Anxiety around 20 week scan

[Catwoman1985]

We have our 20 week scan on Thursday and I am driving myself crazy about what they might find. We've had a private scan just the other scan and heard the heartbeat and everyone seemed fine, but it wasn't in the detail the NHS one goes into. Having lost our previous pregnancy, this baby just means so much...

@Catwoman1985 do try not to worry. I know you already know this but the risk of a loss decreases massively after 11 weeks and you've had successful scans already past that point. I lost my first 2 pregnancies this year after 3yrs TTC - I know what you mean about it meaning so much. Scans are always going to be worrying when you've had bad ones. There's nothing you can do to change the outcome so try to stay as calm as you can. I found distracting myself really helped - this isn't an exam you need to prep for so not thinking about it and burying your head in the sand isn't necessarily a bad thing!

Remember to make sure to drink before the scan like they ask (a pint an hour before). My 20wk scan only took 10 minutes total to measure everything - baby was obviously co-operative as well but the sonographer said having a full bladder meant she could see everything really clearly and get the measurements quickly which made the whole thing less stressful. She said it sometimes can take up to an hour if ladies haven't had enough to drink and it's hard to see. Obviously you can't influence if your LO decides to have a danceathon at the scan...

Thank you. That's good advice. We decided not to have the trissomy screenings because it wouldn't change our decision to continue the pregnancy, but now the uncertainty is on my mind all the time. I know I have had three scans now where all has been well so just got to keep everything crossed I guess.

@Catwoman1985 yep, the decision on the screening was tricky for us too - you have to go with what's right for you. If you're anything like me there will always be that bit of uncertainty or something playing on your mind that you can't quite get rid of. If you'd had the screening it would just be something else!

Good luck! Everything is stacked in your favour for it to be OK on Thursday and it will be reassuring to see your healthy baby again.

Thanks @Mimba I'm sure you're right. Seeing the baby on our private scan was fantastic and we found out gender so hopefully the 20 week NHS scan will be just as reassuring!