Can't stop crying - baby measuring 8 weeks at 12

[Firstbornunicorn]

Had my 12 week scan today and the midwife couldn't get a good picture. All she could make out that was remotely baby-like was a foot. She could hear the heartbeat but not see it. She said that the baby was only measuring 8 weeks and asked about my dates.

My dates are correct. I'm 100% certain of that for reasons I won't go into now. Anyway, the date she gave means I'd have had a positive test before I was even pregnant.

I tried to tell her this but she wasn't interested. Attitude was very "stupid woman has her dates wrong". I had a scan at A&E at 8 weeks which was fine. She didn't have a record of that so wouldn't take it into consideration.

What do I do now? Just sit about and wait for my 20 week scan, when I'll actually be 24 weeks?! Just need a bit of a handhold, please 😭

Sorry that you’re having to deal with this. Was it a midwife or a sonographer who did the scan? Hopefully you have had your booking appointment with the midwife. I would call her. It’s normal to move EDD based on the dating scan but a discrepancy of four weeks surely needs to be investigated.

PS was it an abdominal scan? Sometimes an internal scan is clearer even at12 weeks but not all trusts offer them.

Sorry about the attitude of your sonographer. Have you tried ringing your midwife and talking to her about it? Hope things work out ok.

I would certainly speak with your midwife.

It was my midwife who did the scan. She was very handwavy and is just certain my dates are wrong

If dated at 8 weeks, you would surely be scheduled in for another scan when they think you will be 12 weeks? Could you look into a private scan?

@Thesearmsofmine I think I'm going to have to try to get a private scan. I don't know what is going on. You should see the scan pic they've sent me home with. Just a blurry blob.

Are you in the UK? The 12 week scan should be done by a qualified sonographer as it is a medical assessment. Follow up with your GP, hospital or antenatal department, you definitely need a better assessment than this.

Oh @firstbornunicorn I’m so sorry you’re going through this. Can you try a different midwife? Or the EPU?

That is weird. Are you in the U.K.? If your dates are correct then you are in the window now for nuchal measurement.

I agree that if she thinks you are 8 weeks then you should have another scan for 12 weeks where they would offer the combined screening etc. You havnt been given enough support or information from your midwife at all and I am shocked at her attitude. I would try and speak to her again or speak to your local hospital early pregnancy unit for further advice or support. Sorry you are going through this xx

Thanks, everyone. I'm in Northern Ireland where we seem to get substandard care on a lot of things and it's completely normal here for midwife to do everything. Just had a phone call saying they want to repeat scan in 2 weeks. They don't have the facilities to do an internal scan, apparently and it's not an EPU issue (??). I just feel like I'm being fobbed off because obviously she knows better??

Wow, this sounds so horrible! Can't imagine how stressful it must be...but, if it's any consolation, given her attitude, maybe she had no idea what she was talking about?

Maybe she did the procedure incorrectly?

Can you call your GP? This is really unfair and they should give you another scan with someone different asap :(

It's good that you are getting another scan in 2 weeks. I suppose from their point of view if you haven't got any other symptoms of there being something wrong all you can do is wait and see. I fully appreciate that this is different from your point of view as I would want to know what's going on now as well.

Well here is the scan pic...I don't know how you can tell anything from that but it certainly doesn't look anything like 12 week scans I've seen.

@firstbornunicorn I'm in NI too, what hospital are you seen at? I had my booking appointment when I was 8+6 and booked for my 12 week scan 3 weeks later... I had a sonongrapher for the 8 week one and a midwife for the 12 week scan, the midwife was awful at even finding the baby never mind getting a good photo! The first thing she said to me was "did they have trouble finding baby at the last scan?" NOT what I wanted to hear

I've gone for a couple of private scans for reassurance and love them as they really take time to check and explain everything, is that an option for you?

@SpadesOfGlory I was seen at my local health centre but I'm hoping to have the baby in Antrim hospital. Where abouts are you?

I had my scans at Lagan Valley and midwife appointments at my health centre, but planning on giving birth in the Ulster. My 12 week scan pic was just the back of the baby's head and its back, and she didn't explain anything to me unless I asked specifically. It must vary so much by the midwife!

Oh and @SpadesOfGlory I'm looking into a private scan but might have to borrow the money from my mum... Where did you go for yours?

Oh the Ulster is supposed to be so lovely and modern. I really hope it goes well!

I went to Babybond on the Lisburn road for a fertility ultrasound prior to getting pregnant, and an early scan at 7 weeks, and have a gender scan booked for tomorrow with Window to The Womb.

I haven't been in the Ulster yet but everyone tells me it's lovely! Thanks for the well wishes, hope everything goes well for you too

@SpadesOfGlory I've booked in at Window to the Womb for tonight. Hopefully I'll get a clearer idea of what's going on then.

Really sorry you’re dealing with this. The 2-week wait for a rescan seems to be standard when you’re measuring smaller, but it is a horrible limbo especially when you KNOW your dates can’t be that out. And it is weird that she could hear the heartbeat but not see it? Even if you were 8 weeks she should have been able to see a heartbeat.

Definitely think private scan is a good idea if you can afford it.

This sounds really stressful, and I can understand why you are so upset. Also no one gets their period dates wrong by 4 weeks. It's very unhelpful of her to simply dismiss your concerns without reassuring you in that instance

However, if there's a heartbeat that's a good sign, and dates are just guesswork on their part. Add in all the margins for error - conception (could be 2 or 3 days later than you think just based on how long sperm can live), implantation (they say anywhere between 6 and 12 days for that and it won't start growing til it's implanted), growth (baby might just be a naturally smaller one), measurement taking (could easily have been out by a mm or 2 if she wasn't getting a good pic, which is what it sounds like) and then interpretation of the measurement (it's just an algorithm, it doesn't know) - and you could easily lose a couple of weeks.

I would try to focus on the next scan now, and get them to affirm to you that they are confident that baby is healthy and growing, rather than obsessing about the dates. Hardly any babies come on their due date and there's like a 6-week window of normal, and god knows how many pounds difference between perfectly healthy babies, so there's just so much that can vary. Baby could have a growth spurt in the next week and then they would adjust it the other way at your next scan.

Good luck for tonight. Sounds like shoddy care.