Why are scans too far apart

[loveyourself87]

For a first time mum, I would like a bit more reassurance. Last scan was at 12 weeks, then a midwife app at 16(no scans just routine blood test) and I have to wait to 20 weeks for the anomaly scan! I'm worried because I feel between 16 and 20 weeks is an important time for most people as some feel movement (I haven't yet and no bump). Is this normal to have no scan between 12 and 20 weeks? I feel fine but worry so much in case something has happened to the baby and I wouldn't know until 20 weeks.

It's normal and all that's needed in a healthy pregnancy . alot of private clinics do offers on scans we got a gender scan at 16 weeks for half price.try and relax and enjoy the pregnancy

You don't need to hear it at the 20 week scan. They can see that the heart is working or not.

Sorry for being blunt but you'll wind yourself up into a right state. Rationally, the sonographer will see with their eyes if the heart is working. They'll check all the chambers etc. Far more detailed than listening in with the Doppler.

itsasmallworldafterall please don't recommend home dopplers. They're really not safe and have been the cause of women being falsely reassured in cases where their baby has actually passed away. They are only safe if you are trained to use one.

@thepatioislumpy thank you for taking the time to write back. I will definitely speak to my midwife about some assistance although I thought being anxious is normal at this stage?I'm all for getting any type of help especially when it's towards my mental state! I did have prenatal depression in the first trimester which went away on its own after I hit the 2nd trimester so perhaps speaking with someone isn't a bad idea.

@3rdtimelucky2019 yes you don't need to hear it, but wouldn't you want to ad a first time mum? I would x

@Babyg1995 thank you x

Please don't get a home Doppler for reassurance. They are hard to use and may reassure you at a time when you absolutely need to be seeing a HCP.

@itsasmallworldafterall not a good idea from what I have read, many women have used Dopplers which stopped them from seeking medical advice only to find out that baby is no longer there

@Velveteenfruitbowl we don't push home births because we can't afford to provide the bare minimum. We push home births and freestanding birth centres because they are the safest place (especially for women on second and subsequent babies).

As I said, ftm after two losses. I didn't hear it at 20 week scan and I didn't care at all. However I could see it with my eyes that the heart was beating and the sonographer talked me through every single check she was making to the heart. Health of the heart was more important to me than hearing the heart beat.

You could buy a doppler to use at home for reassurance

I thought this was widely accepted now to be a really really bad idea. Aren't they trying to get them banned for home use because they may offer false reassurance, or in OPs case actually cause even more anxiety.

@3rdtimelucky2019 it wouldn't make a difference to hear the heart beat, it wouldn't affect anything and does not take extra time, literally turn the volume up( in my hospital anyway as confirmed with MW) definitely would like to hear my baby's heart beat.

@pastabest MW advises against it as could increase anxiety because we are not qualified to know where to look at times x

They don’t turn the volume up because it uses a deeper ultrasound there is no known risk to the baby but it’s an unnecessary possible

Sorry posted to soon .

@NemophilistRebel

No you’re wrong. Ultrasounds are NOT radiation, they use sound waves HENCE THE NAME.

Just to say op, with both of my pregnancies we’ve never heard the heartbeat at the scans...only on the Doppler at my midwife appointments. This is standard in my NHS trust so don’t go in to the scan thinking that you will hear it just in case you won’t

However as others have said, the sonographer will see it and will show you everything they are checking

Try not to worry too much!! It’s a long road to birth so try and keep as calm as possible

I understand the anxiousness you’re feeling. My first was a much longed for IVF baby but i knew for my own health and the babies that being worked up wouldn’t help.

Also I didn’t feel movement with my first until closer to 22/23 weeks so not feeling anything yet is so normal! Honestly try to enjoy every day and countdown until you see your little one at the 20 weeks scan.

It's really hard and the days can feel like weeks in between scans etc. You just have to go with the odds that it's highly likely everything is ok.

I didn't get movement till about 21/22 weeks with my first and even then it was only occasionally.

Playing devils advocate, say you could have more regular scans, would it help that bit in between? Or would you then be worrying whether it's a week or four till the next one? I imagine you'll feel relieved for a day or too and then it would creep back in.

I'm not a professional but I think for you the answer would be some mental health support not more scans for you. I wish you the best and hope you can manage to relax a bit

The thing is that there's no amount of scans that would reassure you if you're anxious. I had an extremely anxious pregnancy - I'd had three previous miscarriages, and then they found he had both an unusual heart beat and was growing on the 9th centile (both self corrected, so there's an argument I'd have been better off never having that scan and never knowing!). I also had an anterior placenta and felt no movement until 24 weeks and not much after. I had growth scans every four weeks and, towards the end, twice weekly CTGs. Each one would reassure me for literally about an hour, because they tell you what's currently the case but can't predict the future. Extra scans purely for anxiety would be a bad use of NHS resources not because anxiety isn't serious but because scans aren't a treatment for anxiety.

@loveyourself87 you are very welcome. I would definitely speak to your midwife ASAP. Anxiety IS normal. This level isn't. It's excellent that your so open to receiving MH support - so many women aren't and then it can be difficult to deal with later if it spirals out of control. If you can get a handle on this early then you can enjoy the rest of your pregnancy without the cloud of this anxiety.

Good luck with everything! And remember - your midwife is your best support through all of this xx

As someone who was sent to see a pregnancy psychologist at 9 weeks, I strongly recommend you do it. I guarantee that if you're thinking this way about the heart beat at the scan, once it's over you'll be analysing what you think you heard. Pregnancy is hard mentally, don't make it harder on yourself by focussing on things that don't matter. Trust me, the next bit is worse when you find yourself analysing what a normal level of movement is for your baby every single day until you give birth.

@Willow4987 thank you, that is lovely to read x

@thepatioislumpy apologies but I think you may have misread my post, I'm not in bits about it, I'm just feeling anxious about the wait, I will seek advise however for my own sanity but I hope i didn't come across as someone who is constantly thinking and beating myself up about the issue x

You can get a quick 2D scan for £40. My sister was really anxious and used to nip in for them all the time. It’s the coloured 3D ones that are pricey

@3rdtimelucky2019 I'm not thinking about hearing the heartbeat, for me it's not a priority, I'm just giving you my opinion that I would like to hear it if it is offered, as you mentioned you didn't care for it and for some reason suggested hearing it would hinder seeing it ? Perhaps I'm mistaken but no worries here, just a preference