again and seen as high risk. I've had 3 scans already and 3 midwife and 2 obstetrician appointments. All is fine so far.

My friend is pregnant and low risk. She's paranoid that she isn't being looked after well enough as she hasn't had a scan only a midwife appointment at 9 weeks (She's 10 weeks now)

What is the standard midwife checks and amount of ultrasounds you would have if you weren't high risk?

I'm not 100% sure as this is my first pregnancy, but from talking to other mums I think It's barley anything, about 5 midwife appointments throughout and a scan at 12 weeks ish and then the 20 week scan and that's about it.
I personally get extra scans but not many more, think it's one extra, but that's because I'm at risk of having a small baby, plus I see a consultant because of this. I'm 28 weeks Monday. Third scan due in next couple of weeks.

A dating scan at 12 weeks (ish) and an anomaly scan at 20ish weeks. Midwife appointments at 8, 10,16,20,24 and 28 weeks. Then every 2 weeks from 32 weeks is normal.

20&28 weeks are area dependent though.

Some areas do extra scans (for growth, position etc) but standard is a scan around 12 weeks and another one around 20 weeks. You see the midwife fewer times with a second or subsequent baby and it does feel like you are being a bit abandoned at times. Typically you will see the midwife at 8, 16, 28, 34, 36, 38 and 41 weeks (assuming you are still pregnant in the latter weeks). Usually you need to have a blood test around the time of your dating scan and sometimes they are done at the same time. Otherwise the only other appointments are for vaccinations (flu and whooping cough) but they are not with a midwife.

If she has had her booking appointment she should have been given a book with the weeks her appointments will be in it.

In my CCG for a standard first pregnancy you would have a booking appointment some time before 12 weeks a 12 week scan and a 20 week scan

Then appointments at weeks 16, 25, 28, 31, 34, 36, 38 and then weekly until 42 weeks if you got that far.

To be honest there isn't much they can do to 'look after you' until much further on in the pregnancy so not sure what she thinks they aren't doing?

For a first time mum it should be booking in with midwife at 8-10 weeks. Scan at 12-13 weeks. Midwife at 16 weeks. Scan at 20-22 weeks. Midwife at 25, 28, 31, 34, 36, 38, 40 and 41 weeks. 2nd+ time low risk mums get the same but leave out the midwife appointments at 25 and 31 weeks. I haven't had a baby for 3.5 years now though so things may have changed since then. Your friend's care sounds fine. I'm so sorry about your little boy and I hope you have an uneventful pregnancy and healthy baby this time.

Thanks for replies.

She's had booking appointment with midwife at 8 weeks, has another booked for end of January and a 12 week scan.

I think because I'm the first of her friendship group to have had a baby she's going by my pregnancies as a bench mark, even though she isn't high risk, she's low.

So far for me everything is fine. But, we really won't know until 18 weeks when they start to look for the same condition my first baby had. But fingers crossed 95% chance of not having it again

Seems to me the main way the monitor my pregnancy is by testing my wee blood pressure and measuring my bump

Just echoing what's already been said, your friend will only get two scans if she has a normal/uncomplicated pregnancy, she then has the midwife appointments at the internals ellie mentioned (which are brief check ups), that's all that's needed and I'm not sure what else she needs or wants them to be doing?

I'm having a normal, uncomplicated pregnancy and actually take comfort in the fact they don't want to see me more.

Hope all goes well with your own pregnancy.