How many scans is too many?

[firsttimepregnanthelp]

I am 9w pregnant and had 4 scans in 4 weeks with the nhs due to concerns I had an ovarian ectopic alongside my womb pregnancy. Thankfully I don’t but I have got used to having weekly scans and seeing the heartbeat etc. last week I booked a private scan for reassurance and I’m so tempted to book one for this week too although I’m aware it could be a slippery slope. Is it possible to have too many scans? A girl I knew got to her 12w scan and there was no heartbeat so I think this is part of my anxiety

Think about it - having the scans wont actually change anything. 2 or 3 scans is all most women have and they result in successful births every day. Work on your anxiety rather than feeding it.

I had a 7 week scan for viability with EPAU as id had 3 miscarriages at 6 weeks, so midwife agreed to give me a scan for reasurance purposes.
I then waited until 12 weeks and then waited until 16 week for gender scan jist because we was planning a gender reveal until the last minute, i would have waited until the 20 week one then again at and then didnt have another until 28 weeks and then i had a growth scan at 30 weeks and will be having another growth scan at 37 weeks under nhs orders. I would have just stayed at the 28 week scan which was a 3/4D scan so we could see his first since hes my first baby.

No matter how many scans you have to help the anxiety. You are feeding your anxiety rather than helping it, if theres a bad outcome, its going to be there either way regardless of how many scans you have.

Stop the scans, its not healthy for you or baby at this point.

Most private scan clinics will only agree to scan you with at least 2 weeks between scans.

I’d spend your time & money on help for your anxiety rather than scans OP. Something can go wrong at any stage of pregnancy sadly, scans or no scans is no guarantee of a healthy baby at the end, focus on your mental health which is the one thing you have some control over.

Have had 3 babies and only had the scans offered by nhs. So it was 2 scans for dc1 and then they made it 3 scans when I had next two babies for all pregnancies on nhs

i personally don’t see the point in any more unless you have NIPT or desperate to have gender fully confirmed

There actually is an ideal number of scans. Research wise. It’s around the number the NHS does. Too few and you don’t catch things. Too many and there are false positives and cascading interventions.

Cancel the private one(s), breathe, and accept that pregnancy is one of those times that we are powerless in many ways.

It’s hard but it’s preparation for children, who are also random and worrisome!

I had a weekly scan with my second as it was medically necessary (weekly more or less, towards the end it was daily and one particular day I had around 7). It’s not possible to have too many as they are safe but it does increase the rate of left handedness for unknown reasons (and he is left handed).
I wouldn’t bother for reassurance as your brain figures out fairly quickly that all it means is that he had a heartbeat 10 minutes ago.

I had 11 scans with my pregnancy with DD. I lost 2 babies before hand (miscarriage) and had 4 NHS scans plus 6 private.

I’m currently ttc again and I’ve told myself that I will not go for that many scans next time round. I think it’s natural to want to know what’s going on constantly (it’s really hard before baby starts kicking!) but the reality is scans especially early on won’t change the outcome.

I know you have had to have weekly scans due to possible ectopic but I would suggest an 8 week scan to ease anxiety and check babies in right place (which you know the are now), 12 week dating scan nhs, 16 week gender scan, 20 week nhs scan and 36 week nhs scan. I’ll probably have a 4D scan done at 28 weeks again as well.

I think the constant anxiety of the scans, the price of them as well, it is better to leave it a while In between scans.

Don’t book more scans. Deal with the anxiety. Speak to your midwife.

Ive had 5 scans so far. 1 at 5 weeks to confirm position of baby, 7w, 9w, 11w and 13 all on the nhs, this is due to them keeping an eye on baby growth and a large subchronic hematoma/ bleeding throughout my pregnancy (i have also had 3 mc).

i will have my 20week scan and then have to go for growth scans due to low papp-a but i will be declining the 32 week scan and instead opt for only 28/36 if they deem them necessary (required to check blood flow) if not offered we had agreed no private scans...will not be going private just to know gender etc. my preference would have been less scans to be honest but it was out of my hands this time!

Thanks everyone for the common sense. I’m finding this so hard.

@Wolfiefanwhat midwife? I saw one at my booking appt but I won’t see another one until I am 16 weeks.

Have a look at this fron Tommy's for some reassurance: https://www.tommys.org/baby-loss-support/miscarriage-information-and-support/miscarriage-statistics

Studies vary a bit but there's some good evidence that, if you see a heartbeat at 8 weeks, the risk of miscarriage reduces to about 2%.

I found it reassuring myself so hope it helps (I had fortnightly scans from 6-12 weeks due to being on medication following 3 early losses, so also found the wait between 12-20 weeks worrying, but all was well).

Make an appointment or see your GP.

I'd probably say stop now, otherwise you'll find it harder to stop them! Most scan places won't let you go every week anyway. Once you get to about 16 weeks, your midwife will offer to listen to the heartbeat, and I found this very reassuring. And if the anxiety is unmanageable, please get some support, as having a baby is no less stressful than pregnancy and you need to prepare for that now, when you have more time available. I wish I'd started seeing a counsellor when I was pregnant, I'm trying to fit it in now I have a baby and it's hard.

With DC2 I had 23 scans in all, but they were by feotal medicine doctors.

There is no risk to the baby in having scans, but I feel you’re using these as a crutch for ‘reassurance’. Save your money for something else.

You're able to either contact your GP and ask for your community midwife to contact you back, speak to your GP in general or ring triage and ask to speak to a community midwife. You'll have the phone number on your notes.

You dont have to sit and suffer with anxiety in silence.

Everyone whos pregnant doesnt see their midwife until around 15/16 weeks after their booking appointment but you still have access to help and support.

thank you everyone. It’s sooo hard sitting in the unknown! I have the contact details for the midwifery led unit, is that the one I want?

also I have an obstetrics appointment next week, what should I expect from that? Am hoping for a scan but I know it’s probably unlikely!

I was being scanned weekly with DS. Once I got to 24 weeks the midwife said no more because I always looked so anxious before hand and DS was at a stage where survival of born was possible. I still ended having about 4 more!

I had regular scans up to 12 weeks and found them reassuring. If you’ll feel better having them, do it. If not, don’t.

At my obstetrics appts which were weekly early on due to high risk pregnancy I was scanned at each appointment and every 2 days in MT for monitoring 💖