What happens at first scan?

[SunflowerBee]

Hello,

I was wondering if anybody would be kind enough to let me know the process of what happens when you have the first scan? I had my booking in appt yesterday and did disclose some information that I’d rather my partner didn’t know. I was going to mention this at my next 16 week appt with the midwife about keeping it confidential. Are there any questions asked at the scan or anything from my notes discussed? Or will it just be the scan and checking baby is healthy?

Thank you!

Oooh. Thinking back, mine was at the hospital with ultrasound people and not midwives.
They did the scan. Sold me some pictures. I left.
They didn't discuss anything.
Hope all is well. Good luck with the pregnancy!

Thank you! I was thinking that’d be the case and it would just be the sonographer. Midwives tend to discuss the more private things with you I imagine?

In my scan I was asked about number of pregnancies and live births I've had and any operations surrounding reproductive organs.

My one was like this:

• go in for scan (with husband)
• back to waiting room for a few mins
• go into smaller room (on my own) where I was weighed, measured for height, answered some questions and gave in my urine sample
• back to waiting room for a few mins
• taken into a different room (alone) for blood to be taken
• taken into a room (with husband) where doctor/midwife (I forget which) took us through the folder we'd need to take for all appointments (I'm in Wales, it may be different in England), decided if I'd need aspirin etc., gave me a Bounty pack
• paid for scans, arranged my next scan and the diabetes test, and left.

You should be able to contact your midwife outside of appointments if you want to tell her something you don't want your partner to know. They wrote all my answers from my booking appointment into the folder so you may want to ask how your notes are recorded - my husband could pick that up any time and read it.

My booking appointment get like the time to declare anything tbh, but you should be seen for a bit on your own at some point in case you're at risk of DV.

Thank you! Are you ok to just call the midwife then?
I might give her a call then to discuss. I think my appointment might be different as I’ve already had bloods & urine sample taken at the booking appt. I feel silly for not asking there and then to keep some info private, but I was overwhelmed by it all. The notes are on the computer thankfully.

You'll be asked for a urine sample at every appt, fyi. Bloods probably next taken at the 20w scan appt.

Could you ask to go in alone to the ultrasound and then get them to call your DP to join you , so you get a private few mins at the start of your appointment?

What kind of info? Past abortion or miscarriage or something? (This is an anonymous forum, I don't see the harm in disclosing!)

Depends what it is as to whether to sonographer would need to mention. It's usually just checking for heartbeat and that everything is developing ok, taking measurements.

Do you really want to keep secrets from partner? You're having a baby together, that's a pretty big commitment. You either trust the person or you don't.

No at my 12 week scan at the hospital was just the scan, and I then did go into a room after to be weighed and blood test (for the combined test). My DH came in with me and they didn’t really discuss anything. My midwife appointments were always at a health centre and my DH never came to those.

I don't think the sonographers have access to indepth medical records, just the basic key details about this pregnancy.
The midwife is not involved in the scan.

@SunflowerBee I have an email address and a mobile number to contact my midwife outside of appointments (for non-urgent questions), so I'd see if you can get in touch with her for a chat. 😊

I think it's all confidential but the system in my area is still paper-based so just wanted to warn you!

In your first midwife appointment they ask your partner to leave for 5 mins so you can tell them stuff like this

Thank you! And the info I don’t want disclosing is nothing that will impact the birth so don’t expect it to come up during the scan. But think I will give her a call next week.

Didn't you post about this yesterday? You seem very worried about your partner discovering your sexual history if so, are you ok?

It sounds like it is done a little bit differently everywhere. I always saw the midwife straight after every scan and had a bit of a chat with them. They would talk through what had been seen on the scan and discuss how things were going and next steps as well as the usual bloods, blood pressure, urine test, weight check etc. I do have a complex fertility history, but I think it was standard practice in my hospital for all pregnant women to see the midwife afterwards, even just for a 2 min chat. My DH was there throughout the whole appointment (apart from when I was taken into a different room to be weighed) so heard everything the midwife said. If there is anything you don't want to be mentioned, definitely contact them beforehand and make this clear.

I will be honest though, I seemed to see a different midwife nearly every time I went and it was clear from some of their well-meaning but sometimes insensitive comments that they hadn't read my notes properly beforehand (infertility and recurrent miscarriage history). So it may be the case that even if you ask them not to mention something, there is a chance that note could be missed if you see a different midwife. I'm not saying this to worry you, but just to be mindful of. Hopefully your hospital will have a better way of recording notes or more consistent midwife care though so it won't be an issue. Wishing you the best of luck with your pregnancy x

Thanks everyone! No I didn’t post about this before it must’ve been someone else.