Private scan before seeing midwife

[BlueBlossomCotton]

Hi, recently found out we are pregnant with first. Roughly over 6 weeks now (based on period start date of last period). Struggling to get an appointment with midwife as she's only there one day a week.
My question is, is it possible to have an early scan before you see your midwife?
6 positive tests and counting, nausea, sore bigger boobs, very sore back and gone off a lot of food (everything seems to taste different?).Feeling very nervous and happy but also scared, I know a lot can happen in the first 12 weeks but I feel a really strong urge to have the private scan just to see this is actually happening and real to put me at ease a little bit x

A scan before 12 weeks normally would be at 6-8 weeks and this is a ‘scan’ (often vaginally) to check to see egg and sack are where they should be; ie not an ectopic pregnancy. I would wait for the midwife- this is more of a medical scan (they all are of course) but as you say the initial 12weeks are the time of highest risk & this scan isn’t really anything visible it’s just to check all seems ‘normal’ for implantation. This scan also will confirm the initial ideas on dates and this is the base of your pregnancy notes so really I would wait for midwife for the first 2 scans; if you want to get private they are better later on when there’s lots to see & gender reveal etc! I found the first two quite daunting to be honest as they are really ‘medical’ in nature & whilst it’s not likely these scans can be moments of bad news on occasion. I would rather find out something hard to hear from a midwife who I can see regularly than a one off appointment- I’m not sure you can even get a private scan for these early examinations unless you go private hospital etc for these reasons. Perhaps see if you can find another midwife? On the pretense that you’d like the first scan to check all is where it should be in a timely fashion, not at 10 weeks! Good luck & congratulations xox

If you’re going to go private for a first trimester scan then I’d go the whole hog and get private NIPT testing done at 10-12 weeks. Way more accurate than the NHS combined screening so it’s reassuring, you get to see baby and you can also find out the sex if you wish. I personally wouldn’t go for a random scan at 6ish weeks just for ‘reassurance’ as it won’t change the outcome.

Of course you can pay for a private scan before you see the midwife but just be prepared not to see much before 7/8 weeks and possibly not a heartbeat yet. Also it’s really common to be a bit behind your dates in early scans because everything is so small it’s hard to measure so early scans can add stress as well as take it away

Also just to say when using NHS midwife service it’s common not to see a midwife before 10 weeks which is roughly when most booking appointments take place. If there is no pain or concerns then the first few weeks are usually just a waiting game!

Exactly what lake Lakeshore said

It's very easy to get a private scan if you want one, as long as you understand that it only gives you a snapshot on a given day.

I had private scans at just over 6 weeks and around 9 weeks as per my IVF clinic instructions.
There are private obstetricians near me who will do them for £200 - £250, also places like Ultrasound Direct where I've had several scans much cheaper than that carried out by sonographers who also work in NHS hospitals.

Judging by your tests and symptoms you are definitely pregnant, it's up to you if you want to wait for your dating scan or have an earlier private one. Obviously it won't affect the outcome either way, and you will know if it's something you want to do. It's an individual choice. Some people find a loss harder to deal with after an early scan. Some people say it makes no difference as a loss is painful either way.

It wasn't 'optional' for me as the clinic needed to check if the pregnancy was in the correct place.
I've had further private scans as the wait between NHS appointments feels very long.

@LakeShoreD oh this is interesting- I’m in France so here first scan is much earlier than 10weeks! Second scan is at 12weeks here so makes no sense to have two that close I guess. Xo

I had an 8 week reassurance scan (abdominal) for both my pregnancies to break up the time between finding out and the 12 week scan.

Obviously there's not loads to see, but we were pretty amazed to see an actual foetus in there, albeit shrimplike.

I had a private scan (£40 last autumn) at 7+5. I'd had such bad pains (literally doubled over at one point) and some bleeding so I was anxious to know what was going on. I was so worried about an ectopic or a MMC. Also it meant my DH could attend!! (Covid restrictions were in place for NHS appointments, not sure what they are now)

As others have said, an early scan is no guarantee but it made me feel so happy to see my baby as soon as possible whatever the outcome. It was an internal scan and we saw a heartbeat.

I had another private scan with 15 hours' notice a few days later after some very heavy bleeding and a three day wait on the NHS for a scan. We saw heartbeat again and movement at 8+1.

DS is nearly five months old now

People's feelings vary but this was the right thing for me.

Thank you all for your responses I do appreciate everyone's thoughts and opinions. I have got myself a little worked up as I had covid around assumed conception date (don't know how my OH got away with that).
I'm based in UK so NHS website says between 8-10 weeks to see midwife but after speaking to my GP and the strain the NHS is under at the moment I feel like I could be waiting a while.
The place we are looking to book is next to the hospital by a member of their staff. Probably why I felt so eager to book it knowing I'd be seen by someone who's an actual NHS sonographer.

Just to add, private scans seemed common for my pregnancy cohort due to the covid limitations at NHS scans, whereas people might not have had these extra scans previously.

I had several private scans during my first trimester. It was a suprise natural pregnancy in the middle of ivf so we 1. Had no idea how far along I was and 2. Was exceptionally nervous.

You don't get your first scan on the NHS til around 12 weeks (mine was at over 13 weeks) and even then I found it so quick and grainy.

Found different ultrasound places charged between 50 and 200. So if you can afford it and it gives you peace of mind go for it but be wary you can't see much at 6 weeks. I'd wait til about 8 weeks tbh

Go for it, lots of people do, but I recommend against it before 8 weeks - there's not much to see and you may be told they can't find a heartbeat for example, simply because it's too early. Cue a week of stress/anxiety and need for a re-scan.

So we have booked the appointment for when I will be over 7 weeks, I might ring them today and see if they advise waiting a week. Will I need to tell my midwife I'm doing this fo you think?

We did one at around 8 weeks for reassurance. The nhs ones are diagnostic so quite clinical whereas the private one they took their time explaining what we could see on screen and playing us the heartbeat, it was a really nice experience. I didn't hear the heartbeat from Nhs until way later they didn't let us listen at 12 weeks just confirmed it was there

You don't need to tell the midwife. You can mention it when you g to your booking appointment if you like

If you can bear to wait a bit longer, it's more informative to have a scan at about 8-9 weeks as if there were a a healthy heartbeat at that stage the chances of miscarriage go right down. Also after about 8 weeks you can have an abdominal scan rather than vaginal.

My midwife did my telephone consultation at 6 weeks then bang on 8 week we had the booking appointment.

I had an early scan with my first DD at 7 weeks and tbh seeing a ‘splodge’ of white did nothing to actually reassure me.. it didn’t look like a baby, it didn’t move or wriggle.. it was a bit boring (had my early scan on the NHS though to check dates)

Everyone this time has tried to convince me to get an early scan but I’ve had no interest, I’ve got no symptoms which make me a little “at I even pregnant” but I still don’t want to waste £80odd to see another white motionless splodge. - my 12 week scan is on the 10th, it’s coming around pretty quickly tbh! I’ll be 12+2 according to period start date by then so no NHS strain to see antenatal appointments here.

In regards to your concerns about everything being set back due to covid, I had my baby in February this year and not at one point from finding out till having her was anything set back. Of course there were a lot of changes. My booking in appointment was on the phone and not in person, no DH at any scans but there was no delays in any way.

I’ll also be completely honest about booking an early scan. I had one at 7 weeks and all was fine. I had my dating scan at 14weeks and unfortunately I’d had a missed miscarriage. Made me question all the ‘whys and what ifs’ even more. When I fell pregnant the second time I just waited till my NHS one. All I’m saying is having an early scan means nothing unfortunately but if it reassures you then go for it. I wish you luck

I did in all three of my pregnancies at 8-10 weeks. Two were good news and very reassuring as once the heartbeat is seen the chances of a good outcome increase. One was bad news which was sensitively dealt with and I was referred back into the NHS for treatment. I've no plans to be pregnant again but I would go for a private early scan again if it happened.

@BlueBlossomCotton I'll be having an early scan at 7 weeks. I too haven't met my midwife- just spoke to my gp then got referred to a hospital for antenatal care.

My GP said there is no issue with early scans at at the 6/7 week mark you should hear a heartbeat.

Congratulations!

I think many people get a private scan these days.

A scan after 9 weeks is likely to result in a successful pregnancy.

I had a scan at 6 weeks, saw a heartbeat and it'd stopped by the next scan and it stopped at 8 weeks. This was a missed miscarriage as I had no indication the pregnancy failed.

Yes u can have a Ultrasound before u see midwife iv booked one and I ring the midwife before makeing one she's said if I wanted a scan for re assurance to go private witch is costing £100 if u Wana go private go private no one can tell u what to do and if they did say u misscarage then they ring Ur gp and hospit and u get counciling for it