32 weeks how do you know baby is fine without a scan?

[HelloOverHere]

Hi ladies,

So I'm 32 weeks today and my last scan was at 20 weeks. Midwife has taken measurements of bump every 3 weeks and bloods have come back normal.

I know I can pay for a private scan and have asked midwife if I need another scan - she said no and that I'm completely normal.

Without going for a private scan how do I know everything is fine with baby?

@bluuevelvett No you can’t request them. You’re having them as ulcerative colitis is an auto-immune disorder and auto-immune disorders are linked to low birth weight babies. Nothing to do with mental health.

Sorry @Indella posting from my phone on other account. It actually is to do with my mental health as I have bipolar disorder. My perinatal consultant explained that even if I didn’t have UC I would be having them for reassurance so that I don’t become too anxious during pregnancy.

Impossible to really say that as you do have a medical reason for them and so you’ll never really know.

Some mental health conditions, and the associated medications, or dietary related mental health issues such as anorexia etc. are classed as medical need as they impact on fetal growth but anxiety alone isn’t.

Believe me I’ve tried many many times to get a woman suffering from anxiety a scan and been told repeatedly no medical need = not funded.

My hospital routinely offer scans at 36 weeks. I think I would have paid for a third trimester scan if I wasn’t offered one.

@indella Thanks!

@Indella is right, I also have bipolar disorder and have extra scans due to my medication not due to anxiety, which I also have.

My hospital routinely offer scans at 36 weeks.

Same here.

I associate scans with HCPs going "ooh! Is that a problem? We're going to talk about it for weeks & give you lots of extra scans & say we don't really know but it might be..." then decide in the end it's nothing at all

So for me, scans have very little potential to be reassuring. They're huge opportunities to pointlessly stress me out and waste NHS resources. I'd be delighted to skip them, any time, every time!