GP useless, maternity no communication

[Lucindaa]

Baby no.2 @40 and feeling scared

I'm really worried about the lack of communication since registering my pregnancy with my hospital after the GP receptionist refused to give me an appointment and go only to log my pregnancy.

5 years ago during lockdown I had 2x EPU scans, a meeting with maternity all before 10 weeks with a 12 week scan booked in.

Roll on 5 years later, GP refusing to give me an appointment even after my husband phoned them to explain how anxious I was feeling given my history with MC's, IVF etc over a 18 year period.

Has anyone had a similar experience recently?

Lu x

GPs aren’t usually involved in maternity care. You won’t usually see someone before your booking in appointment at around 10 weeks - they’ve cut down on that from 5 years ago, because there’s nothing they can do that early if things aren’t going well.

You should have a booking in appointment and then your 12 week scan; and then you can ask for a referral to perinatal mental health if you want. At my hospital, they won’t see you until 18 weeks, but it’s good to be on the list and ready.

Best of luck x

Sorry you're feeling rather abandoned by your doctor. Can you self refer straight to maternity? I know it varies from area to area, but where I am the GP doesn't even do the referral now, they basically don't touch maternity care with the exception of nausea medication if you need it.

moatvhospitals accept (and encourage) self-referrals now, all done online. Google your nearest maternity hospital and see. Good luck.

Realistically there is very little the doctors can do, when I had my positive I was getting positives, negatives and super feint tests so rang the doctor and didnt give a reason to receptionist. Had a telephone appointment with the duty doctor who said sounds like your pregnant ill text you the number to self refer (he sent me triage number). Because of my history I had the senior nurses number of the EPAU so I rang and text her but didn't get a reply for a few days but rang the EPAU and explained that I was told if I tested positive again I could have early reassurance scans and they booked me in. I waited a couple more weeks before doing referral to midwife to discover that I couldn't self refer and had to be done by Dr's but for that I just went to reception and enquired and explained I had followed what the duty doctor has told me. My Dr's covers 2 health board and mine is a referral but the other is a self referral.

I had scans at 6+2 and 8+2 at EPAU and done the midwife referral at 8+3 and midwife rang me a couple of days later and booked my booking in appointment for 2 days later.

The hospital also isn't very good at communicating with the doctors either.

I went to see the doctor for what i thought was a chest infection, (the duty one I 1st told) and had to tell him again that I was pregnant and so couldn't take his recommendation of ibuprofen and I've since discovered they dont like seeing you at all if you are pregnant as its more complicated.

It’s completely normal to have no involvement with your GP. They don’t deliver antenatal care.

you will get a midwife appointment probably between 9 and 12 weeks with your scan at 12 weeks.

then it’s all midwives all the way through unless something goes wrong.

I’m sorry you’re having this experience. Whilst GPs don’t administer maternity care, they should be there to support you with pregnancy related illnesses and conditions such as anxiety, and I’d suggest they should be more careful around maternal mental health. During my last pregnancy I saw my GP when I was six weeks pregnant to get anti sickness medication. If you have pregnancy related illnesses the GP should see you.

@Lucindaa I think also since you've (presumably) had a successful pregnancy in the meantime, there's less reason for them for offer extra scans. You'll still have your booking appointment and your normal 12 week scan. You could always book a private scan for 7/8 weeks for reassurance?

I don't think doctors are involved in maternity care of individuals. If there are problems the midwives or doctors at the hospital deal with it. But if you have anxiety the Dr should see you.

I self referred as per the advice from the receptionist 2 weeks ago. I wasn't happy and refused to let me see the doctor given my anxiety, age, GD and the traumatic 1st pregnancy which ended up with an emergency C-section at 33 weeks followed by 3 weeks in hospital.

It was a nightmare

Lu x

What do you want to see the doctor for? It sounds a bit generalised and you need to explain why - is it to access mental health support for instance?

I was pregnant 10 years ago and never saw the GP until after DC was born. GP appointments are at a premium and so they are less keen to offer them without a specific reason.

Why don’t you book an early scan? You have to pay, but it feels like it would be worth it to settle your mind a little.

Otherwise, could you contact your midwives for perinatal MH support? It might take a while to kick in but it’ll get the ball rolling. I just don’t think the GP is going to be the best person to help you here, and as they’ve said no, it might be better to move to the next option?

Bluntly, what is it that you expect the GP to do?

I never saw my GP during pregnancy, I self referred and my first appointment was with the midwife. Can you phone the service you use to register with the midwife and ask for your appointment to be brought forward? Otherwise make a GP appointment for anxiety that’s separate from your prenatal care?

GP's don't deal with this stuff though, so I'm not sure why you're annoyed with them. You see the midwives and various hospital clinics depending on the problem.

sorry you’re feeling anxious. What is it you’d like from your GP in terms of medical help now?

The only time I've seen the GP in pregnancy is for meds for pregnancy sickness and reflux.
I had a difficult time due to mental health after my daughter was born and I'm on medication for this I'm under two obstetricians one for the medication at the local hospital and mental health at the hospital I'll give birth at. This consultant has arranged my mental health support in pregnancy including the contact details for the mental health midwives and a referral to the perinatal mental health team.
I've had previous miscarriages and the epu has arranged reassurance scans for me in subsequent pregnancies but this has been a self referral system

I don’t think any of those things make it any more likely for a GP to see you.
Whats the goal of the appointment in your mind?
When you self refer its to the hospital and the hospital assigns you to the midwife care. Your care will be via the midwife and a consultant at the hospital if deemed appropriate. Your GP has nothing to do with your pregnancy unless you have specific symptoms or an illness that requires prescribing something.

Thx you for all the responses. I feel completely lonely and not knowing what is going inside is possibly unnecessarily making me feel they way I am. Its now affecting my sleep and work while juggling a 4 year old.

I wanted to see my GP for reassurance, a familiar face etc. I hope that answers some of the questions.

GP said they have been asked to triage cases at reception but sometimes they get things wrong and she apologised.

As an update I finally got to see my GP this morning who has referred me to EPU based on my history.

She also stated that although she could see I had self-referred 3 weeks ago and would have expected a letter to confirm self-referral from our chosen hospital with a date to confirm the 12 week scan.

Lu x

GP is there is also support you and they can make the referral to EPU on your behalf.

As you have had no communication from the hospital the GP is the first point of contact and you are well within your right to see them regardless of opinions etc.

I hope your scan goes well and helps put your mind at rest

Received call from EPU and asked to come in at 11 😍

Anyone who reads this in the future your GP is the first point of call if all else fails

Lu x

Hope all is well at your scan and you can be reassured!

Everything is fine but may update with a separate post regarding dating. For some reason my self-referral has not been processed so they gave me 3 appointments

2x with midwife (next week)
1x 12 week scan

Great weight lifted from my shoulders

Lu x