Partners at scans

[Aryat5]

When does everyone think partners will be allowed to attend scans again?

Particularly of both you and your partner live together in the same household

They'll update it on your local hospitals website. I doubt it'll be soon, I'm 36w and haven't been allowed anyone at anything - unless in active labour.

You could always ask if you can film the scans so partner not missing out?

Not for a long while I'd imagine.

It's the risk your partner poses to other pregnant women using the service ifyswim not really relevant whether you are both in the same household.

Please don’t ask if you can film the scan, it’s a detailed medical examination and is distracting. Most places print out photos.

At our midwife led unit you have to wait in the car until they call you on your mobile to come in at the moment.

I must be missing something but on this basis I struggle to see how the risk of infection to anyone is massively increased if you're partner came in when currently you wait in the car with your partner go straight to the scanning room, scanned by an individual wearing PPE and straight out.

First world problems I know but I think it's terribly harsh on partners looking to be involved :(

I do think filming them for a partner after would be a nice compromise

I don’t think it’s OK actually that partners aren’t allowed at scans. Most scans are happy but some are not and women need that support. I think pregnant women and families are giving up enough at the moment frankly.

There’s a bit of a tussle in my unit at the moment..... Sonogs don’t want partners in and the midwives in charge do. Final guidance expected next week.

Double the people, double the risk. It’s to protect everyone else rather than you as you’re already exposed to your partner. Just allowing you in a risk but that’s a risk that has to happen as you need care, allowing someone in who doesn’t need to be there increases the risk for no reason.

#kerlassic

I completely agree with this!

I know this is a (hopefully) unique situation but such a fight has been had over the years to say men should be equal partners is child rearing and here we are telling them they're not that important and they can wait in the car.

What if a scan does give terrible news? :(

Kelassic, the sonographers are the ones who are in close contact with the women for the 20/30 minutes that most dating/anomaly scans take, not he midwives.

The PPE is just a basic surgical mask, plastic apron and gloves.

My DH wasn't allowed to attend my scan last week, but it was done by a student sonographer being supervised by a senior sonographer (who had to take over anyway because the student couldn't do it properly 🙄) so there was an extra person involved who didn't have to be, and it took longer than it should have done. It added insult to injury tbh because not only could I not have DH with me, they talked to each other more than to me

More indirect Covid consequences...

Reminder that the scan is a medical appointment. Yes, it’s one of the first opportunities to see your DC but still a medical appointment. This isn’t about fairness to men or ensuring they’re equal parents. It’s about keeping people as safe as possible. If they could do the scan without the mother coming in, they would but obviously they can’t. Additional guests have to be avoided.

But for how long... until there is a vaccine in a few years?

It's more consequences of the chosen response to Covid. I really struggle to see how two people from the same household going into a room being scanned and leaving again causes a larger risk of infection to be honest.

I completely understand the reasons for the restrictions, however, having been in a scan recently where I received bad news, it is devastating to be alone when that happens. Given that you are not coming into contact with others in a waiting room as you are waiting in the car, it is a shame that partners cannot come in whilst maintaining social distancing, eg. Standing 2 metres away from the sonographer. The father is also a parent of that child and it is right that they are there to hear any news of at all possible.

Not for ages I don't think as it's non essential really xx

notinthestarsigns I am so sorry to hear to got bad news and I wholeheartedly agree with what you have said!

I hope NHS trusts start to look at this issue again but I really feel like they don't see this as a priority :(

When I was with the midwife after the scan there was still no mention of the partner being allowed in, and only on the way out by which point I was very upset she asked where my partner was and said she would have brought him in. I then had a consultant appt a few days later. Again my partner was not allowed in initially but when they were sitting me down to talk through what is happening with my baby afterwards I asked again if my husband could come in and they allowed him in at that point. So if anyone does have bad news in a scan it is certainly worth asking if your partner can come in for the explanation as to what it actually means for your baby (if they are waiting outside anyway) as I don’t think this would have been offered to me if I hadn’t asked.

I have been sad not to have my DH at scans-it is a real shame-but just on the flip side I feel so much safer in a quieter maternity unit at the moment. As partners are not allowed in, the waiting rooms are always emptier and this allows for sitting two metres apart. It just feels like we are at less risk.

I suppose the other point is that most pregnant women are able to isolate at the mo because of gov advice so again it’s fairly low risk being around other pregnant people in a waiting room. I know many partners of pregnant people are lucky enough to be isolating too but of course some are not able to be -key workers etc. Those partners coming into the hosp would put other pregnant women and medical staff at risk so I guess they just need to make it a blanket rule because you can’t allow some in and some not.

In terms of when it ends -it’s so hard to know isn’t it -the gov aren’t saying much about an exit plan etc. All I can say for now is I do miss having my partner at my scans but I actually do prefer it this way as I feel much safer. None of it is ideal but I guess all we want is to stay healthy for us and baby.

I know this is a (hopefully) unique situation but such a fight has been had over the years to say men should be equal partners is child rearing and here we are telling them they're not that important and they can wait in the car

They aren't important when it comes to the scan though because they aren't the pregnant one. It isn't necessary for them to be there for the scan to be performed.

I would think that they wouldn't want two person from the same household as if you both had the virus that is doubling the viral load exposed to the sonographer.

I have my anomaly scan in a couple of weeks, its shit, but it is what it is.

@notinthestarsigns I’m so sorry for you bad news at your scan and I totally agree that if something bad is spotted on a scan then of course your partner should be able to come from outside straight into a room. As you say social distancing could still be observed this way too.

There are some private clinics allowing partners in, so if people really want partner there, you could have private scan 1 week, then the NHS one later on? I've read other women doing this, so partner is there for the surprise of gender or dating/NT etc.

My dh didnt attend any of my nhs medical scans. Or mw appointments. They are medical appointments.

He did however book and attend the two private scans I had.

I struggle to see how the risk of infection to anyone is massively increased

Not everyone in the same household will get cv even if one person has it.

Your dp might already have it but not have symptoms and you not have it. Especially if you're not working, or wfh, and he is still working out of the home, or doing the shopping.

Having an extra person in there increases the risk to the mw. And to the next person in the room. Where will he sit, stand, what will he touch or hold on to? Much easier to see and predict where the patient is likely to be, touch, hold, than an extra body. What if the previous partner in the room had it?

a fight has been had over the years to say men should be equal partners is child rearing and here we are telling them they're not that important and they can wait in the car. Well, that’s a Stretch. Lazy fathers will be lazy fathers whether they attend a scan or not. They are absolutely not as important as the mother during a scan.