What happens at a private scan if something is wrong?

[ripleynot]

I’m due to go for my first scan on Sunday - I’ll be 8 weeks and 1 day. I’ve never been pregnant before and don’t know what to expect but am someone who really likes to be prepared.

If they find that there’s no heartbeat or the embryo stopped developing etc. and the pregnancy isn’t viable - what do they do? Or what do I have to do? I haven’t referred myself to a midwife yet because I didn’t want to bother with all that until I knew there was something in there.

I would really, really appreciate someone sharing the next steps with me so I’m prepared if that happens - I’m very much a practical, get on with it person.

If it’s a private scan they will refer you to an NHS early pregnancy unit.

most NHS units will follow the nice guidelines available here www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng126

I went through this last year, private scan at Window To The Womb. If there's bad news they will tell you as soon as they've done the scan, they will tell you the suggested next steps including informing the nearby hospital to start that care if needed, they'll ask if you want to wait in the waiting room or in another private room potentially (recommend that one so you aren't sat with happy couples), then will provide your scan results letter and scan photo (you don't have to look if you don't want to), then you leave.

I really hope everything goes well for you :) I had a lovely positive experience having a private scan with my first pregnancy but a later pregnancy wasn't successful.

I don't know but you really need to crack on and get yourself referred to midwifery services. Not being in the system yet means you could miss the recommended window for your first proper scan and tests.

Kindly, you really really do need to refer yourself to a midwife, that’s exactly what they are there for. Didn’t they ask when you booked the private scan if you’d already arranged your booking in appointment with the midwife? Normally if anything is wrong they’d refer you back to your midwife or to be seen at hospital. Not all private scans are as in depth as NHS scans and your booking in bloods with midwives would show what your hcg is or if there’s anything off with your bloods.

I hope everything goes well for you on Sunday.

As previous posters have said if it isn’t good news they will refer/give you information on your local early pregnancy unit. Just to warn you in case in the unlikely event of bad news - NHS hospitals will not take private scans as confirmation so you will be booked in for another scan.

Best of luck xxx

Thanks so much for the information and advice everyone, already feel better with some knowledge. Also so sorry to anyone who has first hand experience of this ❤️

Thanks for the advice but there’s really no point doing so until I know there’s a heartbeat. If I end up having to have a later 12 week scan so be it. I’ve spoken to some people on here and in real life who’ve said waiting until 8 weeks is perfectly fine.

I’m doing a full private NIPT test at 10 weeks anyway so not too worried about adhering to the NHS timelines.

No they didn’t ask when I booked the private scan - I don’t see why they would as they see people way earlier than a booking appointment happens.

I don’t see any point in doing bloods etc. before I’ve seen a heartbeat - if the HCG is falling or very low it’s not like anything can be done anyway, so it’s a bit of a pointless endeavour. I don’t want to waste my time at a booking appt for a non viable pregnancy. My sister in law didn’t have her booking appointment until 11 weeks so it can’t be that urgent!

Thanks for the advice though, I appreciate it.

Refer to midwife ASAP. They will simply refer you to NHS.

I registered with midwives at 5 weeks. Due to staff shortage I wasn't booked in until 10 weeks. They can't refer you for scan until you've been booked in so didn't have my 12 week scan until right on the 13 week cut off for combined screening.

I know several people who had to fork out hundreds for a private NIPT because they missed the window for NHS screening due to delays with appointments.

I needed growth scans. I was referred for one at 28 weeks and the next available bookable scan was after my due date so I was put on the emergency list and literally called randomly with a couple hours notice to come in.

@FlyingHighFlyingLow I already have my full NIPT test booked in privately. No worries on that front.

But thank you for the advice!

You have booked and paid for a private NIPT service for a pregnancy you don't know is viable but refuse to take the quick and free step of booking in for your free care and therefore risk all your recommended NHS care being delayed? That makes no sense to me.

@DappledThings it doesn’t need to make sense to you, it’s my body!

Also if I don’t have a viable pregnancy I will simply cancel the NIPT test, it’s fully cancelable.

I had a private scan with no HB found. They were really good, told me the news after and printed out the report and a photo in an envelope as I didn't want to see. They referred me to the EPU at my local hospital and the EPU called me the same day and booked me in for the following day. They do have to rescan to confirm for themselves before offering any management. I think for some people, EPU do want to see you for a repeat scan in a week or two to check no development (in case people have got their dates wrong). I didn't have to do that though but it was IVF so no chance dates were out and I should have been 10 weeks so no room for 'maybe it's too early' and I had a report from a 7w scan that showed a HB so it was obvious that it had ceased.

I didn't book in with a midwife until after my 7w viability scan as like you, couldn't bear to get in the system if it all went wrong (although I did lose it after that, as above diagnosed at 10w but that's by the by). It didn't make any difference though, they were able to get me in for bloods, booking, scan etc all at the right stages - but appreciate it may depend on how busy your trust is.

This happened to me last year. They did let me sit in a private room while I cried and then handed me a leaflet for next steps and my scan results.

I then called the early pregnancy assessment unit at my local hospital and they were very kind, they had me come in that same day and booked me in for another scan 2 weeks later. I was expecting they would be able to use the scan 2 weeks later to proceed with next steps but I was told they had to do another scan in a week before they could offer any management options. As it happens the miscarriage happened naturally between the two scans which I thought was the best outcome.

They asked me to do a pregnancy test in 3 weeks and that if that was negative, nothing more was needed, which is what I did.

I did have to call to cancel my own 12 week ultrasound and tell my midwife (who I informed re the private scan and suggested the booking appointment be delayed until after the NHS scan). I found that all very traumatic so I feel you on not wanting to contact the midwife yet.

You could simply cancel your booking appointment and first scan on the same basis. You have nothing to lose just by being in the system at the time you should be, all you are doing is taking a risk on missing the window for various appointments. But you do you as they say.

Also just to add, I didn't have to cancel any of my NHS appointments - the records must have been updated and that triggered their cancellation. Although I did get a cancellation notification which was a punch in the gut. The EPU also phoned me a few weeks after to check I had subsequently tested negative and to ask how I was getting on and check in on my mental health. Definitely a good thing but I didn't expect it and answered the phone when I was out and with people so that was quite difficult.

Totally different story but my SIL's baby was diagnosed with gastrochisis at a private scan too and they were very good with that too - informed the NHS and made the necessary referral so if an anomaly is picked up they should know how to deal with it.

@ripleynot just to also say I really like your approach (wish I had the same mindset myself!)
not sure why people are obsessing over when you choose to refer yourself to the midwife 🫠

With my first pregnancy I had my booking appointment and went through all the questions about plans for my pregnancy and blood tests to find out a couple of weeks later that baby had already stopped growing at that point - tbh it made it all a lot worse!

best of luck
xxx

The NHS appointments are equally cancellable ...

Personally I would want the pregnancy on their systems as, had I been unfortunate and gone through losses, they only investigate after a few (I think my area is 3?). Having the pregnancy recorded helps you get other help if you need it.

Another commenter here to say your approach is fine. Whilst it’s handy to get your referral done with the midwife so that you get faster maternity care it’s not compulsory and this is you and your pregnancy - no one else’s.

I have left it later before due to a previous loss I didn’t want to refer until I had a scan at 8 weeks xx

It would be on her record though as the private place would refer her to EPU. I got referred to the recurrent miscarriage unit and only one of my m/cs was treated via the NHS. The others were too early (chemicals) so I hadn't registered anywhere or been seen. The GP just took my word for it. TBH I am not sure the records really show much anyway - I have to repeat my history at every appointment, including the one that was managed via the NHS.

This isn't just about whether there is a viable pregnancy or not, it's also about your health!

Book in with a midwife @ripleynot

Try and let go a little .. birth and being a new parent aren’t really things you can absolutely definitely prepare for. I was like you and it was very stressful particularly the newborn part. x

@ripleynottotally understand your POV - I had early private scans and NIPT with both my pregnancies. Definitely try to get booked in with the nhs in time for your 12 weeks screening though - not for the scan so much but for the bloods that they check. I had low Papp-a on mine, which triggered additional growth scans, which eventually picked up an issue with my placenta that thankfully could be monitored and led to a planned early delivery of a healthy baby.

I would recommend referring to the midwife - even if someone was to go wrong; you want it to be on your medical records in case of the unlikely event of repeated miscarriages.

Good luck OP. 🤞

I waited until about 14 weeks before booking in with a midwife. I even travelled long haul when I was around 10weeks pregnant as I was too busy with work and didn’t really think I was pregnant. I assumed my sickness and general pregnancy symptoms were down to a bug or something I ate. I remember telling my sister about 2 weeks before DP because I still wasn’t convinced I was pregnant. 😂

Perfectly healthy DS born at 40 weeks.