16 week midwife scan

[lockdownpregnancy]

Booked my 16 week midwife appointment today.
The midwife then called me this afternoon and said it's just over the phone, because of the pandemic.
She asked me if I was ok and if everything was ok with my scan and that was it!
I mean really???
I thought you were supposed to have urine and blood pressure checked but she told me that this can be done next time at 24 weeks.
Anyone else had this?
Personally I think it's shocking given that I'm still quite early into pregnancy and suffer with elevated blood pressure and headaches but it wasn't really questioned, neither was my mental heath and I thought she would have spoken to me a bit longer about it seeing as they referred me to the antenatal health dept and the fact I'm really struggling.
Just feel really let down 😢

What more do you want, given the situation? The health services are under so much pressure. The 16 week midwife appointment isn't one of the crucial ones. You need to calm down and think of the bigger picture. I had mine over the phone and it was fine.

My midwife called me this morning for my 16 week appointment that should have been on Friday. I felt very in the spot as didn't expect the call so wasn't prepared to ask any questions I had.

I understand in the circumstances that they have to cut down face to face appointment but I also feel very alone in support with not knowing what to expect for first pregnancy.

I had traces of glucose at booking appointment and was told I would be sent for tolerance test if still there at 16 week appointment now told it's fine for this to just be checked at 25 weeks. And was told would be consultant led for another reason at booking app and told that i was now midwife led which she said was good news but I wasn't told why it have changed.

Unprecedented times. Just hoping nothing serious gets missed with the reduction in contact!

The only things I can suggest are to buy your own blood pressure monitor off amazon if it being checked would reassure you, and the same with urine test strips. Neither are very expensive really and are quite easy to use! Also in terms of your mental health, if you feel that is getting worse then ring the GP and they should be able to prescribe you some antidepressants over the phone or suggest what else you could do that is safe during pregnancy. Your scan at 20 weeks should have you a lot more reassured and they won’t be cancelling that one

Thanks ladies. I totally understand in these strange times that things won't be like before, but as a first time mom to be with mental health issues, I just thought the phone call would be more in depth.
I didn't mind it being over the phone it was just the lack of discussion and as pp said, I didn't have chance to get any questions ready that I wanted to ask.
Never mind! Not long to wait until my 20 week scan.
Thanks you ladies 🥰🥰

I must be very lucky - I had mine face to face two weeks ago. Blood pressure, urine sample and heartbeat.

I'm 17+4 and didn't even get a phone call at 16 weeks. It's my first pregnancy, I was sent to emergency pregnancy unit at my booking appointment due to sky high blood pressure, I'm at higher risk of gestational diabetes, desperately waiting a perinatal mental health referral, and I have a few other medical things that may or may not make me a higher risk pregnancy. I still don't know my results from my combined screening, and keep phoning up to see if they're available.

I know they're super stretched and trying their best but it's still scary.

I was meant to have my 16 weeks appt today. Nobody even bothered to call me to advise it is not going ahead. If i didn't call the clinic to confirm (after reading posts with cancelled app) i would've gone there for nothing. They said that by Friday someone will call me and have my app over the phone but they were unable to give me a tine slot or even day. I am working from home and will probably be unable to pick up the call when they call so my app will probably be missed completely. I am a FTM and the pregnancy is considered high risk but they don't seem to care anymore. I understand we are in the middle of a pandemic but i don't believe that the midwives are being used to help with Corona patients or anything else but maternity so not sure i completely agree with this change.

There are so many posts on here recently about lack of maternity care.

I am the same, desperately awaiting a call from the consultant psychologist to discuss getting some extra support, also awaiting a consultant appointment but doubt this is going to happen anytime soon.

It’s really sad, especially for first time mums (I’m one) who have no idea what to expect...

I won’t waffle on with my opinion on the situation - I’ve said in many posts though this can’t carry on like this or someone is going to really suffer the consequences of lack of appointments.

Ps all midwives I’ve spoken to are really sad that this is happening, I know at my booking in appointment I had 2 midwives, one who was a trainer (trains the midwives) and also did shifts at the big hospital had just been redeployed to the community team and also they said that some community midwives have had to go and work on the wards, so completely understand it must be so difficult for them too!

I just wish that the RCOG would seriously re-assess what’s been put in place and think about another way to provide safer care to pregnant women because things are getting missed over the phone!

Totally agree @Luckyme30 I'm just concerned something will get missed and something is wrong and no one knows as the proper checks aren't being done.
I was reassured by my midwife (who is a total sweetie I must say!) that my 20 week scan will 100% go ahead and my face to face with her at my 24 week check up!
I hope so, I really do. My 20 weeks scan isn't until May so I'm really hoping DH gets to come in with me this time so we can find out together the results of baby and if it's ok and also what we are having! 💙💖

I'm consultant led and have already had two consultant appointments cancelled for June and July time. No one called me for the 16 week midwife appointment - I'm 18 weeks now.

It’s so scary how we are just getting appointments cancelled. I think one of the only ways around it (and I hate this) is to complain about it and if we feel we need extra support we should let them know and keep on until we get that support.

Surely they can’t just leave people without consultant appointments if they have been deemed necessary.

It’s really scaring me all I can say is I hope this doesn’t last the next 6 months I don’t think I’ll cope without extra support - to me the mental health side of things is so so important I need someone who’s going to give me the extra support I need. It’s just not fair :(

This doesn’t happen in flu season or at any other time, even if it were just phone calls for reassurance at least it’s soemthing!

What is happening in most trusts...
Phone call appts for booking, 16, 24, 32, 34, 38 weeks. BP and urine to be done at anomaly USS. Face to face for 28, 36,40,41 week appts.
Consultant appts will be in person if required otherwise over the phone.
Everything is scaled back as much as possible to protect women and staff.

Staff are being pulled from clinics and community into the units to postnatal ward, birth centres and delivery suite due to requiring extra support caring for women, specifically covid women.
All units now wear PPE when in a room with a patient.

No decisions have been taken lightly, and are directed from national bodies such as RCOG.

Comments that midwives aren’t caring for covid women, midwives are definitely caring for covid patients. Many pregnant and postnatal women have covid, there are units with dedicated maternity covid wards.

It’s really shitty but this is unprecedented times and you will be given the care that is required