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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Do most people have a private scan?

83 replies

RosieLemonade · 20/09/2021 13:59

Talking to my friend who is the same amount of weeks pregnant as me and she was telling me about taking her children to a private scan to see the new baby and finding out the gender. I know DH will say no if I suggested it so feeling a little hard done by! Are we in the minority only having nhs scans?

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8dpwoah · 20/09/2021 14:02

We didn't with our first, didn't see any need... We did with this one because we wanted to find out the sex so we could give some context about it when we told DD she was getting a sibling. Plus we didn't want to find out the sex with our first so didn't have an awkward 'please can you have a look?' conversation at our 20 week scan as our trust policy is they will tell you what they think if they happen to see a clue during the scan, but no guarantees!

T0rt0ise · 20/09/2021 14:02

Can only speak from experience but none of my NCT group, nor my brother's wife or I have had private scans. I actually don't know anyone that has.

Milkbottlelegs · 20/09/2021 14:04

I had all my scans done privately but only ever on medical advice (so 12 and 20 weeks, plus a couple of later scans as advised).

I don’t know anyone in real life that has had a private scan for any other reason.

Nomoreusernames1244 · 20/09/2021 14:04

I only had the two nhs scans.

I don’t believe in medical procedures just for fun. Scans are to look for anomalies and any possible issues with the pregnancy.

For me the risks are too big. Can you imagine taking the kids along and their being a serious problem or worse? Quite often private scans aren’t done by qualified sonographers so issues aren’t picked up, or something is classed as an issue, you are bounced back to the nhs thinking the worst and it’s just their lack of expertise.

I just don’t agree with the monetarising of pregnancy.

8dpwoah · 20/09/2021 14:04

The other factor as well of course is that for quite a lot of last year partners couldn't go into NHS scans so I suspect more people would have had private for that reason- we had ours booked partly in case the rule still applied here but they changed it just before our 12 week luckily.

DowntonCrabby · 20/09/2021 14:07

We did with our 2nd as we wanted to find out the sex and out trust had stopped telling parents at 20 week scan so those wishing to find out have no choice.

Why would your DH say no though? Is it a good enough reason if you really want one?

allofthecheese · 20/09/2021 14:07

I did with my first as I felt nervous but also it felt like the 'done thing' esp judging by threads on here/baby apps. But tbh if I had another I wouldn't bother and just wait for the NHS scan.

romdowa · 20/09/2021 14:09

Nope we didn't bother. Weren't interested in finding out the sex and I'm having fortnightly growth scans now anyway so I'm seeing plenty of the baby 😅

firstimemamma · 20/09/2021 14:10

We were going to have an early one with our first just to check everything was ok but then ended up needing an nhs one due to bleeding (everything was fine).

Had a private scan at 6 weeks with my current pregnancy because I was just so nervous. All was ok and it really put my mind at ease.

BingBongToTheMoon · 20/09/2021 14:15

I didn’t and none of my friend group did either (6 families).

Soph30 · 20/09/2021 14:18

We had private scans weekly because of previous recurrent loss, we just wanted to make sure the baby was okay- I have massive anxiety due to our history. We didn’t bother with gender scans etc. Just well-being scans and reassurance scans. I think it’s completely up to you though, all down to personal preference x

Derbee · 20/09/2021 14:19

This is our first baby. We waited until the NHS 12 week scan, and will wait for the NHS 20 week scan. However, we will have a private 4d scan after 28 weeks, as the images are amazing, and it’s a nice way for my parents to come and see the baby early.

TakeYourFinalPosition · 20/09/2021 14:22

No, the norm is probably not to have them rather than to have them, but it’s all personal preference.

I know DH will say no if I suggested it so feeling a little hard done by!

If you want one, why wouldn’t he entertain it? Or at least talk about it? This sounds a bit worrying. You don’t need to have one, by any means, but if you want one, and can afford it… he shouldn’t be unilaterally saying no, it’s not just his decision.

LJ22 · 20/09/2021 14:23

I'm 10 weeks and we've had 2 very early nhs ones to check on everything as we used clomid to get pregnant. We had a private one at 8.5 weeks and have another one booked next week to check on baby. They really ease my anxiety due to my previous loss, but the run up to them is horrible and I do wish I could just wait for my nhs ones! Whatever works for you though I say ☺️

Phobicmum · 20/09/2021 14:24

We did at 8 weeks (just to confirm that I was actually pregnant as I didn't feel like I could wait), 17 weeks to find out the sex and 29 weeks for a 4d scan. Where we went, NHS sonographers work there, so I trusted what they saw. I feel like they give you a bit more time and spent longer showing us things compared with the NHS scans which felt more medical. I am not sure it is necessary at all, but I am really glad that we had the scans and have the pictures of how the baby changed.

ArtfulScreamer · 20/09/2021 14:25

My first pregnancy was IVF so we had a viability scan followed by the usual NHS scans, my second pregnancy was a surprise conception 18 months after my DD was born so I paid for a private scan at 7/8 weeks as I was really struggling to believe I was pregnant. If I'd have got pregnant naturally after trying for a short period of time like most people I'd have probably just had my NHS scans.

LakeShoreD · 20/09/2021 14:27

If you want an extra scan and you can afford it then you should be able to have one, why would does your DH get to say no?

Most people I know had at least something privately whether that’s was all their pregnancy care, an early reassurance scan, the NIPT test, a 16 week scan to see the sex or 4D scan.

trevthecat · 20/09/2021 14:28

I have 3 kids, only had NHS scans. But had loads due to various issues with all of them. I may have had private scans had I not had the extra NHS ones

kitkatsky · 20/09/2021 14:30

We had one private scan to find out the sex together as DH couldn't come to either NHS scan due to covid. We wouldn't have bothered otherwise

Aozora13 · 20/09/2021 14:31

I don’t know anyone IRL who had a private scan. I’ve had various additional NHS scans beyond the standard but those were all for medical reasons. Friends have had additional early scans as part of IVF also.

Twizbe · 20/09/2021 14:32

I booked an early scan with my first but cancelled it as I needed an NHS one before that.

I never bothered with any private scans after that.

early on there isn't much to see. I had haematomas with both so had scans at 6 and 9 weeks. Although nice, the 6 weeks one was really just a blob
I didn't want to know the sex so the fewer scans the better
I needed extra scans with both babies anyway so the NHS arranged those. With baby 1 I had scans at 6,9,12,20,24,27 and 37 weeks. With baby 2 I had 6,9,12,14,20,22 weeks. If you need those scans they are there for you.

LivingNextDoorToNorma · 20/09/2021 14:34

Prior to last year I only know of two people who had 4d scans, always later on in their pregnancy.

Obviously the rules and restrictions last year meant that for a long time, women had to attend scans alone. Most of the couples I know who were expecting then had a private scan, purely so that their partner could see the baby.

NatalieH2220 · 20/09/2021 14:35

I had an early scan with my first and two private scans with my second. First we were excited to tell family so wanted to check everything looked ok first. Second we decided on early gender scan as my husband couldn't attend 20 week scan due to covid. Other wasn't planned but was for reassurance as MAU had refused to see me.

Curlymam88 · 20/09/2021 14:36

We had a private scan at 10 weeks mainly due to anxiety over of baby was doing ok due to a previous baby with bad news at 12 week scan. I couldn't wait any longer to find out if the baby was doing ok or not. We then booked a private scan at 18 weeks and took my daughter with us to find out the gender. Mainly to make her feel included in it all. We also have a 4d scan booked at 29 weeks.

Original poster

RosieLemonade · 20/09/2021 14:36

It just seems the done thing around here! People seem to get early gender and then a 4d one later on.
We can easily afford it. However I had crippling pre-natal anxiety with DD and DH thinks I will become obsessed with getting scans!

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