Stupid Pregnancy Question and a bit long winded - new to site.

[Robeena]

This is probably a stupid question. I am PG with my 3rd child (only 7 weeks).

My first 2C were born in Australia in a private hospital ? medical insurance is affordable and all maternity and neo-natal care is covered - and delivered by the same OB GYN I saw throughout both my PGies who gave me detailed ultrasound checks/measurements for both my babies which always left me happy with how my PGies were going.

This will be my 1st child born in the UK and I am a little worried, I went to the GP and told him I was PG after taking a home BFP and the doctor is taking my word for it ? I didn?t have to do a blood test and get confirmation. I didn?t get any literature to take home he just said he would make the necessary referrals and I should get information in the post. So I was just wondering what happens next? Do I get to choose my OB GYN or do I have to take what they give me? I would ask my family here in England but I don?t want to tell immediate family and friends until after the 12 week ultrasound and blood tests (they do that here right?). Is there a website that I could go to ? Also what hospitals in the Hertfordshire area would you recommend for good maternity and natal care?

Not stupid questions at all. Congrats btw. I take it you are no longer privately insured - if you are obv you can get private antenatal and tailor it to your needs. If you are going through the NHS then a midwife will be in touch - I usually got my first appointment around 12 weeks. I think 2 scans are the norm - one at 12 weeks and one at 20 weeks and yes, you are appointed a consultant but afaik they normally only get involved if there are any complications. Don't know about Herts I'm afraid.

If it is like our system here in Hampshire(I think GP's might vary) the GP will refer you to the midwife who will contact you in the next few weeks to set up you booking in appointment. If you haven't heard from somebody by the time you are 12 weeks then by all means chase it though. The midwife will do the blood tests when she does your booking in.

I think that HPT are so accurate that the GP's own tests won't be any different.

Unless you are high risk in some way, you probably will never see an OB GYN but the midwife will refer you if you need one. Sometimes you will be advised to see a GP instead of a midwife for some appointments.

Not all areas even do a 12 week scan. When I was pregnant with DS1 I was only scanned once but I moved area with DS2 and got the 12 week with him.

Congratulations by the way! I hope it all goes well for you.

Welcome to the UK! I don't know about hospitals in Herts but that reaction from the GP sounds pretty standard to me. He has probably referred you to your local hospital which should contact you with a date for a booking in appointment with a midwife and a 12 week scan. If they don't get the scan sorted in time or if you want a nuchal scan and they don't do that locally you will probably have to go private (the Fetal Medicine Centre I think [www.fetalmedicine.com] is great).

If you don't like the hospital your GP refers you to you can change and I think it is very easy to go to a different hospital or a birth centre or something if you decide fairly early. HTH

I think it is fairly standard in this country for your GP to accept your word for it if you have had a bfp at home. My GP said they are just as accurate as a test she would do. (really it's due to cost cutting imo. Different counties vary - you may have heard of the "postcode lottery" in terms of the vast differences in some services across different areas.

He is probably referring you to the community midwife and once you see her (or him) all should become clearer. In some areas you may only get the 12 week dating scan); other areas just the 20 week anomaly scan. Most areas I think you get offered both now.

You will probably get at least 2 lots of blood tests - one lot early on and then around 16 weeks. (optional)

Oh forgot to say if you are considering a home birth I would ask early on, and if necessary contact your local NCT for further advice/support. (National Childbirth Trust)

And, of course, many congratulations.

I thought it was a bit odd too when I had DS. I think the theory is that there is nothing that they can really 'do' in early pregnancy. In my area the first time you see anyone is for the 12 week scan and you get an appointment to see a midwife soon after that. Have only seen consultants when DS and DD went over due. I think the theory is that a midwife is qualified to deal with all aspects of a healthy pregnancy and its just not necessary to see a consultant for normal check-ups. Equally, if they have any concerns you get more scans.

I live in East Herts and here we get a 12 week and 20 week scan as standard. In West Herts which is covered by St Albans hospital and Watford general you will only be offered a 20 week scan.

Thanks for the quick response.

Franke - we had private medical insurance in Australia - can you get private medical insurance to cover maternity here?

Both of my children were born by emergency c-section due to foetal distress and we were actually not planning on a 3rd because I didn't want to go through a 3rd c-section - but we are happy with our little accident. So I don't know if I constitute high risk.

Sounds risky enough to see a consultant to me. I had a friend in a similar position and she saw a consultant.

The midwife will refer you when she takes your history, I would expect.

Goingfor3 - which hospital did you go through in East Herts?

Congratulations and welcome to the UK

Not sure there is a standard way in the UK

My GP gave m the name and number for my Community midwife I rang and contacted her and she rang me back and booked a booking appointment to see her when I was about 11 weeks. before hand I had to pick up a form to fill in about covering basic details and where I wanted the birth.. along with a pot to pee in and bring to appointment (nice) and several leaflets about the scans I would be offered, the various blood tests they do and the local hospitals and the services they offer for birth. This tends to be very different depending on where you live, locally if you are suitable they are very pro home birth, some areas have midwife lead units which are open to women without complications, (sometimes called domino deliveries) any complications and you will be sent to the local midwifery unit. Then there is deliveries in a maternity hospital with doctors around, most deliveries are still covered totally by midwives but specialist doctors are there if need be.

Care is carried out in different ways too, many women will be just under midwifery care, some areas you are under midwife and GP but if there is the possibility of complications you are referred for shared care which means you also see a consultant team. I could have chosen which one I had the choice of 3 hospitals and 9 consultants but that will depend on where you live. I chose the hospital but was not worried which consultant I was referred to. But if you get the information about which hospitals are in your area I am sure if you want to research the consultants you could express a preference and would probably get it.

In the UK you carry your pregnancy notes around with you mine are in a yellow book. Looking at the front of mine there are basically 2 paths one if you have had a baby before one if you have not. Here in Bristol if you have previously had a baby you have

10-12 weeks booking appointment with Midwife paperwork and bloods BP weight discus where you wan to deliver any referrals including then dating scan which comes within that time too.

15-16 weeks midwife appointment health check blood test results, listen to babies heart any questions.

19-22 weeks what they call the abnormality scan (such a lovely name )

28 weeks midwife appointment health check blood test results, listen to babies heart any questions.

34 weeks midwife appointment health check blood test results, listen to babies heart any questions.

36 Weeks midwife appointment health check blood test results, listen to babies heart any questions.

38 weeks midwife appointment health check blood test results, listen to babies heart any questions.

41 weeks If you have not delivered by then midwife appointment health check blood test results, listen to babies heart any questions. referral and discussion about induction.

If you are referred to a consultant which can happen at any time during your pregnancy if they believe there is a problem they add appointments and scans I get an extra growth scan at 30 weeks to check where my fibroids are and see the consultant again then.

Kaz1967 - Thank you Thank Thank you for that.

It has helped reading what the pregnancy milestones are here.

Robeena I am having my baby at QE2 in WGC. Ususally you will have the 12 week scan and 20 week scan at the hospital with a midwives appointment and be given a form for the trople blood test which you can have done in the weeks between the scans. The the care after that will be in the community. After my 20 week appointment I was told to make an appointment at 24 weeks with the community midwife which means being seen at my gp's surgery and after that I think it's every four weeks for a while and then every 2 though I'm not sure when they become more frequent. Due to past complications I have been seen every two weeks or so by the consultant but my friend who is 24 weeks pregnant hasn't been offered a dr's appointmet as her pregnany is straight forward.

One more thing - why don't the midwives or who ever you see at the appointments give you an ultrasound and measurements of weight and length here? Why do they only listen to the heartbeat?

You will get scans and all measurements at 12 and 20 but otherwise they only listen to the heartbeat. I think this is because in a normal pregnancy more scans are deemed unnecessary, you can pay for additional scans if you want them. Congrats!

Robeena, just to say that my first baby was an emergency c-section for the same reason, and I was considered high-risk enough to be referred to the consultants at the hospital. BUT most of your care will still be overseen by your community midwife. They don't do ultrasound as the ultrasound machines are only in the hospitals here (AFAIK) so the community midwives do not have access to them.
If you're thinking about private medical insurance, look at it carefully - I have insurance through my work but it does not cover normal pregnancy (though some complications of pregnancy may be covered).

Hey Robeena. Congratulations.

I am a first time mum to be and live in Scotland. The area I live gives only one routine ultrasound scan at 12 weeks and that is it. The NHS is very different to the care you get in Australia and they are very strapped for resources. I have heard that the reason they don't give ultrasounds is also because they actually don't have enough equipment here and/or sonographers. Not sure how true this is but it probably doesn't apply to you in the area you live anyway.

OH and I are actually in the process of emigrating to Australia ourselves at the moment so we hope to be over there by summer next year (Australia's winter so we will probably think it is really hot when we get there since the temperature in Scotland is often around freezing!!!)

Good luck with the pregnancy and just ask your midwife loads of questions.

This website www.emmasdiary.co.uk/your_pregnancy.html has info on maternity care in the UK. Congratulations.

Congrats Robeena!
My doctor told me if I wanted to confirm my 'positive' test to go to the chemist for one. They charged me 4.95 and asked me to take along a urine sample. After 5 minutes they handed me an envelope with the official result in, with a signature and date from the pharmacist in there.
To be honest I didn't think I was pregnant at the time and I nearly fainted by the counter!
Much laughs had by all. Needless to say now I am almost 9 months gone the ladies down there love to coo about how much time flies every time I go there to pick up my prescriptions. Hehe.
xxx

Oh and I was given two scans, one at 12 weeks (the dating scan) and one at 20 weeks (the abnormality scan). I am in Derbyshire.
Good Luck Robeena. xx