Poor experience at 12 week nhs scan

[Nurse10]

I have just come from my 12 week nhs scan with my first baby feeling dissapointed and more worried. I went with a full bladder but was told my bladder was too full by the trainee sonographer and to empty it which then resulted in the images being even worse and her then going to seek assistance from her qualified colleague. The baby was in an awkward position however with a full bladder images were much clearer. I was told no measurements could be done and I would be scanned again in 3 weeks by which point only 1 out of 3 chromosome tests could be carried out. I was quick however to be told I could pay for this privately and get an NIPT test. I have now booked this as I am extremely worried and feel I could not risk getting all tests especially being a first time mum. This test is costing me and my partner £400. I understand nothing can be done about the baby being in an awkward position however I feel that I should of been offered a scan again in days not weeks instead of being encouraged to seek private healthcare. I also feel that I should have not been told to empty my bladder by the trainee which resulted in very poor quality images hence why you are told to attend with a full bladder. I have actually submitted a complaint. Has anyone had similar experiences?

This is standard NHS policy when the NT cannot be measured for combined screening. What you've been invited back for is unlikely to be a scan but a Quad test (blood) which only looks for T21 and has a 60% detection rate, hence why the gentle suggestion is to explore private options because it's not sufficiently sensitive. As unkind as it may seem it's standard practice to not offer rescan, there simply isn't the capacity to get people back in within the time frame. And if it helps at all, if the NT couldn't be measured pre or post bladder emptying baby was probably just going to sit in an awkward position anyway.

Hey OP sorry I dont understand why you weren't able to do the NIPT test? Its a bloody test so why would visibility of the fetus affect that? Im sorry you had a bad experience

This has kind of happened to me. I’ve had two pregnancies and both they haven’t been able to get the measurements or run the tests at my 12 week scan, both due to the position of babies plus as my notes said “maternal BMI” anyway, there is guidance that you should leave 2 weeks between scans, so this will be why you are asked to come back again. I had to go back at 16 weeks for both of mine; I think it’s also so that baby is bigger, and easier to see. As for the bladder, both times I was asked to empty it. It’s also to see if that I’ll move the baby into a better position. I’ve had growth scans with both babies so approx 7/8 scans each pregnancy and every time I’ve had to pee or do star jumps etc to get baby to move.

They told me that as they couldnt do the measurement on the scan they also couldnt do the blood tests.

I just want to thank you all so much for your lovely comments. Its not been the day I was hoping for so seeing so much support from other ladies means a lot x

This happened to me as a first time mum too, with a fully qualified and very experienced sonographer. I certainly didn’t complain. One thing I’ve learned in the last 5 scans as a first time mum is that some women scan well with a full bladder and some scan better with an empty one. I’m an empty bladder kinda gal. I still go with a full bladder but get asked to empty it every time and it works like a charm. Your sonographer did EXACTLY the right thing, if the image quality was already poor.

My baby was also in the wrong position for the measurements - they’re notoriously tricky to get and many women don’t get to have them. We were told flat out, in the paperwork they sent for the appointment, that if they couldn’t get it on that scan time then there would be no second chances. There just isn’t the capacity to keep bringing women back and it continually failing, as it very well could do.

The NIPT test was quick and easy and we had much more detailed results than we would have done at the scan, within a week. I was gutted as we didn’t get to see our baby for another fortnight (NICE guidelines on how often you can scan), but I never thought to take it out on the NHS sonographer by complaining about them. It was just bad luck.

I don’t think it was very nice of you to take your understandable disappointment out on them, OP.

Thankyou for your opinion. As a patient using the NHS which I pay for in my taxes by funnily enough working for the NHS I think I am well within my right to complain. If they feel this complaint is not justified I am sure they will be quick enough to tell me that.

I definitely think you should complain. Not just for you, but other people in that situation. What if someone can't afford a private NIPT? And there is actually something that could have been picked up if the scan was done properly, that can have a serious impact on a family.

Exactly. We are fortunate we can but even then it is a lot if money when saving for a baby.

HI OP I had the full tests with my first two babies but missed a 12 week appt as they were full that week so they only offered me a 15 week scan for my third baby.
It meant I could only have the quad test and not the full trisomy x 3. It was mildly worrying. However the good thing is they can still do the physical checks for abnormalities eg nasal bone and limb length checks for Down’s syndrome. It’s only the bloods.
I didn’t go ahead with a NIPT but would have done it the 15 week scan showed anything worrying. btw they managed to tell us gender at 15 week so that was a plus!

I can see how you’re a bit annoyed but I think it will likely be fine

Then it gets picked up at the anomaly scan or not at all. Even the blood tests are only screening. It’s not a definite yes or no. Babies are born every day with disabilities that were not able to be detected in pregnancy.

I agree with this on the whole. There will be bits of lots of journeys in pregnancy that don’t run perfectly smoothly.
I had my birth choices meeting cancelled 3 times. Stuff like that happens.
I arrived at hospital with first baby and both the labour ward and birth centre were at max capacity so I had to labour in triage with no pain relief for 8 hours without my husband. It wasn’t the medics fault. It’s just life sometimes

How the hell do you do a half wee once im going there is no stopping it

Same here.

In my trust NIPT wouldnt be covered straight off - it would only be offered if screening indicated high risk for one of the relevant conditions. If yours offers NIPT this is a blood test not dependent on scan images, so the quality of your scan only needed to be sufficient to support dating the pregnancy within the NIPT window.

No they only offer NIPT if other tests are off but advised me to do private NIPT as when the rescan me I will be too far along for the 3 tests

@Partnerorpuppy there's a difference between disabilities that aren't able to be detected in pregnancy, and something which could have been detected and wasn't because they messed up the scan and didn't get another chance, and can't afford private healthcare. Obviously the real issue is the state of the NHS and it's not individuals fault at the end of the day, but if people aren't loud about issues that can have real impact it goes unnoticed. PALS are very good at responding and as OP said, if they don't think there's anything to the complaint they will tell her so.

That is a poor experience, I'm sorry. The NHS being under pressure isn't an excuse. I would make a fuss (via PALS?) and see if they can fit you in within the timeframe that allows all the appropriate testing.

When I had my older children scans were not the norm and further tests were only done if a problem was suspected . The majority of us managed to have healthy babies . OP please don’t worry too much about having lots of tests .

I completely get that and I will try my best not to worry however all of the other ladies left today with scan pictures and blood tests and to me it feels like an inequality that I will not get this due to timeframe

Sorry i meant blood test not bloody !!! My apologies

Firstly congratulations on your baby!
I’m a midwife sonographer and I agree that this was highly unfair. While a full bladder is usually the best for achieving good views, sometimes it’s not if it’s overfull and I’d always ask the patient to go out and pee enough to be comfortable. But sometimes it’s just the position of the uterus or the baby or many different reasons so with the patients permission I would do a transvaginal scan to get the views.
I was once was a student and I’d always call a qualified sonographer to check beforehand. But look if she made a mistake by asking you to empty it then she could have done a transvaginal. Or asked you to sit outside and fill your bladder again and tried again in 30 mins. I just think there was other solutions to get the measurements that she needed rather than asking you to come back in 3 weeks and now you’ve to fork out €400 for a private NIPT.
i don’t work in the UK so there’s a different set up where i am but a dating scan is a dating scan. Ive had many a 12 weeker in the most awkward position and in most cases baby moves around . Maybe she was time limited (in fairness we are allocated 20 mins per scan) but I don’t think you should suffer because of that. I would ring/email and explain your concerns

I completely understand why you're upset. You went in expecting to ease some anxiety and to leave with some lovely pictures (maybe to start announcing the pregnancy?), but none of that happened. I would have been upset too. I know it's not a good solution but maybe a private 12 week scan might be a good idea? If the complaint doesn't get you anywhere.

Did the sonographer ask you to wiggle around etc to try and get baby to move? My baby was sitting very low and it took a lot to get them to move even an inch!

Are you quite overweight? That can make the scan tricky. Otherwise having a full or empty bladder doesn’t make much of a difference. As others have advised, speak to your midwife and see if you can be scanned at another hospital if your local one can’t fit you in.

Thankyou so much for your kind comment. This makes me feel much better getting this feedback from a trained clinician.

Just that exactly felt so excited to announce baby to the world then total deflated. Yeh she asked me to wriggle around but didnt seem to help!