What's the longest you've gone in a pregnancy without any scans of maternity care?

[anonbright]

So I'm pregnant, quite far along I'd say around 27 weeks judging from period and I've not registered the pregnancy due to corona virus, not wanting to put me and my other children at risk by going to appointments and bringing it home, plus with all lockdowns and children not in school it's made it impossible to even book anything. Plus all the times we have had to self isolate due to being in contact with swollen positive etc then because we had symptoms ourselves. It's been a nightmare. I now know I need to be seen and need to get things checked but what would happen if I contact someone now after all this time? I've not avoided it for any sinister reason but I think they'll assume this and I'll be in trouble? Plus would I still be entitled to a scan? I know there are some tests I won't be able to have now due to the time limit but I've Always only had minimum tests throughout my precious pregnancies anyway and declined a lot do them anyway. Has anyone gone this far like me with no repercussions?

Wow you have gone to 27 weeks without having a scan or informing a single healthcare professional?
To me it is crazy to do that for covid, for most people the risks that come with having no access to healthcare during pregnancy significantly outweigh the risks from covid.
Where are you that schools are closed?

I would make an appointment asap. Hopefully you and baby are healthy.

Here in this bit of Canada we’ve only just got midwives and they are booked solid. You don’t see the OB until around 36 weeks if you’re a straightforward case. You get one dating scan around 12 weeks or so and then just see a nurse at your Dr’s office regularly for fundal height measurement, weight etc.

It makes me feel quite anxious that you haven't been seen yet what if it's twins and they are going through TTTS it's so dangerous and can cause both babies to have severe problems not to mention you'd need to be delivering in about 10/11 weeks or so so as to not go to full term.
I would just get yourself an app ASAP I'm sure would be offered a scan just so that your hospital know what they are dealing with if anything was to be wrong! Good luck! x

Hmmm. Not sure what they would say if you were honest there. Maybe question if you need some help around anxiety? Missing important medical appointments knowingly, I do hope you are ok.

That said my friend with second baby thought she was twelve weeks and was 32. So she missed all the scans etc and just got noted as a late booking. She did them have him on the bathroom floor but that's another story not related to the late booking, he just came rather quickly.

I don't think you will be in trouble, they will just want to be sure both you and baby are ok. Hope all goes well.

You really need to book with the hospital ASAP.

I think it depends what you mean by repercussions, a purposely concealed pregnancy could trigger a referral to social services, it would be looked into and closed probably without a problem but if you just called and explained the situation you will probably avoid a lot of unnecessary hassle. You’ve done nothing wrong and you are within your rights to decline maternity care but I think you’re overthinking the covid situation.

You will of course be entitled to a scan once booked and the hospital will need to date your pregnancy and check for any potential problems. I hope this doesn’t come across harsh in anyway.

I imagine the hospital will scan you to try and work out how long you are and to assess if there are any issues. The 20 week anomaly scan is that time because it’s a good time to scan for issues as it can be harder to see some things on the scan when the baby is larger. The cut of date for terminations is 24 weeks - in some rare cases a termination can be later. I’m not saying this is relevant to you, just mentioning it. Not having sort medical care will raise safeguarding red flags.

Where do you live? Schools in England went back 10 weeks ago.

I don’t mean that for your current gestation btw with the concealed pregnancy, I mean if you continued to not tell anyone!

I think I was 20 weeks before I registered with the midwife. I’d been to see the doctor about something different and he asked me what the midwife had said. Then told me off saying I can’t go through pregnancy by myself!
There weren’t any issues Once I’d seen the midwife.

Thanks everyone
I'm just scared they'll judge me for leaving it this late! I've booked an appointment with my gp surgery to see the midwife for this Thursday coming so I'll get the ball rolling.

@anonbright

Thanks everyone I'm just scared they'll judge me for leaving it this late! I've booked an appointment with my gp surgery to see the midwife for this Thursday coming so I'll get the ball rolling.

Judge you? They see pregnant mums who inject heroin between their toes. Just go.

They won’t judge you! Just be honest and explain, it’s been a strange year and I’m sure you aren’t the only person that’s out of medical appointments😊

@anonbright Who cares if someone is going to judge you anyway?

Don't put off checking that your baby and pregnancy is healthy over some paranoia about being judged by a midwife!

I saw midwife this week.. she had bloody cheek to comment on how many appointments i had missed and that she felt 'i wasn't taking care of the baby'.. i was bloody upset and told her i hadnt been offered more due to covid and i was upset that i hadnt had better care! .. i think she was going to refer me to SS but i was too outraged! just explain ur reasons clearly so it goes in ur notes so they dont pull u up

You don't have to accept medical care and your reasons for not informing your GP and midwifery team are valid. I think there are processes for booking "late" but you're still entitled to care, or none if that's the route you prefer. I would let them know though, whatever you decide.

@sadsack39 this is terrible, so sorry you went through that.

Hi just wanted to try and add a bit of positivity! You can't go back in time, so just ring and let them know you're pregnant and if they ask then explain why you've left it later as you did in your original post. There's not much point in worrying about what ifs as you're going to have to let them know at some point and better sooner than later!

It’s not ideal, but you can’t let the thought of them judging you put you off getting care now. You could lie and say you didn’t know how far along you were, that would definitely be better than avoiding it altogether!

I didn’t have any prenatal care until 32 weeks. (Didn’t know I was pregnant, no bump or nothing) when I did find out they was all very lovely about it although the gestation can be slightly of due to being so far in so it’s harder to go of the ultrasound. The midwife was a little bit rude saying I need to look after baby more (hard when you don’t know there is one) and lectured about it being crucial to have but other than that it was fine. A lot of people are being carful due to COVID

Also due to not knowing exactly how far I was they induced me two weeks early