AIBU to think antenatal appts over the telephone are pretty much a waste of time and precious resources?

[RainMinusBow]

Just that really.

I'm 39, 33 weeks' pregnant with my third baby, and low risk on every factor.

My baby is moving well and following her usual pattern here. I am more than aware if this changes at all to call a midwife for advice ASAP.

So what actually is the point of a telephone appt? They can't test urine or BP, listen in to baby or measure fundal height.

At a time when the NHS are clearly so short of midwives (hence pulling home births etc), it doesn't seem to me like an effective use of their time.

I'm now under care of an Independent Midwife so will be cancelling my appt anyway to free up time for another lady. My IM will be doing required antenatal checks face-to-face.

Hi - I’m 12 weeks and very frustrated with the phone-only service too. My midwife keeps missing getting hold of me (I have terrible signal at home) so I still haven’t had a booking appointment.

I’m really interested in going with an independent midwife though - will your birth be with them too? And how did you find/choose one?

I think you are being a little bit unreasonable, if I’m honest.

Not everyone can afford the £4000 it costs for an independent midwife (in my area anyway) and not everyone is on their third pregnancy

What about anxious first time mums who are already worried that they can’t see their midwife face to face, and you recommend no phone contact either? That’s unreasonable in my opinion, and I’m not a first time mum.

@Gerdticker I think you missed the point. She’s saying that telephone appointments are a waste of time and resources and she doesn’t see the point in them, not that she’s frustrated with them...

@Gerdticker Yes, she's taking over all of my care - antenatal, home birth and postnatal. No telephone appts, all f2f.

An expensive option but IMO worth it for the health of that of myself and my unborn baby.

At 39 this is my last one (and my OH's first one) so hoping all goes to plan 😊

Mine are still face to face and al that happens is urine, blood pressure and measurements so I see what you mean! What do they do in phone ones? Ask for any symptoms?

@TwinkleStars15 It's not that expensive if, like me, care being given just towards end of pregnancy.

What I'm asking is genuinely what is the point of them as in what can any mw actually measure/assess over the 'phone?

It's a case of damned if they do and damned if they don't. If they didn't offer telephone consults I'm sure you'd complain that you'd been abandoned by the NHS.

@OhClover I've had one over the telephone and all she could really ask is if the baby was moving. A lovely midwife, but obviously very limited in what she could do.

Yes telephone consultations are pointless. In my doctors surgery there is one of those blood pressure machines that you do it yourself, you would think that they could utilise something like that. So you still go to the appointments but take your own BP, do your own urine dip and then just leave it there for them to look at the results - followed by a phone call to discuss the results and things like movements, birth plans etc.

@RhymingRabbit3 Your drs surgery sounds fab - I haven't heard of that facility being offered before? It's definitely not at mine.

It's just a machine you stick your arm in and it takes your BP. I dont know if it's as accurate as having it taken by a HCP (probably not) but must be better than nothing.

@RhymingRabbit3 I managed to borrow one from my mum when I first found out I was pregnant which has been useful. But I know not all pregnant ladies might have access to things like this.

What I actually found worse was the cuts to postnatal care. My baby was born right at the beginning of lockdown and the 3 and 5 day midwife appointments were face to face. I never had the 7 or 10 day appointment - I called to find out if I was due one and they never called back.
Luckily this is my second baby and everything was fine but for a FTM with a difficult baby I think missing that contact in the first few weeks would be tough.

My first HV appointment was done by phone. I did ask for them to weigh her because it hadnt been done since day 5, so they brought round scales for me to do it myself. If I hadnt asked, they wouldnt have weighed her and all the clinics are closed now. Very difficult for first time or anxious mums or those whose babies have any health problems.

I m on my first pregnancy and later on if it can't be face to face then I dont mind missing out too much but I rang and asked for a booking appointment when they forgot to tell me my face to face one was cancelled as I had to have it before I could book a 12 week scan and I had some questions I wanted to ask.

I agree with some of the other posters at least telephone appointments are something, better than nothing.

I am 11 weeks and do really worry that we are missing out on these vital checks, like bloods and extra scans if needed.

Another thing I do find quite odd is that I work for my local council and our Social Workers are still out visiting the elderly and also families and children so surely midwives/health visitors can facilitate visits (maybe not to peoples houses) but at least set up somewhere to see patients - not necessarily the midwives fault that this isnt being done but how long can this continue without serious consequences to mums and babies?!

@Luckyme30 Initially I was told that my appts would continue to be f2f but that I'd have to go to the surgery to see my community mw rather than the homebirth team at home.

However, this has since been changed so that a lot of the appointments would have been telephone, with one or two f2f at the hospital. I would have declined the hospital ones personally (just my own choice).

I've just called the hospital to cancel my NHS care as I'd rather it be offered to someone who needs it and I'm now under IM care.

I just think it’s really unfair on people who need the support but can’t pay for private care/scans etc.

I looked into a private midwife but it’s just too expensive for me, people shouldn’t feel forced into doing it either.

It’s so unfair though that the care is no longer consistent, there must be a way to see patients safely we are going to see problems if this continues for much longer.

I don’t think it’s fair to prioritise covid patients solely over anyone else and I don’t just mean maternity, for instance those with cancers and long term conditions etc are not getting care they need.

You’re fortunate to have got to the third trimester, have the knowledge and experience of previous pregnancies and the cash to go private. This is my first pregnancy and not knowing when I’m first going to see a midwife face to face is not reassuring. I had to ring EPAU today and they won’t see me, only advise over telephone. It is suboptimal care but it’s all we have right now.

Totally agree, it's definitely suboptimal care. I'm using savings from my divorce to pay for an IM - it will mean we will have to put on hold our dreams of buying our own place for the time being - we've been been renting for six years now.

@Luckyme30 I know what you mean. My mum was diagnosed with Stage 3 womb cancer 2 years ago and is supposed to have scans every six months. These won't be happening for the forseeable and it worries me greatly.

@RainMinusBow that really is bad that you’re having to make those sacrifices just to make sure you’re getting the right care - this is what I mean it can’t continue like this surely!

I also worry that what will happen is that some of these appointments/scans etc will just never be reinstated even after Corona - as a way of cutting costs in the NHS, it’s terribly sad and unfair on future mums.

Sorry to hear that about your mum too, that must be really worrying for you, i really do feel for people who are having regular life saving scans/appointments etc cancelled as a result of covid. Why are these people not being prioritised, I can’t get my head around it. I must admit when this all kicked off I never expected that the NHS would need to cancel cancer treatments and other life saving things, completely understand routine appointments and surgery can wait but they are playing Russian roulette with peoples lives.

I must say though I’m not blaming the staff, this goes way beyond the staff, it’s people higher up in government making these decisions.

They have stopped home births because ambulances aren’t available, not midwives.

@GirlCalledJames Some Trusts (the ones who place importance of the right to home birth and understand that it's good to keep labour wards less busy etc) have found solutions to problems rather than just suspending. For example, sorting deals out with private ambulance services. Other Trusts (including mine) appear to have just withdrawn with very little explanation as to why or exploring alternatives.

I think the point is to ask some basic questions to determine whether a face to face appointment is necessary (triage type function) and also to give us the opportunity to discuss any concerns we have with them re physical and mental health. If you feel it's a waste of time that likely means you have no issues, which is great, but for those who may have it could be the difference between getting followed up or not. I think while obviously not optimal, it's a fair solution to minimise the risk of catching CV but not leaving women with no care at all.

I don’t think it’s a fair solution, women are still going to get missed by not having urine, bloods and other checks made at these appointments.

My point is that this care was given to women less than 3 months ago and had been the standard ante-natal care and now they are just saying it’s not necessary! If it wasn’t really necessary why were they doing it in the first place - clearly a lot of research has gone into why these appointments/tests etc are needed and at how many weeks and now we’re being told ‘actually you’ll be ok without these’ not acceptable at all!