Has anyone had their 20 week scan at the Fetal Medicine Centre?

[alittleteapot]

I've got my 20 week scan at my hosp next week. I've slightly lost confidence in them though after a 12 week scan that gave a high risk result, which was then drastically lowered by a more sophisticated scan at the FMC. I guess I just feel that since the point of the 20 week scan is partly to check for problems that can be treated in utero or asap at birth, I want to make sure I have a proper one. Hosp one prob fine, just lost confidence as I say.

Interested to hear experience of others.

DW and I went to the FMC for a 30 week scan because DW just felt a bit concerned about the little one (hadn't felt it move quite so much as the first). To be honest, they did a perfectly good job and were very pleasant but it was somewhat perfunctory - there you go, everything looks fine, now let's have your money and be on your way. Maybe because it was at about 30 weeks and everything checked out that they were short on detail but I wasn't stunned by them.

In both pregnancies I've had scans at St Thomas' and Kings - Harris Birthright (i.e the NHS arm of FMC, at my local NHS hospital, private Hospital and at the FMC (oh and 3D scans)!

You definitely get scanned with more sophisticated scanners at the big London teaching hospitals and private ones (of course). Saying that, my local NHS one always roughly agreed.

I personally would try and have at least one priavte or big london hospital one for peace of mind. Last time I had NHS 20 week scan and one at the FMC which was very reasuring - but wouldn't have made any difference in my case.

If affordable I think I would always have at least one FMC/private scan but otherwise, the best thing is to try and get referred to Kings Harris Birthright for all of them.

I had a 20 week scan at the FMC at a major london teaching hospital. Done by consultant, not a radiographer.

They were looking for iirc possible enlargement of the heart and abnormalities of the brain. While they were at it, they also gave me a guided tour of various other body parts: "And here are the labia and here are the ovaries..."

So I was somewhat surprised when ds popped out 20 weeks later. Luckily they were right about the heart and the brain being normal.

Oh, sorry just realised you're using Fetal Medicine Centre as a specific institution.

My experience was at the Fetal Medicine ?Centre/?Unit at UCH.

My 12 week scan was at FMU St Thomas's but they only looked at nuchal fold - FMC (Harley Street) was able to look at about 5 other markers and give a much more accurate risk factor on that basis. I general i'm not keen on "going private" although all FMC money goes into their research which is used by hospitals around the country (inc mine).

Maybe a compromise is to ask that I'm scanned by a consultant rather than a fetal medicine midwife?

FMC is run by same guy that runs Harris Birthright btw.

frogs just re-read your post re labia and ovaries on your ds!!! certainly adds to my confidence in these scans!!!

xfabba - did you feel that the FMC scan was more detailed than the one you had at your hosp at 20 weeks?

I had my nuchal scan done at the fetal medicine centre in London, then I had a 20 week scan at both my local hopsital and at the FMC.

My experience was that the FMC did a far more detailed scan. My NHS one took about 15/20 minutes and they said all was fine and couldn't see the sex. The FMC one lasted about an hour, but there was something on the heart that they weren't happy about, so they sent me away for lunch and then did another 30 minutes. The end conclusion was that there was something on the heart which was a soft marker for downs, but that everything else looked fine and that we didn't need to worry.

I think they do a more thorough scan, but it can potentially lead to worries if they pick up things which aren't subsequently an issue.

yes, a bit, but not massively. More measurements and more discussion. If I had any hint of a possible issue I would be at Harris Birthright or FMC (or needed CVS again, had at Harris Birthright last time). If no suggestion of any problem or issue I think I would be happy with my local hospital for scans (but I guess it depends a bit on the hospiatl/sonographer). TBH, if in London, I would have a good go at getting referred to Harris Birthright to get top of the range reassurance on the NHS - but not easy I know. From friends experience I think all the big london hospitals are up there now.

I had 20 weeks scans at the FMC on Harley St for both DC and think they are brilliant. Much more detail, care and time taken. Highly recommend them.

thanks all. think i'll leave it. not interested in hearing about soft markers, only heart defects and possibly correctable stuff.