Have I missed something?

[TruffleShuffles]

I currently live outside of the UK and am 19 weeks pregnant. I fell pregnant pretty much as soon as I left the uk, this was intentional but much quicker than expected. This has meant that the care at the beginning of my pregnancy was private as we hadn’t had chance to set us up to receive free healthcare yet.

This I thought had been going fine. I had a blood test at 8 weeks that checked for everything and showed if I was deficient in anything and showed all my glucose levels, iron levels etc. Also had a urine sample all fine. Then I had my first scan at 8 weeks just for reassurance basically then had a dating scan at 12 weeks along with the combined test for chromosomal abnormalities again all was fine.

The private clinic I was using didn’t like the long gap between the dating and anomaly scan at 20 weeks so I also had a scan at 16 weeks which was basically an anomaly scan and she checked everything on the baby and we also found out gender. I also had a urine test to test for any infections again.

I have now finally sorted the long process to receive free healthcare and have been referred to the obstetrician at the hospital but the doctor seemed to imply I had missed lots? She said I had missed important blood tests for my glucose levels but I thought these didn’t happen till when I had my 20 week scan? She kept saying because I was so late coming to the doctors I had missed a lot of care but I had shown her all my previous scans and blood and urine results which I though had covered everything.

So if you managed to get through all that is there major things I have missed and should I be worried?

As far as I can tell it seems ok. Have they received your notes? I know you've shown them what you have but could there be an extra bit they need from your private HCP? If the health service in your current country has a website could you have a check to see if they outline their maternity care on it?

Care in our area has always been very similar to your description though:

8w midwife booking in, blood and urine tests
12w dating scan and chromosome/nuchal measure (can't remember exact name)
16w midwife appt, urine test for protein and glucose
20w anomaly scan
24w midwife appt, urine test for protein and glucose, measuring and Doppler
28w midwife appt, urine test for protein and glucose, measuring and Doppler. Also a GTT if needed
32w midwife appt, urine test for protein and glucose, measurement and Doppler. Whooping cough vaccine.
36w midwife appt, urine test for protein and glucose, measurement and Doppler

should I be worried?

It's nice that they can test for a zillion things today. However, most pregnancys are fine. Women have had healthy babies for ages without dating scans and glucose tests. Of course it's nice to have all these tests and it means that they can help you in certain cases if something is wrong but I wouldn't dwell on maybe having missed a test. It looks like you are doing ok.

I have known several women who didn't find out that they were pregnant till around the 12 week mark so they missed tests.

I even had a colleague who didn't realise she was pregnant till 7,5 months gone (you honestly couldn't see it! She looked like she had middle aged spread and was middle aged...thought she had started menopause, bit hot, bit tired) so she missed everything. Baby was fine. Mum was very surprised but fine too.

Out of curiosity, in which country do you live now?

However, most pregnancys are fine
Yes most are, but 1 in 4 are not.

@TruffleShuffles please get every test available to you, no more, no less. And please please please remember kicks count. You can buy a band here www.kickscount.org.uk/Pages/Shop/Default.aspx

I'm not here to scare you, I am here because shit happens no matter who you are and I wish someone had told me/warned me, as I thought I was invincible (twice).
Just make sure you don't miss anything important. Best of luck in your pregnancy, it looks like you have done everything you need to so far anyway, keep that up!

Thanks for your responses, I am currently living in Spain.

They don’t send over your notes as you get everything and are responsible for it all so I took everything to the doctor myself. You’ve all been reassuring by thinking that so far I have done everything needed. I was just concerned as I know some tests are done at certain weeks as they are not as reliable at other times but I think I’m ok and haven’t missed anything important.

Maybe I didn’t get my point across well that this was my first opportunity to see her as I wasn’t previously in the healthcare system and she just thought I felt like I would leave it till I’m almost 20 weeks?! I’m at least now booked in for my scan and glucose tests though at the hospital so seem to be on track.