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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Scan at Kings college hospital, London - anxious

16 replies

SophieStripe · 04/07/2018 20:03

Hi, I am due to go for my 12 week scan this week. I'm really anxious. Can someone tell me please what to expect? How do the tests for Downs and Edwards etc work? Do you get the results straight away or do you have to wait? What other tests do they do or what else do they look for at the scan? Thanks

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Chedfords · 04/07/2018 20:14

Congratulations on your pregnancy! I have had both my 12- week and 20-week scan at Kings, or more accurately the Harris Fetal Medicine unit. It’s honestly one of the best in the country, it’s a research unit so I felt in really good hands. For the 12-week scan, you’ll have bloods taken before the ultrasound, but you get the blood test results straight after the ultrasound. Your odds for Downs/Edwards/Patau’s get presented to you as a statistic. For example, my odds of Downs were 1 in 16,000. If your odds are higher risk you’ll be offered more testing. Try not to worry though, they’re very thorough there and led by Professor Nicolaides who is a world renowned specialist.

OurMiracle1106 · 04/07/2018 20:15

They will be doing an ultrasound so will have some cold jelly on you’re belly and a screen to see the baby. You may be offered the option to buy scan photos or be given some depending on the hospital. You are likely to need to go for blood tests and this will be used along with measurements taken from the scan as to whether you are a low risk or higher risk. If you’re a low risk there will be no further tests. If you’re a higher risk the next tests will be discussed with you at that point. You won’t know the results straight away but should do within a couple of weeks if I remember correctly.

You don’t have to have the tests if you wish not to.

They will be looking to check pregnancy is within the uterus (so not ectopic) for a heartbeat. Measuring to date your pregnancy.

Some of the external partners I work with are kings college midwives and they are lovely! (But I may be biased by the Chocolates I was bought after my surgery) but in all seriousness if you’re concerned please do phone your midwife. They would much rather speak with you than have you stressed about things until your next appointment.

congrats on your pregnancy

Honeybee79 · 04/07/2018 20:53

Hello - I am due to have mine there next week and had my previous 2 there as well. They do the ultrasound and talk you through what they are looking at. Then they will "play" you the heartbeat. They also do some kind of check on your cervix, if I remember right. They take the measurement for the nuchal scan. They take bloods as part of the combined nuchal test. You then sit and wait for about 45 mins then they come and take you into a room and give you the results.

It is v busy there but in my experience v well run and the staff are kind. They know you're nervous.

Honeybee79 · 04/07/2018 20:53

Oh and congratulations!

Honeybee79 · 04/07/2018 20:57

King's give you a couple of photos and are happy for you/partner to take your own shots of the monitor etc. There might be quite a few people in the room as they host lots of researchers/students etc.

RicStar · 04/07/2018 21:02

They will do your weight and blood pressure in a examination room and take some blood. They might ask you about taking part in research which they will explain to you. Then they will take you to a scan room scan takes quite a long time 20-30 minutes. There has always been 2 people in the room - one will do the scan and will explain what they are looking at / for. the other person may ask you medical history type questions. Once scan is over you will be sent off for around an hour and when you come back your bloods will be back (!)- you will get a full scan report and blood results. It's very well organised imo- although super busy - building is modern and comfortable - staff are kind and professional.

DappledThings · 04/07/2018 21:06

King's don't print any photos now, if you want some you have to take photos of the screen.

As they are a big teaching and research hospital they usually have some study or another going on and may well ask for permission to take other bloods or measurements. Totally up to you of course but I always quite liked it.

Also means they have clinical fellows rather than sonographers doing the scans.

If your risk factor once bloods and nuchal fold measurement is higher than 1:500 (which it was for me both times) they will offer you the Harmony test.

Original poster

SophieStripe · 05/07/2018 18:56

Thank you for all your replies. It's getting closer now! I'm still so anxious about them finding nothing or finding something wrong but I'm glad to know they give you the results on the same day. Don't think I could cope waiting for the post or a phone call! I've been so so worried about missed miscarriage I just want the scan to be here NOW! Do they tell you/show you the baby really quickly? Like as soon as they spot it and see heartbeat do they spin the monitor around so you can see? I'm so worried there is going to be nothing there.

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Nightmanagerfan · 05/07/2018 19:06

There’s a huge tv screen in front of you that you can see straight away - they have their own monitor, so you’ll be able to see the baby too. Don’t expect it to look like a scan photo straight away - depending on which bit they are looking at and the baby’s position you may find it odd. I was at Kings in April and found them amazing and very compassionate.

Original poster

SophieStripe · 05/07/2018 20:09

Thank you. I unfortunately had a miscarriage a few months ago so am so nervous, even though this time I have no reason to be (e.g. No sign anything is wrong at all!). Last time it was a natural miscarriage but we had had a scan at 8 weeks where there was a heartbeat. Only ever went to Epu at Kings but staff were lovely there. I'm glad I'm at Kings it's definitely one of the best. Just crossing everything that it all goes well

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DappledThings · 05/07/2018 20:20

I had a miscarriage first time as well and also found all the staff at King's EPU really wonderful. As was the nurse when I ended up in A&E there because of it.

2 successful pregnancies since. King's is brilliant. They opened the Fetal Medicine Centre between DC1 and DC2. I was the first of my NCT group to go for DC2 and kept banging on about how lovely and shiny the FMC is!

AllTheNames · 05/07/2018 22:17

I've got my 12 week scan at Kings the week after next. This is going to sound utterly ridiculous but I'm aware they also do an internal scan so I'm wondering what on earth I should wear. Will they do one after the other or will I have time to remove my trousers/ get dressed again before the other? I'll be going straight from work and I'd quite like to not be lying there half naked for a significant amount of time!

Original poster

SophieStripe · 05/07/2018 22:30

I didn't know they do internal scan too? I thought it was just on the tummy? I had internal at the EPU because it was early in the pregnancy but I thought by 12/13 weeks they do everything external? If they do do an internal don't worry they give you sheets to cover yourself. You don't lie there half naked (well you are, but not exposed fully!). I was purposefully going to wear trousers and top because I thought it was tummy only, now not sure what to wear! Can anyone who has had scan recently confirm this?
Dappled sorry u have also been through MC but glad you had two happy events at Kings!

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Nightmanagerfan · 05/07/2018 22:36

They didn’t do an internal at my 12 week scan at Kings, and I’ve onky heard of people having them early on so I think you’ll be fine. I wore jeans and a top I could move up easily.

yummychocolate · 05/07/2018 22:41

I had my scan there yesterday. Yes they do an internal scan but only in the event they cannot get a good view of the baby during the external scan. Our baby was a wriggler so they couldn't get accurate measurements of the baby without doing an internal scan. Within the room there is a large screen to go behind to take clothes off from waist down. They gave big sheet of tissue paper to cover with. However, I luckily wore a skirt which made things alot easier.

All staff there are really professional and make you feel at ease. All the best.

DappledThings · 05/07/2018 22:44

With DC1 (2016) they asked if I minded an additional internal to gather data for one of their aforementioned research projects. They were trying to find a link between cervix length and premature delivery. I was told I had a "beautiful cervix" which is something you never expect to hear!

All totally voluntary of course and I don't remember with DC2 (last year) but I don't think they asked to do it that time.

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