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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Pregnant?! - now what? Blood test?

35 replies

AnonymousXXIX · 23/04/2021 15:10

Hi,

I did a home pregnancy test (or five) and it showed positive. So I called my GP, and they told me to self-refer to the midwife led unit at the local hospital, and then I got an auto reply saying 'congratulations! someone will be in touch in 14 days, and arrange for a dating scan at 8-10 weeks'.

But erm - I am new to this clearly - should someone not confirm that I am really pregnant? I thought they would do a blood test for HCG or something like this. All I did was tell someone over the phone I saw a vague line on a test!

Is there some way to confirm I am really pregnant? In less than those 14 days that is... (I am 2 weeks late, have no symptoms, and the line was very faint so I am not at all convinced everything is as it should be.)

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4PawsGood · 23/04/2021 15:11

Nope, not usual to confirm it HPT is enough.

Chica1990 · 23/04/2021 15:13

The home tests are so reliable now they really don’t see any need for you to go to the doctors, they would just be confirming hcg is present like a test would.

I was also surprised everyone was just taking my word for it! But I suppose if you are bleeding you would do another test and get checked out, and sadly sometimes people don’t find out there is a problem until their 12 week scan.. I think that’s why private scans are so popular now.

TheDaydreamBelievers · 23/04/2021 15:44

Yeap, it feels super weird but no one checks.

I would do:

Test once per week, and the line should get stronger.
Private scan at 8 weeks, which would be once you could see a baby shape and heartbeat.

But thats just me - its very personal what each person does.

Original poster

AnonymousXXIX · 23/04/2021 15:53

Thanks for the advice :)

We were meant to start fertility treatments this summer so this positive is SO SURPRISING I can't even tell you. It's meant to be impossible. So I am having real issues believing it...

Buying more tests......

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Chelyanne · 23/04/2021 15:53

None of mine have been "confirmed" by a GP or midwife they take your word for it after a positive home test. You will have booking bloods done, they will arrange a date for you. I had mine done at 8wk, history via phone the following week and dating scan baby was measuring 13wk (4 days ahead of lmp).
I didn't opt for early private scans this time as I did that last pregnancy and miscarried a week after seeing a heartbeat (not my 1st mc but harder after seeing it looked well).

SillyBry · 23/04/2021 16:11

I found it so weird with both pregnancies that noone checks. Your first contact will probably be a booking appointment, where the midwife asks a million questions and I was like "this is a lot of work for them... I really hope I am pregnant and nothing has gone wrong!" But yes, totally normal :-)

Original poster

AnonymousXXIX · 23/04/2021 16:27

What happens if you have a miscarriage at 6 weeks? :( Do they still cheerfully call at 8 weeks to book a scan? This is so confusing...

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Ginfilledcats · 23/04/2021 16:38

You would probably have to tell your gp or be seen at EPU to confirm then hopefully the dots will connect and your booking in appt will be cancelled. Sadly this does t always happen.

I miscarried (was in hospital with it) but fortunately conceived 3 m later, when I went to that booking in appt the midwife looked at me confused as she was expecting to see me for my 28 week appointment

Ginfilledcats · 23/04/2021 16:38

Also try not to think of the possibility of mc. You will be fine, congratulations xxx

TheDaydreamBelievers · 23/04/2021 16:44

@AnonymousXXIX in that case you would take tests to see if they go negative (meaning miscarriage was complete). Its a good idea to tell your GP so its on file. If it happened anytime after week 6 (or you had bleeding etc after 6 weeks), the EPU should offer to see you.

Maggiesfarm · 23/04/2021 16:48

@AnonymousXXIX

Thanks for the advice :)

We were meant to start fertility treatments this summer so this positive is SO SURPRISING I can't even tell you. It's meant to be impossible. So I am having real issues believing it...

Buying more tests......

Congratulations! It's a marvellous surprise for you both.

emeraldcity2000 · 23/04/2021 16:55

Congratulations, wonderful news! It's odd no one checks isn't it? I remember sitting at the scan with my first and saying what if I'm not pregnant, maybe I just read the test wrong. Dh pointed out I was vomiting about 10 times a day by then so something was going on!
Fingers crossed for full on symptoms for you soon! Xxx

Chelyanne · 23/04/2021 18:23

@AnonymousXXIX

What happens if you have a miscarriage at 6 weeks? :( Do they still cheerfully call at 8 weeks to book a scan? This is so confusing...

When I have miscarried I have just given the midwife team a call to cancel my appointments. Not the easiest of phone calls but they've always been lovely. They did dismiss my self referral with our 3rd as I got bfp 6wk after a miscarriage and they thought it was a duplicate but it was sorted quickly when I chased it up. My local midwife team are all really nice, same with the hospital ones too thankfully.

tigerbread20 · 23/04/2021 18:29

Congratulations! I'm pregnant with my 3rd and still can't believe they don't check.

I had a miscarriage a few weeks ago and forgot to cancel booking appointment, she called, said it was the midwife and was it convinient and I just said I didn't need the appointment anymore as had mc, she was so lovely about it. But for now focus on your exciting baby news and try not to think of the worst

AngstyMom · 23/04/2021 18:32

Yeah, it's weird. I made a GP appointment when I was pregnant and poor GP was sat there like, 'Yeah... and?'

I felt so daft!

Original poster

AnonymousXXIX · 23/04/2021 19:14

@angstymom haha that was so me today!

Such a mixture of excited and convinced it'll go wrong! I'm not kidding, we were told we prob can't have children. Going to be peeing on so many sticks..!

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AngstyMom · 23/04/2021 19:18

Well congratulations! Fingers crossed it all goes well for you x

jade0881 · 23/04/2021 20:19

@AnonymousXXIX
Hey congratulations on finding out. I recently found out I'm expecting my 3rd child. However so much things have changed since I had my last 2 children. All my children are 6 years apart(not what I wanted but things happen).
I had to do self referral to and I have my booking appointment on 4/6/21. To be honest with my history of previous miscarriages I thought I would have been quicker. But that's life I just pray and hope that all is well.

Hope things work out for you Hun.

curtaintwizzler · 24/04/2021 08:12

I remember going to my doctors surgery and registering and then writing down pregnant on the forms.

I expected them to query it/want proof. It felt surreal

Congratulations !!!

From the day of positive test until scan at 8 weeks I had no symptoms. I remember praying for morning sickness as I just had no way of knowing I was actually pregnant

I bought a tonne of tests but gave up on those after a few days as it felt wasteful

Original poster

AnonymousXXIX · 24/04/2021 08:28

Thanks everyone! I guess anyone will be worried, especially the first trimester. I'm just a bit extra maybe because we were told we can't conceive naturally (male factor infertility). It really only takes one :o but I'm so worried it will have been a wonky one

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Taenia · 24/04/2021 09:48

I've just had my 8 week booking appointment this week... and am still surprised that no one had checked prior to this! Its my first baby so I hadnt really expected it..

I'm presuming they check with the bloods and urine sample they took yesterday..

I ended up taking multiple tests because I just didn't believe it.. and was worried that wheb it came to it, I had misread or something lol once the sickness set in.. it felt a bit more real that something was going on..

Congratulations OP! It's been 3 weeks since I found out and I'm still often totally blown away that it's happened! (And also terrified but that's very normal)

GreenSlide · 24/04/2021 09:57

Take one of those digital tests, the words are very reassuring. But the missing period is a big clue my GP does actually like you to go in for an appointment when you're pregnant so they can give you advice on what not to eat and give you the high strength folic acid if it's needed and so on.

AngstyMom · 24/04/2021 10:03

@Taenia

I've just had my 8 week booking appointment this week... and am still surprised that no one had checked prior to this! Its my first baby so I hadnt really expected it..

I'm presuming they check with the bloods and urine sample they took yesterday..

Congratulations OP! It's been 3 weeks since I found out and I'm still often totally blown away that it's happened! (And also terrified but that's very normal)

The bloods are to check for blood type, antigens that may affect the pregnancy and certain genetic conditions if they decide to screen you for them.

They spread the urine on a Petri dish and see what grows. They might do other tests with it too but that's the only one I know of.

mouldygrapes · 24/04/2021 10:07

I'm presuming they check with the bloods and urine sample they took yesterday..

They don’t do any pregnancy tests at your booking appt. they’ll ask the date of your last period and so on, but the first “check” is your ultrasound scan

Original poster

AnonymousXXIX · 24/04/2021 10:16

Do NHS do a scan before 12 weeks? Because if not I am 100% booking a private one for 8-9 weeks.

On which note, I wish I could work out a bit better whether I am 4 weeks or 5 weeks! Normally I am very in tune with ovulation but I wasn't totally sure this month. If the latter, it would explain the faint lines. But I only ovulated late once the entirety of last year so seems unlikely..? Argh..

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