How many scans are you planning to have/had?

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As the title says, just wondering how many scans everyone’s thinking to get or had so far?

1. My first was a private one (found out I was 12+5)
2. NHS (15+5)
3. Private reassurance/gender scan tomorrow (should be 17+4)
4. Then have my NHS 20 week scan booked when I should be 19+2

Not sure what will happen after that in terms of scans as it seems to say that’s the last one (NHS wise) unless something’s wrong. But yeah, just interested to know how many scans most people have! I’ve planned the private ones more for reassurance due to having a MMC found at 12 week scan previously, so I guess I get quite paranoid this pregnancy in terms of something going wrong and not knowing.

I’m only 6 weeks but was not planning on any scans beyond the NHS 12 and 20 weeks one (unless something seems to be wrong). Is it standard to pay for additional ones too? I kind of want to just assume everything is ok and not over stress too much and feel that having lots of scans may actually cause more anxiety? However I’m only 6 weeks so maybe I’ll change my tune!

It depend if you have any medical history to put you in higher risk. Normally you get 2 scans and pregnancy is midwife led. That's what I had it with 2 previous pregnancies. In your booking appointment you get notes where is chart of different risk groups with pathways. In this pregnancy I'm medium risk due to age and get 3 extra growth scans.

I had a private scan at 8 weeks to check for a heart beat and another with NIPT at ten weeks (it was included.)

I also had one at 16 weeks, right between the NHS 12 and 20 weeks scans.

I found the nhs scans to be super rushed and I couldn't see the screen at all. It wasn't remotely magical, which is why I had the extra private scan at 16 weeks. The nhs scan photos I received were so blurry whereas the private scans came with brilliant photos and cost me £40 which was very reasonable I felt.

Every lady is different. Having undergone a four year ivf journey I chose to have the extra scans for both reassurance and happiness

Im not in the UK, and where I am you get 3 scans - 12 weeks, 20 weeks and 30 weeks.

I will also be getting a 7 week scan as part of my fertility treatment. I dont think I will be getting any other scans, as, again, where I am you cant get them without a doctor prescribing them, so Id have to pay for the consult AND the scan, which seems a bit much!

I’ve had one so far at 12 weeks, we’ve paid to have a private one at 16 weeks both for reassurance and to hopefully find out the gender and then I’ll have the 20 week one with the nhs. I agree the nhs ones are rushed too x

I was quite anxious in the first trimester so did a few extra scans. I've had:

6 weeks: private for reassurance
6 weeks: NHS in the EPU (had a heavy bleed just hours after my private scan)
9 weeks: private for reassurance
13 weeks: NHS dating scan
17 weeks: private gender scan
20 weeks: NHS anomaly scan
29 weeks: NHS growth scan (bump growth dropped from 91st to 67th centile, but there were no issues with baby)

Now that I've typed it out it looks like loads!! But for me it was worth it to lessen the stress. I know lots of people are happy with just doing the NHS scans and its up to you if doing private scans is something you want and if it's worth paying

I was scanned every two weeks for pregnancies 2/3 after 20 weeks. One scan to check placenta, the other to check growth. They would alternate. It was very difficult for work, I had to pay for parking each time.

this was due to a very difficult pregnancy first time when I had a medical emergency due to undiagnosed preeclampsia.

First baby just your standard 12 and 20 week scans (oh and a random 3D one when I was 28 weeks just for fun, not because I had any concerns).

This pregnancy I've had one at 7 weeks because I had had a MC and was hugely anxious, another at 10 weeks due to a bleed, 12 week scan, another at 16 weeks due to a bleed, 20 week scan and I'm due on at 26 weeks to see if my placenta previa is moving or not (before going on a flight).

Depends on circumstances I guess!

I easily had 5/6 privately paid scans. And I had one extra because she measured small but again I had just had two miscarriages so I was extra paranoid

I had one at 6 weeks at EPU due to recurrent miscarriages - this one was to make sure pregnancy was in right place and right gestation. Next scans will be at 13 weeks and 22 weeks. DH wants to get a 4D scan also which would be done at 26 weeks if we go with it - I'm not overly bothered but will do it if it reassures him.

I had one at 8 weeks because I'm inpatient.
12 weeks NHS scan
17 week gender scan
Then will have ,
20 weeks NHS anatomy scan
Then my trust offers more scans for women of certain ethnic backgrounds so I'll be having
34,36,38 and 40 weeks if I go that long

I had:

• 7 week private scan to detect heartbeat
• 12 week NHS
• 16 week private gender scan
• 20 week NHS scan
• 28 week 4D (wouldn't bother with this tbh)
• 32 week, 34 & 36 as I was under consultant care due to GD with baby no1 & unstable lie and large baby with no2! Xx

I had:

7 weeks - private reassurance scan
12 weeks - NHS scan
16 weeks - private scan to find out sex
20 weeks - NHS scan
28 weeks - private 4D bonding scan
32 weeks - NHS growth scan
36 weeks - NHS growth scan
38 weeks - NHS growth scan

8 weeks
12 weeks
16 weeks
20 weeks
24 weeks
28 weeks
32 weeks
34 weeks
36 weeks
38 weeks
Then had the baby at 39!
Private consultant lead care in the UK so scanned at every appointment.

1st pregnancy I had 7:
8 week Private
12 & 20 week NHS
28 week Private 3D
32, 36, 38 week NHS

2nd I had 6:

8 weeks Private
12, 20, 28, 32, 36 NHS

It turns out I have complicated pregnancies hence many NHS scans 🫠

1st pregnancy was nhs 10 weeks (was measuring two weeks behind so had to go back), nhs 12 weeks, nhs 20 weeks

2nd- private 8 week scan, nhs 12, nhs 16, nhs 21, nhs 20 weeks

3rd- private 8 weeks (which we won), epu 9 weeks after bleeding, 12 weeks nhs, nhs 16, nhs 20, nhs 22 weeks and private 4D 27 weeks

First pregnancy was during covid... I wanted a few private ones but was able to.
I had 4 on the NHS in the end. 2 very early due to pain, then standard 12 and 20.

2nd time round I have reassurance at 8 weeks. NHS at 12. Reassurance at 17. NHS at 20. And then a 3D for fun at 31... Didn't see much so went back at 33.

2nd time I forgot I had 2 at 38 weeks due to reduced movement.

Just had the standard NHS ones. Didn’t have a gender scan.

7 weeks EPU scan (bleed)
10 week private scan (reassurance)
12 week scan
20 week scan
23 week scan (repeat of 20 week as baby uncooperative)

Currently 24 weeks and I have growth and placental scans booked at:

28 weeks
32 weeks
36 weeks

We did debate on a private 4D scan for fun at the beginning but when the complications started and more scans started getting introduced we've kind of decided we have enough 🙈😂

I’ve had loads for various reasons. I’m now 37+4 weeks and c section booked for 12 days away.

9 weeks (private reassurance after 2 miscarriages)
12 weeks nhs
13 weeks nhs because of bleeding
17 weeks private scan to find out sex
20 weeks nhs
26 weeks private 4D scan
27 weeks private 4D scan (free) as baby didn’t play ball the week before
29 weeks nhs growth scan
32 weeks nhs growth scan
34 weeks nhs growth scan
36 weeks nhs growth scan

hopefully no more scans needed as parking at the hospital is a nightmare 😂 but have to do what’s needed for baby. She’s been fine at every single scan.

Obviously vast majority will have only 2 standard scans on NHS, you can have as many private ones as you want. Women commenting here will be the ones with extra growth scans etc, but it's not representative picture OP.

Just the two NHS ones.

Our NHS trust does 3 scans as standard - 12weeks, 20weeks and 36weeks (to confirm head down position for birth)

I had an NHS scan at 6weeks (internal) as DD was conceived after fertility treatment. And a private reassurance scan at 9weeks as i could take wait for the 12w scan 😅

Then i had two NHS extra growth scans at 28w and 32w as i was high risk for preeclampsia, which did indeed reveal that she was dropping down the growth curves. She was a pretty small 2.6kg when born.

Early days pregnant with DC2 but i have a private scan at 8w booked, then hoping to just stick to NHS schedule (which given my history i assume will include extra growth scans anyway).

I had them at weeks 8, 10, 13.5(NHS), 16, 20(NHS), 30(growth scan), 36(reduced movements), born on due date! Had the early ones privately after a long period TTC.