Reassurance scans

[Babyontheway21]

Just wondering do most people get private scans done in the 1st trimester? I’ve seen lots of people
talking about them.

I would have had quite a few when I was pregnant due to a previous miscarriage but then a MN poster pointed out that it only tells you at that point that the baby is alive and well. As soon as you leave, you have the same level of uncertainty as before. Once I thought about it that way, they seemed pretty pointless (unless I was willing to go twice a week, which would have been the only thing to reassure me)

Good luck OP. I hope everything goes well in your pregnancy

I didn’t with my first pregnancy, only NHS scans and everything was fine. But then I had a missed miscarriage which I only found out about at the 12 week NHS scan, which due to Covid I’d had to go to alone. It was actually a blighted ovum so probably would’ve been easily picked up at an earlier scan. When I got pregnant again I had a private scan at 8 weeks. It did reassure me at the time but I was still worrying again by 12 weeks that something had gone wrong in the meantime- it’s only a snapshot in time like @Nikhedonia said. Not planning to have any more private scans though. I think it really depends on how anxious you are and whether you’re the type to feel reassured from it or not.
I also used this website and found it reassuring datayze.com/miscarriage-reassurer
Wishing you all the best in your pregnancy.

I don’t think I am going to bother because I would be that person that is fine for an hour after the scan and then back to worrying. I think I will do a pregnancy test each week until the scan or is this unreliable? I had a look at the website that both of you have shared and it really is a great tool just shows you every day that goes by your chances are that bit better.

In the kindest possible way, OP, you would be better off using the time and money to find ways to help you cope with your anxiety. Daily pregnancy tests won’t identify a missed miscarriage as you would continue to get positive results until the miscarriage was ‘complete’. If you are finding that your anxiety on the issue is intrusive then there is help available. There is always something to worry about as a parent and now is the best time to develop the tools to help you to cope. Good luck

I didn’t. I had quite a lot of early pregnancy anxiety but no actual symptoms or events which made me seek a scan for reassurance. I also knew that it would only reassure me momentarily, and so I didn’t want to give in to the fear and get trapped in a cycle (not that this would happen to everyone, but it was a concern for me).

This is my 7th pregnancy, hopefully 4th baby. I've always had a scan at 8 weeks, either through my GP or private Consultant. My GP liked to do one at that point because she had a few experiences of patients with ectopic pregnancies that went badly and felt that 8 weeks was a good point to rule out that risk. My Consultants have done a scan at 8 weeks to confirm pregnancy. If the pregnancy is confirmed and measures approximately around the dates it should, only then do they proceed with the rest of the 'booking in' process.
Having had three miscarriages, 12 weeks is a long time to wait if you don't have any bleeding or other symptoms to indicate something is possibly going wrong. Yes, things can still go wrong after an early scan, but things can still go wrong after 12 weeks. In fact there's not much that will help you and baby if things go wrong before 23/24 weeks when baby has a chance of survival. So in that case you could argue the same thing about any scan before 24 weeks.

I had brown discharge at 7 weeks for almost a week - not a huge amount and all my googling and MN told me it was nothing to worry about. Didn’t stop me feeling sick to my stomach with worry all day every day. I caved and booked a reassurance scan. The baby had a heartbeat and measured 8 weeks (therefore my miscarriage odds drop to 1.6%). I’m nearly due my 12 week scan and whatever happens at that I will be glad I did the early one as it has saved me weeks of intense worry. With my 1st, I didn’t bother having one and felt fine.

I had one at 6 weeks to rule out an ectopic (very high risk as had 2 before). Found out I was having twins. Saw the sac, beginnings of the baby and a heartbeat

Then one at 7 weeks which is the viability one provided by the IVF clinic. Got to listen to heartbeat and record on phone

Then 10 weeks as previously had a missed miscarriage at a 12 week scan and couldn't go through that again on my own as no partners at NHS scan. Babies look like babies and wriggling around. Private clinic did loads of photos and a video

Then at 13 weeks because my NHS clinic couldn't get the nuchal measurements because they wouldn't sit still and they only allow them 2 attempts I paid privately to have it done

Then private scan at 16 weeks to check on them

I've had 5 miscarriages and 2 ectopics - there is no way that I wouldn't be anxious during this pregnancy so I'm doing what I need to do. Because it's twins I now have scans between fortnightly and monthly and it's amazing to see them so much. This will be my last pregnancy so I'm making the most of it

@Babyontheway21 as I said in my first post, pregnancy is such a long journey that you do need to find ways to manage your anxiety. I don’t think taking a weekly pregnancy test will help. Also, anything that does happen is completely out of your control, remember that. You just have to be patient and wait for your scan.

I’ve personally never taken any more pregnancy tests after the couple I did to confirm I was pregnant. I’m not sure it would work anyway, as with a missed miscarriage you still have the pregnancy hormones (and so would be getting positive tests) up until you miscarry.
As others have said I think finding a way to manage your anxiety away from scans and tests will help. I did 10 minute meditations for stress (I used the Headspace app) which really helped. Take each day at a time. Good luck OP.

@Babyontheway21 I had the reassurance scan after 3 previous losses and did a test every day for 9 weeks. I had a mmc. Had I not have had the scans I would've thought our Baby was fine for a further 5 weeks because that is when I passed the Baby. I don't think our Baby's heartbeat never started. Or if it did it was briefly between my 7-9 week scan. My pregnancy tests were stark blazing positive right up until the day I had my scan. I took those as been a good sign, so did the Doctor at the hospital when I was diagnosed with a kidney infection the day before. For some it might be a good sign but for me it wasn't

I didn't with my first (12 years ago now)
Now pregnant with my 2nd and booked a private one, I'll l be about 9 weeks. I'm too impatient to wait and we can afford it.

With my first preganncy it didnt feel 'real' untili held baby in my arms, i have a feeling this time will be different 😂