Do most people have a private scan?

[RosieLemonade]

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?

I had a scan to see what the sex of number 3 was

I agree with the poster talking about if something is wrong but luckily (with this baby) there was nothing wrong….

But, mil and my dad stayed outside with the two children initially and only came in the room when the initial checks had been made

Just nhs scans for me- didn’t see the need with either of my pregnancies (one pre covid and one mid Covid)- I didn’t need a 4d scan when I would meet my baby soon enough and that money could go on things for them

I did: both times.

One private at 6/7 weeks to confirm pregnancy.
One at 12 weeks NHS.
One at 16 weeks to confirm boy/girl
One at 20 weeks NHS anomoly scan
One at 33 weeks (4D) private, only on second.

@RosieLemonade Private scan isn’t really something if ever considered - I feel the same as others - it’s a medical procedure. But I was pregnant with our first last year during lockdown so attended all scans alone. DH was obviously very understanding as to why partners couldn’t attend scans but I knew he was a really gutted so I booked a private one as a surprise for him and it was lovely.
I waited until after my NHS scans were done though - I think I was around 26 weeks if I remember rightly. I wouldn’t have gone for a private scan at all before my NHS anomaly scan at 20 weeks

I only did with my 3rd.
Scan at around 16 weeks so we could take the older ones and find out the sex.
Scan at about 36 weeks to check growth, size, position etc as my area didn't do an NHS scan in the 3rd trimester.

I've had an early private scan at 7weeks (abdominal). I'm 34 so most of my friends already have kids so was full aware of private scans. Don't think there is a right or a wrong but in my friendship group it fell into private scan (troubles TTC/spare cash/Covid preventing partners going to nhs scans) NHS only (money tight/too young to realise all the things that could go wrong with carrying to full term).

Though I'm blessed to be having an easy pregnancy and no issues TTC knowing what my friends and their friends have experienced does put me on edge and since I can afford it will have scans as and when I feel the need. Realise it is technically a medical procedure but ivf pregnancy get more scans than traditional pregnancy so can't be an issue right?

I had a private scan at 8 weeks to confirm the pregnancy. We'd been trying for over 2 years at that point so I couldn't wait for my 12 week scan!

It's becoming more and more common.

My friend runs a private scanning business part time while still working for the nhs but is currently considering going full time with the private clinic as they are so busy.

I'm pregnant with my second and plan to get a private scan (never did first time round) simply because DH isn't allowed into the NHS one. I don't want to get bad news without DH present. So if there's a problem hopefully I'll have some indication of the private one.

I only had one at 9 weeks after finding out I was pregnant at 8’weeks it being a massive shock because I had had “periods” at the normal time and then worrying that baby was actually there because of the bleeding! It was completely a reassurance thing for me and after that I only had NHS scans.

I had loads for medical reasons
5,6,8,10,13,20,34,38,38 plus the small scanner that they had at the obstetrician

IMO there’s little point to them. They’re not reassuring except for that particular ten minutes on that particular day because anything can happen in early pregnancy. As others have said, most of these places are not equipped for dealing with it if there’s a problem and that can be quite traumatic.

Getting increasingly common. I am an nhs sonographer and don’t get to sex babies all that often anymore due to them having had a private scan beforehand. It’s not necessary though. Depends how impatient you are.

@Didyousaynutella

Getting increasingly common. I am an nhs sonographer and don’t get to sex babies all that often anymore due to them having had a private scan beforehand. It’s not necessary though. Depends how impatient you are.

Are the private scans often correct?

Only the nhs ones but I did have twins last pregnancy so was scanned fortnightly from 16 weeks.

I had a private scan at 6 weeks 5 days just because I couldn't believe i was finally pregnant and wanted to check all was going ok, there was no way I could wait til 12 weeks I was so anxious.

I haven't had any private ones since then though and not planning to have any further private ones at all.

One of my friends had 6 or 8 private scans and after she gave birth she did say she went overboard and actually grew bored of having them.

I only had the NHS scans. Never really felt any need for others.

Of my NCT group, only one had a private scan.

If you are booking a private scan then you should check the qualifications and credentials of the person doing the scan.

Apparently to scan and just tell you the sex of the baby you can be trained in a matter of weeks. They aren't qualified to pick up on any issues.
A qualified sonographer will have the knowledge and ability to refer you to a hospital should they spot anything concerning.

We did with DD because just before I was pregnant with her I’d had a blighted ovum miscarriage that was discovered when I started bleeding at around 8/9 weeks and I wanted to make sure that that wasn’t the case with my second pregnancy so we went at around 7 weeks.

I doubt most people do at all. I didn't even think about it with my 1st, and wouldn't have been able to afford it anyway. I have done so with my 2nd because I was just so impatient to find out the sex, and had more money to spare. I'm thinking of having another one in a couple of months to maybe give some 4D images as Christmas presents. I did have IVF for both pregnancies, but didn't do any extra for that.
Obviously some people have particular anxieties and concerns, but other than that it's if you want extra/4D photos, and can't wait to find out the sex. I doubt most people do it, and I wouldn't feel guilt tripped. But if you can afford it it's lovely to see the baby kicking an extra time.

We had private scans along side the nhs ones.
We went for the early scan (around 6-7 weeks) as I'd found out almost bang out 4 weeks with DD and current pregnancy, so 8 weeks seemed a lo time to wait for a scan.

With DD we also went for a gender scan because we wanted to. We did a 4d scan but it was a waste of time as DD was face planting in my placenta and no amount of cold fizzy drinks or jumpy about would change her position!

I had a private one at 8 weeks (turned out to be 9) because my partner wasn’t allowed at the NHS one and I wanted him to be there when we first got to see.

It was a really nice thing to do and I think we will do the same for future pregnancy’s

I think it's becoming more and more common. When I had my eldest (2006) it wasn't something most people did and it was a lot more expensive too. Now it seems that everyone is doing it multiple times. I had 1 private 4d scan with my dc4 at 28 weeks. I got it for free from a charity because he had a problem picked up at the 20 week scan. I found it really helpful to see what he would look like when he was born and to show my older dc too. We also got lots of photos which was a nice bonus.

We are only having the NHS ones but I’m having regular growth scans anyway. We don’t want to find out the sex and our trust will let you know the sex. They ask at each of my growth scans and would tell me if I’ve changed my mind. DH is also able to come to every scan with me but I would have considered it if he wasn’t able to attend scans. Given that our baby is an awkward bugger that seems to position themselves in the worst position for every scan, I feel like a private scan would be a waste of money for us.

It’s probably 50/50 for us on people we know who had them.

No only ever had NHS scans, I know one person who had a private scan but they can easily afford to and they wanted to put their mind at rest over some worrying symptoms.