Pregnant?! - now what? Blood test?

[AnonymousXXIX]

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.)

@AnonymousXXIX no, only the 12 week scan (unless repeated previous misscarriage or repeated ectopics)

I also can still barely believe that they just take my word for it until the 12 week scan. I'm on my third and get very nervous the day of my first scan. Obviously I'm a bit worried they'll find something wrong, and even more worried they'll find it's twins, but my major worry is that they'll look and it will all have been a mistake. There'll be nothing in there, find out I was never pregnant, it was just a mistake and somehow all the debilitating pregnancy symptoms I've been having are either a coincidence or psychosomatic.

@PerspicaciousGreen I had that worry! That theyd scan and just be like "what are you talking about...? Theres nothing here?"

One of the reasons I was nervous with the 12-week scan was because I was wondering if there's really be something there. It is strange that they don't need to confirm it, but they would just use a similar test to the pregnancy test we buy so it's not worth it.

If you do go for a private scan and aren't sure about ovulation I'd advise not making it too early. You often get posts on here of women so anxious and in tears because they went for a private scan (thinking it was 8 weeks when really it was 5 weeks) and there was no heartbeat but really it was just because they got their dates wrong and they had to wait anxiously for another two weeks to go and see that the fetus is developing well. They were just out with their dates but caused themselves such anxiety.

@MimiDaisy11 yes you are totally right! Going to aim for what I believe may be 9 weeks to err on the side of caution.

@AnonymousXXIX I’ve only ovulated late once ever, that I’m aware of, and it was the month I got pregnant!

I’m now either 5+5 or 6+4, from ovulation/LMP. It’s scary and exciting, but I was also so baffled that nobody confirms it.

I’m planning on a private scan at 8/9 weeks too

Congratulations

@AnonymousXXIX

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..

If you're two weeks late then you're 6 weeks pregnant. Doctors and midwives won't really care when you ovulated, although they'll ask if your period is a regular 28 days and use the answer along with the dating scan to give you a due date.

@greenslide my cycles are normally only 24-26 days or even less so that's where the uncertainty comes in. I am 2 weeks late on my normal cycle but currently only 10 days on a 28 day cycle.

Since we were told we can't have children I stopped tracking ovulation this year - but I had the tell-tale cramps and cm around day 13 as well as day 21 this cycle and then even at 27! I thought for sure I was getting my period that night... but nothing. So maybe implantation?? Wish someone could tell me already...

Hey,

I too was told I couldn't have children. Imagine my surprise when I saw a line on a (or maybe 10 tests). I couldn't believe that nobody checked I was right and was so utterly convinced it was all mistake that when I had my 12 week scan and this little baby appeared I yelled at the top of my voice "OH MY FUCKING GOD THERE'S A BABY IN THERE" not my finest moment but made the sonographer laugh.

@Nobranothanks hahaha thanks for that story! :D