Are fathers/birth partners allowed to attend the 12-week scan where you live?

[AngeloMysterioso]

I’m 6 weeks pregnant and atm it looks like I’ll be attending the 12-week scan alone . I’m pretty anxious about it and so DH and I are considering paying for a private scan, to the tune of roughly £100.

As it stands he will be allowed to attend the 20-week scan. Not sure why there are different rules for what is essentially the exact same situation. If anything surely it’s more important for partners to be allowed into the 12 week scan as you’re more likely to get bad news at that one than the 20-week one?

I’m in Scotland and yes my partner was able to attend my 12 weeks scan, plus two early scans at 7 and 8 weeks.
My midwife appointments are at my home so he could attend those too if he wanted (though he’s more than likely going to be away working).

I hope they change the rules soon - I am in SE England and no partners allowed at 12 weeks, but are allowed at 20 weeks. We paid for a private one at 10 weeks which was £60, and I am so glad we did as it was lovely to share it with him!

My midwife on Wednesday told me they are changing the rules next week to allow partners to more things. And they have barely changed the rules while covid has been happening so hopefully it's happening everywhere. I'm north west.

In our hospital in Hertfordshire partners are allowed at 12 and 20 week scans. Have the wait outside until she is called and then go straight through, so not in the same waiting area (which is fine). I think incredibly unfair for hospitals not to allow this, although I understand why not allowed at midwife appointments etc.

NHS Tayside are allowing partners in for 12 and 20 weeks scans. I had to attend consultant appointments alone at 34 &37 weeks which to be honest was pretty upsetting.

I wasn't as bothered for my growth scans but for the appointments after I would of rather he was there, he is more level headed than me he might say nothing in the appointments but good to have someone to discuss it with.

My dp is allowed to attend the 12 and 20 week scan. He was also allowed to attend my 8 week viability scan I had last week as well. If he wasnt allowed to attend until 20 weeks then we would have just paid for a private one.

Hi mine could come to the 12 week and 20 week scan but not any re scans etc. I just got sent new guidelines from torbay today that is birthing partners take 2 weekly lateral flow tests they can come to all scans etc

Our trust doesn’t allow partners to any scans or appointments. As others have said, it varies. Good luck OP x

I’m in Sussex and my husband was allowed to my 12 week and will be allowed to my 20 week.

I think it’s ridiculous that some hospitals are still saying women have to do this alone, covid figures are so low now and it’s only going to get better as we hit the summer.

If some hospitals have been able to cope throughout I don’t understand why others say they can’t.

Too many middle aged/old men making these decisions in my opinion! Xx

Yes, only just been allowed from earlier on this week. Pods have been installed to allow partners to come. (Hull)

My trust still aren't allowing partners in 12wk scan. They are allowed in 20wk scans but this means you do majority of scan alone and then they call in partner from the corridor (not allowed in waiting room) for the last few minutes for a quick look. No partners at midwife appointments but I was planning those solo anyway like with my first (with my first I recorded the heart beat on my phone for him)

Partners only allowed at 20 week scan here currently. Since December I have attended a miscarriage confirmation scan and two follow up scans for that, and two early pregnancy scans due to heavy bleeding, all alone.

I'm in Scotland and he was allowed at the 12 week scan, he also would have been allowed at the 20 week scan but was working away. Interestingly, now that something is wrong and I'm on growth scans and consultant clinics the letter specifically says I must attend alone. Bizarre! Ita not the end of the world as this is our 3rd baby so its essier if he stays at home to look after the kids but equally every scan brings with it a risk that we'll have some imminent decisions and you'd think it would make more sense to have him there.

@Muststopeating

I'm in Scotland and he was allowed at the 12 week scan, he also would have been allowed at the 20 week scan but was working away. Interestingly, now that something is wrong and I'm on growth scans and consultant clinics the letter specifically says I must attend alone. Bizarre! Ita not the end of the world as this is our 3rd baby so its essier if he stays at home to look after the kids but equally every scan brings with it a risk that we'll have some imminent decisions and you'd think it would make more sense to have him there.

What part of Scotland are you in? I've had additional scans with the fetal medicine department but no one mentioned my partner couldn't attend and they didn't bar an eyelid when she did.

In Bristol yes to 12 weeks, although they didn’t make it known I had to ask process (although friends already advised me of it) they had to wait outside hospital until I was called into the room, where I could text him and advise him to come up.

I do not know if it would make any difference but my clinic is private IVF clinic and if your scan is after 12 April they are letting husbands/partners in. I will have my 7 weeks scan on the 13th and they said he can come in due to government guidelines.

I'm in North East and have been really lucky, DP was able to come to my 1st scan which I turned out to be 8 weeks (irregular cycles), he was also allowed again at my 13 week scan, they couldn't get the measurements so I had a rescan at 16 weeks where he was allowed to attend and he came to my 20 week scan also. I have a growth scan at 28 weeks though and as it stands I'll have to go to that one alone. However with restrictions easing hopefully things change for your trust. Good luck OP

No we paid for a private one at 10and a half weeks so my OH could come. I had to do all the nhs appointments alone until the 20 week scan and even then it. Wasn't very organised and they only let my OH in for a minute

Not allowed at my trust. They have only recently allowed partners to join for 20 week scans.

If you have a scan at a window to the womb type place and something is wrong you’ll need to go for more NHS investigations anyway. We paid £45 for a private scan at 9 weeks because at the time my trust wasn’t allowing partners at any scans.

Partners are allowed to both 12 & 20 week scans here, in a Somerset hospital. My 12 week scan was last September and my husband came along so they've been allowed for quite a long time compared to most. I don't think partners were ever restricted for 20 week scans. On the whole we have had much lower rates of Covid than a lot of the country so I assume that is why. Still no partners to growth scans or other hospital appointments though

Partners can come to all appointments apart from MAU/maternity triage here (South East). DH hasn't actually come to any of the midwife ones but I think especially with the 12 week scan I'd have struggled without him there, I needed someone for a hand hold to manage worries. It seems so unfair to me that there are still places where partners can't come, especially as guidance now says they should be able to be involved at all stages.

I've just had a letter through for a growth scan that says I have to go alone but then also the info sheet in the same letter says partners can come to ALL scans in our trust now 🤷‍♀️ so no wonder there is so much confusion if just one hospital manages to be inconsistent like that!

Yes to 12 and 20 - SE London (Lewisham and Greenwich).

South London hospital here - husband has been allowed at 12w and 20w scans so far. 12w scan just right before christmas when london was in tier 4, 20w scan was in Feb so at the height of the peak. He is allowed to come to my 28w scan as well next week. He has to wait outside, i wait in the waiting room, when the sonographer comes and calls me, i called him and he came up. He was allowed to stay for the whole scan (20w scan was 1hr20mins because baby wouldn't cooperate ).

Leicestershire Trust and allowed at at the 12 & 20 week scans. Had to leave straight after the 12 week scan while I stayed for bloods etc. Not allowed currently to follow up growth scans. The initial letter for the 12 week scan stated I must attend alone but the guidance on the website stated 1 support person was allowed to attend so poor communication there. Good social distancing rules in the waiting rooms and staff ensuring masks were worn and everyone used the hand sanitiser on entry. Felt v safe.
I presume I have to attend MW appointments alone but they’re pointless for men to attend anyway imo.