Shocked to hear that you don't get 20 week scan routinely in Highlands...

[Kbear]

Friend told me tonight that where she lives you have to pay if you want a detailed 20 week scan in Highland Region? Another example of a postcode healthcare lottery. I took it for granted that the whole of Britain got the same maternity care (naively).

As if that's not bad enough she has to go 100 miles to have her baby.

Am shocked of SE London.

OldieButGoldie - I hope they are taking good care of you! Congratulations btw.

Maybe we could all contact our MSPs, and Nicola Sturgeon, about this - their email addresses are easy to find online.

Ooh KBear, am intrigued - does she live near FW then?

Agree with the scan thing - I only had a dating scan at 13 weeks. So for example if ds1 or 2 had had talipes, or cleft palate etc, then I wouldn't have known until the birth. I was a little concerned but that was all. On the other hand, if there had been any concerns, I could have had a scan further on (had one with ds1 as he was measuring small for dates).

I had to go 25 miles to hospital - tbh if you live in a sparsely populated area it's par for the course (though a PITA that you have to drive right past the small hospital and up that crappy road all the way to Inverness, I agree )

The highland council tried to close our maternity unit in Wick about three or four years ago - until it was pointed out how many women would have died in the previous year if they hadn't got access to care quickly enough ). I bet they try again in the future though.

Yep! Near where you used to live! by the big bridge!

Just to set a cat among the pigeons......
If a scan was a drug that had no evidence to back up it actually helped you in pregnancy, would you take it? Even if it didn't taste too bad?
Even the Royal College of Obs and Gynae (RCOG) recognise that there have not been any large scale studies into the usefulness or improvement in outcomes of pregnancy since the introduction of ultrasound over 30 years ago. An ultrasound machine costs a fair amount, around £250 000 for a reasonable obstetric machine, with extra probes costing £70 k +. These are also meant to be replaced every 3 years with equally expensive machines, let alone running clinics, staff, etc.Huge financial investment in something with no evidence to support it.
With the mention of limiting other services to fund different areas, its not surprising to me that scans are one of the areas to go.
BTW, the lack of trained sonographers isn't the real problem (there's quite a few of us) but having funding for staff is the issue.
Hmmm, I think that's enough for one day.....
mumofk

i know what you are saying mumofk but there is a lot of evidence (see QIS, NICE, SIGN, RCM) to suggest that a second scan at 20weeks is beneficial to both mother and baby. not only to detect foetal abnormailities and be able to treat where possible, but detect low lying placentas and other maternal problems.

so i don't agree that there is huge financial investment with no evidence to support it. there is demand for regard scanning and it is unfair it has become yet another postcode lottery.

I don't have a problem with the sonographers (have really high regard as they found my ovarian cyst when i was last pregnant) my problem is with the docs who failed to act on the scan results and I nearly lost my baby.

sorry about the waffle....

xx

2 scans here in Stirling, thankfully and same when I was pregnant in Aberdeen. I know they don't get a 20 week scan routinely in Edinburgh though but hadn't realised Highland Region was the same.

momofk - I agree that ultrasounds are very expensive, but if there have been no major studies into into 'the usefulness or improvement in outcomes of pregnancy since the introduction of ultrasound' then surely there is no evidence either way whether they are useful or not?

I cant speak for anyone else but what frustrates me is that whether you get offered a 2nd scan routinely depends on where you live - not whether or not they are considered useful or not. I think that's really hard to accept when you read the guidance from NICE and QIS which recommends a 20 week scan. Incidentally, updated guidance will be available from QIS in March 2008 so it will be interesting to see what it says.

I'll be paying privately for my 20 week scan - after two previous mc the reassurance that everything is going ok is really important to help me sleep at night. Also, if any abnormalities are identified then I'd like the time to be able to make informed choices and do some research.

Maybe i should move to Fife...

mumofk - ok, you have a point, but I don't think you can compare ultrasound to a drug. Secondly, what do you define as 'usefulness'?

Personally, I would find it very 'useful' to find out if there were any problems with my pregnancy. If it really were of no use, then why do some areas invest in it, and some don't - if no benefit whatsoever, then the money would be better spent somewhere else? Finally, why are there so many recommendations to carry out a 12 week and a 20 week scan in QIS, NICE, etc etc? I totally agree with kaa0901 - just another unfair health postcode lottery.

I'm in Edinburgh and we ummed and erred about paying for an anomaly scan (due to have it next week when I'll be 22 weeks). We have a friend who is an obs/gyn consultant in England and he recommended very strongly that we have it so we've decided to do just that.

I'm in SE London also and did not have my booking in appointment until I was 14 weeks and the 12 week scan came about 2 weeks later when I was almost 16 weeks. Was not offered a nuchal scan this time, despite a family history of spina bifida (did have this scan with DD) and my 20 week scan is actually going to take place when I am 22 weeks.

I'm shocked to hear that you have to wait all that time to see your baby!