How many private scans is too many?

[Kelcat9494]

Hello,

Just curious really I had a private scan at 5 weeks and 5 days, I've booked another at 9 weeks and 5 days just to sort of ease anxiety and then I have a gender scan booked in for the 22nd August - do you think they'll judge me for having 3? Haha

Thanks

I don’t think they’ll judge you for having too many scans as it’s good business for them. I’m thinking of going for a private scan too, did your scan pick anything up at 5 weeks?

Yeah, there was a little bean with a heartbeat at 5 weeks and 5 days

Nobody will judge you. It's entirely personal choice and, if it helps ease your anxiety and you feel less stressed, then go for it.

I am 34 weeks now and have had 4 private scans on top of the 2 standard NHS ones.
Two at around 6 and 8 weeks (the first one, baby measured 11 days smaller than expected so I was invited back for a follow up 2 weeks later to check all was OK), 1 at 17 weeks so OH and i could find out the sex together, then a growth scan with 4D at 31 weeks.

They were spread out through the pregnancy and worked well at keeping my anxiety at bay and bonding with our little one

@Ella17393 it's hit and miss at that gestation. There have been loads of posts on MN where there was no heartbeat or even fetal pole before 6 or 7 weeks so it's a gamble.
Personally, I think after 8 weeks is better. It allows a margin of error on case your dates are out (i thought i was 7+5 when I went but baby only measured 6+1), the heartbeat is stronger and baby actually looks more of a recognisable shape rather than the tiny blob you see in earlier weeks.
Plus the risk of MC if you see a heartbeat after 8 weeks goes down massively.

There's no limit, but how long will your anxiety be eased for? I totally understand your reasoning, I was exactly the same myself. And they do reassure you. For the 10/15 minutes you're in there. And then you get in the car to go home, and the anxiety starts again. Until the next scan and then it starts all over again.
I would have had one every week if my husband let me. He hated them and said he felt they exploited the anxieties of pregnant women.

I had one at about 7 weeks and then my 12 week scan. That time in between was so hard. After my 12 week scan I wanted another private scan!
I didn't relax a little until I could start feeling movement.

I know someone who went so often they offered her a Temp job as a receptionist so she’d get discount! .

I do think it's playing (or preying) on people's anxieties. When I had my first you just had one at 20 weeks. My second you had 12 weeks & 20 weeks unless there was a problem (I had possible placenta praevia with number 3 so had 4 or 5 scans). It's lovely to be able to see your baby more often but it seems a lot to pay out. I presume there's no danger to the baby from repeated scans, or they wouldn't do it?

I think some of those private places really play on people's fears. Even worse they often end up giving people false hope or fear.

I had NHS early scans with both mine due to bleeding but even then they wouldn't scan before 6 weeks. Dates can be so off in the early weeks that you could think you're 5 weeks but only measure 4 weeks and that would scare you more.

I don't plan on booking anymore apart from the two I have coming up but I was just curious to see what people thought

I’ve had three. One at 7-8 weeks, one at 9-10 weeks and one at 16 weeks. I really want to book another one for before baby comes. I’m 28+4 now.

I had three private scans with my first pregnancy. One at 6+5 weeks , one at 7 weeks and one at 10 weeks . I had suffered from a miscarriage earlier in the year and had a bit of bleeding with the pregnancy and needed that reassurance . I think they liked the business and didn’t think I was too crazy 😝

I had a private scan and 3 NHS scans with ds2. I wasn't that impressed with the private scan to be honest - we had to wait ages, the sonographer wasn't particularly forthcoming and I didn't really feel reassured or anything by it. I wouldn't pay for a private scan again to be honest. If you're set on finding out the sex of the baby then a private gender scan is a good idea - my 20w NHS scan got it wrong with ds2 (to be fair ds2 was being very uncooperative so I'm surprised she even made a guess) so a second opinion could be a good thing. I certainly wouldn't judge anyone for having private scans although if you are experiencing a lot of anxiety I would definitely recommend telling your midwife. Congratulations by the way.

I’ve had two private scans in both pregnancies. One at 8 weeks as the wait until 12 weeks was too long, and a 4d one around 28 weeks. They do reassure you but like a pp said, only for a little while before the anxiety creeps in again!

I think with the current circumstances there will be a lot of people booking them when they wouldn't have or booking more than they would have done. My partner and I would like to see the baby together for the first time and also see the gender together- so that's atleast 2 private scans.

I’m a FTM with one miscarriage so slightly anxious! I had my first last Friday when I was 7+1 and I’ve got one next Wednesday 🙈 we want to tell my parents next Thursday as they’re together on that day (they’re separated and no idea when they’ll be together again) and just wanted a bit of reassurance before I tell them. I do feel mad for booking one so soon after the first but i just need that extra check before telling my folks!

I had about 20 scans privately.
I had only one from the nhs and she was totally rude.
In my Last 5 weeks my Private obgyn did one at each weekly appointment.
I also had a heartbeat Doppler from amazon and did it everyday with moisturising gel from the body shop instead of the gross jelly.

I've had over 10 private scans. At one they diagnosed vasa praevia and that diagnosis is the reason my baby is alive today.

I would say do as many as you want, and include some from very reputable sources (can't rate fetal medicine centre in London high enough).

@Marpan

I had about 20 scans privately. I had only one from the nhs and she was totally rude. In my Last 5 weeks my Private obgyn did one at each weekly appointment. I also had a heartbeat Doppler from amazon and did it everyday with moisturising gel from the body shop instead of the gross jelly.

I understand your worry, but for anyone else reading this, a home Doppler can be very dangerous to use. Unless you're a midwife / OB and know what a healthy heartbeat sounds like, they can give false reassurance.

@Marpan why so many? I thought there was meant to be slight risks from scans, but as most people only have a couple there isn't a problem.There have been studies where if there has been only a few scans there are no problems but the risks have not been assessed properly for multiple scans.

I assume most private scan places aren't going to criticise you as most of them are in it for the money, rather than considering the health of the baby and mother.

When I was pregnant with dd2 ( shes 9 now) i had alot of scans due to complications. Not private but NHS.

Now as much as they needed to keep an eye on the baby one thing it made it worse worry wise. Yes they had to keep an eye on the baby and i am.grateful for that. Truly. But any blip was then a worry when ordinarily it wouldnt had been picked up in two scans and as by the last scan I had the measurements had caught back up it felt like It was almost worry for no reason.

And also what the scans showed ( which we know arent always accurate) versus what the midwife measures when I saw her ( she always seemed happy with the measurements) it was honestly so hard going back and forth from doom and gloom.at the hospital to a much more relaxed and happy result at the drs.

I'm.not sure if that makes any sense. I guess I'm just trying to say thay things arent always text book and sometimes examining everything so closely picks up stuff that isnt a problem or would work itself out and worries you unnecessarily. Especially as its not always accurate.

I had a private scan at 10 weeks (I'm a ftm) as my anxiety was through the roof that something was wrong, even though I had no need to worry as it is also my first pregnancy. I just suffered with anxiety before being pregnant so I think my hormones heightened it as I didn't know what to expect & my midwife wasn't very reassuring when I told her! I then had my 12 week NHS scan just over 2 weeks later & I'm booked in for a private gender scan in 2 days!! 😊 I'll be 15+5 & it'll be my last private scan as I'll be having my NHS 20 week scan 4.5 weeks after.