How do I get an early scan?

[wheredowegonext]

Dh and I were just about to start fertility treatment and I have found out I am pregnant- about 6 weeks. It has come as a (lovely) surprise but we are both still slightly in shock as we thought our chances were nil.

Saw GP today for initial appointment. She said there is no point having an early scan as they can be futile and inconclusive and we should wait until 12 weeks.

DH and I both feel very strongly that we would like an early scan just to check for viability, we are happy to pay but I just don't know how to go about it. Who do we contact?

Would appreciate some advice.

I had my private scan at my local BMI hospital. It cost just under £200. It was a 20 week scan, so I am not sure if the cost varies.

I just called and made an appointment, but I had a referal from my GP. I am not sure if I could have had the scan without the referal, IYSWIM.

Good luck with the pregnancy.

Thanks YCBS- what's a BMI hospital?

Norfolk justjules.

Check here:

www.bmihealthcare.co.uk/ourhospitals.cfm

I had an early scan privately for 75 quid with a consultant. No referral required

Lovely thanks- will get googling.

£75 sounds good, we were expecting £100+

Tell them you have painful cramps at the hospital and then they will book you in for an early scan.... to make sure it's not ectopic... I know, I know, sneaky and dishonest and wouldn't be able to do it myself (because it's an internal scan... I actually HAD to have an early scan because of bleeding early on and I went to the A&E... it was comforting to see the embryo, but also quite uncomfortable!)

yeah I know. it's not a good idea. I just got so frustrated every time that I had a problem at the beginning with excessive bleeding... every single time I told them about it... they wanted to send me up for an internal scan! So frustrating considering I really had a sense that all was ok, but someone else might REALLY actually need that scan appointment. And you can't just not tell the dr about it - that would be irresponsible! I just think they offer early scans SO much to people so often (around here anyway) that surely someone like the original poster could have one just to see that it's viable

Good point justjules, I would hate to be caught out!

I'm guessing about 8 weeks would be best to see anything? If I can wait that long

how do you get an early scan? Pay for it. Try BUPA well women centres. Cost about 90 quid.

Ask for one! When I had my initial appt with my cmw I said I was a bit nervous about the whole thing as we had lost our first quite early on & she was lovely and called up straight away and got me a scan at 9 weeks.

When are you seeing the mw for your booking in appt?

Congratulations!
I'm going to probably put a complete downer on you now but just wanted to be realistic - if you have an early scan and there is bean and heartbeat etc, its no guarantee of a full gestation pregnancy. As both my friend and I found out - we had scans at 6 weeks (her) and 7 weeks (me) and both suffered miscarriages before the 12 week mark.
I think thats why your doctor thought it was best to wait till 12 weeks, and in my area they don't scan till 12 weeks.

I think that's a good idea. Once you see the little bean, you're totally attached... I think seeing it early made me even MORE nervous of an MC (I had a very early MC just 5 weeks prior) best not to see it until 12 weeks.

I have been pregnant 4 times and have 1 child. When I fell with him I demanded that my GP set up an early dating scan. I sat in her surgery crying my heart out that I was so frightened about m/c again and how I didn't want a chance to get attached if I was gonna lose another one, and she made me an appointment due to the fact it would be beneficial to my mental well being.
I've always found if there's something I wan bad enough, then I will get it, I didn't take no for an answer, and whilst I respect the fact that you don't wana lie in order to get an emergency scan at hospital, and possibly tke that appointment time from someone else, would that someone else think about you?

I have found these clinics that are the nearest to you:

Cambridge

Peterborough

Both charge £95.

Norwich - don't know how much it costs but this is the page with contact details for the consultant involved: here.

Message withdrawn

Thanks for all your advice. I am well aware that even after an early scan there can still be problems but DH and I are still having trouble believing it so to see it for real would be great. Will contact some hospitals today and see how we get on.

Hi

Have you thought about asking your fertility clinic? We fell preganant on our last cycle of Clomid before our IVF cycle and the clinic gave us a scan at 8 weeks as they wanted to make sure everything was okay before postponing our appointment (they refused to cancel it incase something went wrong - then we would'nt lose our place on the waiting list.) They finally cancelled our appointments and signed us off at 22 weeks after our anomoly scan.

Hth

i think the n&n do the private scans that you can pay for, i thought i had to go with pererborough for the nucal fold but MW said N&N do them but you have to pay.
she also said that the early scanning is overstretched with people faking bleeding and cramps and real emergency cases cant get seen. she said she had just been to a woman with severe bleeding really upset she was miscarrying and they couldnt get her in until the following day. i wouldnt have wanted to be that woman and would be really angry at all those selfish people who lie to get an extra scan. i am desperate to see a heartbeat after a MC but i will not lie to get one and deprive someone who is in real distress i can wait until 12 weeks because afterall if you MC what can anyone do about it?
The lovely MW said the result will be that people who have an early scan will not get a 12 week one. they can tell if you are faking by the way.
wheredowegonext i am near norwich if you fancy a chat or anything. i will be 10 weeks on sunday and have two children 3.5y and 2y. i know where the great baby groups, swimming and signlanguage groups are if you are near, i have tried most of them out.