High Risk pregnancy - when do you see Consultant?

[ParksAndRecreation]

Ladies,

I'm currently 25 weeks pregnant with my first baby.

I'm 42, I've a high BMI and a genetic risk of Pre-Eclampsia along with a history of back troubles (degenerative disc disease etc).

Currently having a not very good experience at UCLH and wondering what to do about it. I've obviously never done this before!

I was classed high risk in my booking appointment and told that I would be Consultant led. I've never seen the same Midwife twice, and I've still not seen a Consultant. Is this what is normal? I thought I would have seen the Consultant by now?

I had a call about a month ago from the Consultant Midwife (after she cancelled my appointment with her) and who then fucked up my recent 25 week appointment in a number of different ways (too boring to list here) she was rude, dismissive and completely unapologetic for her own mistakes and left me feeling more anxious than I think I should feel!

She implied I should have known to be making appointments with the Consultant via my original midwife (who I've never seen in the hospital at any point since I've been back). She said she would submit the request for an appointment (although she didn't know how to use the computer system to do that) and I'm still left with no idea when I might get to see anyone.

I feel like I've fallen through a huge crack - and that if I didn't have an obvious pregnant belly that they really wouldn't know why I was even there. No-one seems to read my notes prior to an appointment, I've had to ask for blood tests to check my thyroid levels (I'm on thyroxine) which I sort of think they should be doing automatically and the general vibe is that no-one really knows what the fuck is going on!

I've not been left filled with confidence after this recent experience and given that I'm unlikely to have any more children after this one, I really can't cope with the thought of things going wrong.

DP was with me during this total car crash appointment this week and so furious about it that we are genuinely considering changing hospitals.

If anyone has recent experience of UCLH or information about when is normal to see a Consultant during a high risk pregnancy it would be good to know.

Thank you!

I just called the Midwife desk and they said they could see that my Consultant referral had never been made 😐😐😐. She said she would make it for me now, but that it could take weeks!! What the actual fuck?!

I'd called them in a bit of a state, as I've just had my thyroid results back, and I'm really borderline (on the low side) for my T4. It's still in what they consider 'normal' but only just. A frantic period of Dr Google obviously has put the fear of God into me that this has affected the baby.

I'm going to go absolutely fucking postal tomorrow and unless they get me in front of a Consultant before the end of the week I think we'll change hospitals.

UPDATE :

Spoke to the hospital today (they called me about my complaint email) and they have admitted they have made mistakes in my care at every step and that I've been put on completely the wrong pathway.

Inexplicably, no-one had picked up that I'm high risk (apart from me, clearly) and they just held their hands up and apologised.

They want to escalate my complaint formally, (which I'm fine with) and have resolved things with me in a way I'm happy with.

I'm glad I kicked off, but it's just such a shame I had to do it at all. The NHS is on its knees right now (I think we all know that) but fundamental gaps in care still shouldn't happen if they could lead to the very worst case scenario for someone, regardless of which department it might be.

Moral of the story? If you feel your ante-natal care is going tits up then make your voice heard!

Thank you everyone for responding to me - you all helped!

Honestly, I think the cuts in the NHS mean that this is happening to far too many women.

I had 4 high risk pregnancies between 2004 & 2009, and in each one I saw the same consultant every 2 weeks, from 8 weeks until delivery.

I am now expecting my 5th baby and am appalled at the difference in my care. I am at the same hospital, have all the same complications that I had in the past, plus 3 brand new ones, meaning that I’m now “consultant led” for NINE reasons.

Bearing all that in mind, despite the fact that I’m now 24+5, I STILL haven’t seen a consultant. I have had several scans, I have seen several junior doctors, I have seen a variety of midwives but, there is no consistency of care and I have to try and remember my (long & complicated) obstetric history every time I have an appointment - I’m constantly worried that I’m leaving something important out.

My chest consultant has even sent several letters to the maternity department telling them how important it is that I’m seen regularly by a consultant, but still every time I go, there are excuses about why there is no consultant available to see me.

Trying not to get TOO furious, but it’s beyond infuriating at times 😩

I'm glad you have a way forward OP.

@Doormat247 I am really worried by what you have said about not being offered genetic testing. I am a specialist midwife working with issues like this and I have sent you a PM in case I can help at all.

@Nanmumandmidwife the tests I needed weren't specifically genetic tests, they were to test me for Zika (likely to have caught it at the time I got pregnant) as it causes awful abnormalities. It's far too late to test now so I have to wait to find out the outcome when I give birth.
I'm pushing for scans as now I'm reaching my 3rd trimester it may be possible to see any very obvious issues with the head/brain.