How to wangle myself an early scan?

[namestasher]

Hi!
Roughly 5/6 weeks pregnant - experienced a pretty traumatic miscarriage last year so I'm really keen to find out if this pregnancy is viable so I can prepare myself, either way.

Has anyone managed to get offered a scan esrlier than the usual 12ish week one?

Willing to bend the truth.

Thanks!

definitely dont lie- you will have incorrect information in your babies health records and that might affect decisions later on

Because they don't have unlimited services and appointments and people take the piss.

If anyone wants anything extra then they have the option to pay for it but they should be lying in order to use services that they don't need.

No idea on the qualifications tbh but there are tonnes of the 3d baby scan places round me and they do normal scans as well for £50. I went to a couple when I had an early bleed. Was good for the reassurance and she definitely knew what she was talking about

She wouldn't be lying though would she? She's had a traumatic miscarriage already, so they may offer her an early scan to reassure her.

I was refused any scans or help when I was losing my baby just ahead of my 3 month scan. They don't often have the availability.

I had to just stay home and lose my baby, it took 8 weeks. I then I paid for private scans about six months after to see if I had any issues there for peace of mind. The scan wasn't expensive.

Well OP has had an early misscarrage before so her anxiety is likely high - does that not warrant a scan?

Lots of people want unnecessary tests because they're anxious.

OP getting a scan will not change the outcome of this pregnancy.

Early scans are for suspected incomplete miscarriage, or ectopic.

The NHS cannot do scans for everyone that is anxious.

I'm sorry for OP's loss.

That's why private reassurance scans are so popular.

If OP is suffering anxiety then she needs to go to the GP about that. I've been through loss myself and the worry of pregnancy after miscarriage so I know what it is like but I wouldn't use that as an excuse to lie and cheat the national health service.

You could go to a private clinic

I work within early pregnancy. You have no idea how hard it is for women to get an early reassurance scan. Anxiety due to past miscarriages, pain, bleeding ect.. are all valid reasons. You should have some compassion especially with your past experiences.

Dont worry about OP trying to get a reassurance scan - worry about the millions that are cheated out of the NHS every year due to contracted companies.

But like I said above there is no point in OP having scan yet as there is mostly likely only a yolk and that isn’t confirmation of a viable pregnancy.

I mean if you’d even bothered to read my previous posts you’d probably not bothered to write that

@summersundays this is a disgrace and not in accordance with most EPU policies. I am very sorry this happened to you and you should think about contacting PALS. You should have received health care to make sure no tissue was retained which could have led to an infection

Hi OP

recommend you contact your GP about your pregnancy and request to go on progesterone if not already, before they prescribe they will send you to epas for a scan to confirm pregnancy in the right location. Here is the nice guidance, I had a previous loss and pushed for it using this and yes whilst it gave me a scan at 6 weeks unless you have any bleeding from then onwards you will have to pay for a private scan.

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng126/chapter/Recommendations#management-of-miscarriage

Be careful of an early scan though…there was a post a few days ago when baby was measuring smaller than the OPs dates and there was no heartbeat. She was terrified -
she didn’t need to be because at her next scan baby had grown and there was a strong heartbeat!
Similiar happened to my friend. She went for her twelve week scan but because of PCOS her dates were off and she was earlier than 12. They found something that was either something (I can’t remember exactly what but something about fluid being where there should be) that meant pregnancy wasn’t viable - or it was there because of how early she was. That baby is now 10 months old! It caused her so much worry and stress!

Pay for private, don't lie.

Both talk to your GP and be prepared to pay for a private scan.

See your GP, tell them about the history and see what they can do. If you have no symptoms of a loss or threatened loss, despite your history, due to demand on services dont be surprised if they say no. And then pay for private at about 7 weeks. Ive had losses so I understand the anxiety.

I've also had a very, very real need to use EPU in early pregnancy and had a horrendous wait to do so. I know some who just have go through a loss with little support because EPU was so busy. I wouldnt wish those scenarios on anyone or willingly take an appointment when people really need them.

It's an incredibly anxious time, absolutely, but don't "bend the truth" to get seen.

Speaking from experience, after a missed miscarriage I went and had a scan at 8 weeks with my LO. They found something called a 'threatened miscarriage' which continued to make me worry u til the NHS 12 week one when it disappeared. Would I do it again - probably not. Just my experience but I do understand what you are feeling. Wishing you all the best x

Ive had early scans at 9 weeks twice, after my sleeping baby was born with cleft lip n palate i was offered an early scan to check face had formed properly on my next pregnancy unfortunately i turned up for the scan at 9 weeks and there was no heartbeat, and i was offered another scan at 9 week for my next pregnancy, but my last pregnancy i wasn’t offered an early scan and didn’t ask for one, i understand the anxiety and by all means ask for early scan, but don’t lie or ‘bend the truth’ because there are women out there that truly need them due to deformities and genuine issues with their babies and you may take their chance of early scan due to a lie xx

@Hugosmaid thank you so much for your advice. It's taken me quite some time to come to a place where I could look into this further, as it left me a bad way for a long time. But I'm currently looking into this further, having been told by a few people (one of them being my best friend, a consultant surgeon) that this wasn't the correct process. There is an investigation underway, it's going to take a while but hopefully something can be done as the process was flawed. Thank you again xx

Oh OP, your reason for being concerned is completely valid on its own! Please don’t lie/bend the truth/try to “wangle” a free scan. Be honest with your health care provider and follow their advice.

There’s huge demand for the EPU (even when I had a heavy bleed at 17 weeks I still had to wait a week for an “emergency” scan!) but the criteria and processes differ across trusts. At mine you need a GP or A&E referral, while at the one next to mine you can just walk in. Therefore any advice anyone gives might not be relevant to your area anyway.

I’m sorry for your previous loss - it must have been awful. Please just be honest about what you went through and how it’s impacting you, because that is all the evidence you need to get some earlier support.

Uh yeah. This. Our hospital's policy is to offer an early scan in any pregnancy following a miscarriage. Worth finding out!

I would tell the truth about your previous miscarriage and see what they say. Then if not you pay for a private one.

Don’t lie. 5/6 weeks is very early for a scan to pick up a heartbeat. When I started bleeding at 6 weeks (IVF so dates were spot on) I was told that 6 weeks was the earliest I could get a scan.

Do speak to your GP about your concerns. EPU provision seems to differ widely around the country (not fair but that’s the way it is). I saw my GP the evening I started bleeding and she managed to get me an appointment for a scan the following morning. From what I’ve read here, though, that might not be the norm so be prepared to go private if you need to. Also, if you’re feeling anxious it’s worth being aware that the EPU is not a pleasant experience. I had to go alone because DH was abroad for work. Sitting in the waiting room watching women come out from their scans in tears, including the woman I’d been chatting to while we waited, was heartbreaking. I was lucky and all was well, but it’s not an experience I’d wish on anyone. I suspect that if you go private it will be much better managed because they don’t have to try and cram in as many women as possible.

Good luck, I hope your pregnancy goes well 💐

I have had a previous mmc so this pregnancy I booked a private scan at 8 weeks. It was £40. Spoke to the sonographer about my anxiety and she also got me back at 9 weeks for a free scan. It helped me feel a bit less anxious, although I still worried about another mmc occuring between 9 and 12 weeks. I would try and wait until at least 8 weeks as early scans are notorious for being to soon to see much, which would just make you feel worse. I definitely think a private reassurance scan is the way to go, rather than epu (unless you start bleeding of course).

I had a private scan at 6+3 (IVF so they instruct you to get a viability scan) we saw a heartbeat but obviously knew exact dates it was with Window to the Womb and was £65 they gave us a voucher for a 2nd half price scan so we used that and had another at 8ish weeks. Sonographer was very good and thorough..Yes it's only a snapshot in time but when you have experienced loss before the reassurance makes a huge difference and is worth it in my opinion..