Booking in appointment... Did they just take my word?

[AnguaUberwaldIronfoundersson]

This is a really random thought I had and I wondered if anyone else was a weirdo like me and had the same bizarre thoughts...

I had my booking appointment last week, complete with urine test and blood tests. I was wondering whether my urine or blood was used to test for my HCG levels to confirm pregnancy (obviously without my knowledge) or whether the midwives just literally took my word for it that I was pregnant?

I'm curious because I understand how stretched the NHS are, how limited and stretched the midwife labour resource is and how long I have had to wait for my booking in and scan appointment. Are there people who genuinely go to waste the time of the NHS? Are there people who are ill in some way (Munchhausen's, etc) who have convinced themselves they're pregnant (caveat... I have no idea whether people with Munchhausen's would exhibit this symptom!) and do the NHS refer them for further testing and a scan without confirming they're pregnant?

Or do they just dip my wee at my first appointment and am I overthinking it all?

I actually asked my midwife at my booking appointment if they just take my word for it! I'm originally from a different country and the GP will do a blood test first to confirm your pregnancy etc so this was all very strange for me!

Oh, I see, sorry I misunderstood brazzle. My GP would always ask if I could be pregnant for any unrelated thing, but not offer a test - I get the impression that in my (somewhat cash-strapped) area they've been trying to cut down on pregnancy testing for some time!

I was wondering the same!

On one hand, you cannot lie for long: if your booking apt is at 6 or 8 weeks, you have until the 12 week scan to lie.

On the other hand, once you hand your urine over, it's so easy to just dip a stick in quickly. I once discussed getting an X-ray, and said I'd rather not as I might be pregnant, and they just went back to the urine sample I have them and 30 seconds later told me I'm not.

@AnguaUberwaldIronfoundersson i'm in Manchester and I've had the same issue. Just rang up and told them i'd had a positive test and they just booked me straight into the midwife for when she guessed i'd be about 8 weeks.

It's crazy isn't it! It makes me a bit concerned that this is all in my head and I've convinced myself i'm pregnant and then i''ll go to the 12 week scan and nothing will be there! I'm aware this is HIGHLY unlikely but i'd just have so much more peace of mind if someone else told me I was pregnant as well! (Can you tell this is my first time)

I think they take your word for it, when j questioned them on this they said the tests are so accurate and based on my last period etc it was very likely. You'll soon find out at the scan anyway. Congratulations btw

@JessicaFaithH me too! I had an early scan at 8 weeks and I still don't think it's real! If it wasn't for the constant exhaustion and the sickly nausea I would just think it is my PCOS playing up and my period is REALLY LATE

That is why I always find it a bit weird when people see their booking appointment as a big milestone/stress a lot if they don't have it as early as possible - it tells you nothing! You just give them some information, and as you say if you weren't pregnant at all it would still be the same... I was very anxious and impatient for scans because I saw them as actually giving me useful information about the pregnancy, but I put my booking in off for as long as possible (had it at 11 weeks) because after multiple previous miscarriages I was worried about going through all the admin pointlessly.

My word was taken for it by the midwife.

My GP practice did have on their system that I was pregnant due to a very early scan, but that information wasn't passed to the midwife as in my area you self-refer.

That is why I always find it a bit weird when people see their booking appointment as a big milestone/stress a lot if they don't have it as early as possible

Depending upon the policy in the part of the country you live in, that appointment date could delay when you are referred for your 12 week scan and if it is late you might be too late to have the combined test and have to rely upon blood tests alone for chromosome abnormalities. That test is not as reliable and that can cause a lot of unwarranted stress or worry to people.

@Kt2108 Im in South tyneside also and they beleived me, my partner thought it waa crazy they didnt retest!
I showed her a photo id taken of my pregnancy tests tho, so at least she saw i wasnt lying

@captainshortie I kind of wanted to be retested! I understand why cos £££ but had me questioning myself until I actually saw it at the first scan! X

Just took my word. Wasn't until my 12 week scan that they would have really known. In that time I had a drs and midwife home visit.

But the amount of people that would actually lie is minuscule compared to the amount they would spend retesting everyone.

I wonder how many people have phantom pregnancy? One of the pandas in some zoo faked a pregnancy and was even able to produce the appropriate hormone.

@coragreta this is what i'm worried about ha - I've watched far too many medical dramas that show this a plausible event Currently spending a small fortune on tests - figure if they show up positive daily then I've not made this up ha.

@LisaSimpsonsbff at the booking appointment they look for medical and social reasons why the pregnancy could be considered high risk, do/arrange any additional screening tests that are needed and then ensure from then on additional specialists are engaged as early as possible. This is one of the reasons some see it as a milestone/big stress.

I thought you didn't get the free prescriptions until after 20 weeks so that wouldn't work to be a reason to do it?

Nope if you're pregnant you get free prescriptions as soon as the midwife/gp sign the form, if you waited till 20 weeks that's half the pregnancy gone when you might have needed the prescription/dental care.

I’ve always got the form for free prescriptions at my booking in appointment but I am sure there will be a clause that it isn’t to be used if your pregnancy doesn’t continue.

@Kt2108 My OH wanted them to retest just to have an "adultier adult" tell us its true haha! (we're both 25)
Don't think it'll properly sink in until he see's it on the screen x

@captainshortie I'm 30 and that's how I feel!

I'm in Manchester also and I thought the same thing! They didn't check.. But I figured they would know if you were lying sooner or later!

@JessicaFaithH Crazy right! I feel like it should be an option maybe? Just to put our minds to rest, that someone "official" knows haha :P I agree it'd be crazy thing to make up, but people do weird things!

I asked the same thing. My midwife said that in her 12 years she had only one lady who sadly was 'making it up' at the booking appointment.

You can get your exemption card straight away and the letter that comes with it says you’re entitled to use it till the date it expires whatever happens with the pregnancy so if you miscarry you can still use it.