Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Private ultrasound scans - Scotland

587 replies

teuch · 07/06/2005 11:49

Hi folks,

Anyone gone private for an early scan? you can't get an early reassurance scan in my area but there is a company - healthcarenow ltd in Edinburgh - that offer early scans from 7-11 weeks for £55.

Anyone been for something similar or know of another route?

I am also having HcG levels done next week but I would like the reassurance of an early scan since I m/c at 8.5 weeks (discovered at 11wks) last time.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
Anjo1 · 23/08/2006 11:53

yeah I'm booked in at Wishaw as well , good to hear they are lovely - a bit dissapointed with the midwife I have at the moment , I know she's busy and everything but , a bit more attention and a bit less spending half the time on the phone would be good .
There is an Early Pregnancy Assesment unit at Hairmyres in East Kilbride , I got really bad pains at 8 weeks and the hospital recommended that I go and get an early scan just to reassure me that all was well with the baby and it was really good because I was scared something was wrong. I'm sure if you voice your concern regarding your recent m/c you can get one done.

Vio · 11/09/2006 20:11

Hi everyone!

I am new in Scotland. am living in Stepps, in N.Lanarkshire. I moved from Hong Kong in May so I have been here for a little more than 3 months. I discovered I am pregnant in Aug...the first time I saw the doctor, he asked me to provide my urine sample and it took a week to get the result, then the second I went to see the doctor, ( a different doc ) this time she asked me a few questions and suggested that I am healthy and seem to have no problem so I will just have sit and wait till i get to around 12 weeks.

The doc said shes going to sign me up to an antenatal hospital and i will have my first appointment there. I am in my 8 weeks now and seem to have spoken to nobody ( apart from the brief visit to the doc) I am getting no info from anyone, not sure if i will get a midwife too.

I am just worried...i am a first time mum and just know nothing really..been reading you girls message here and looks like we are going to have one scan only. ( though from what I read from BBC website and books that you should get at least 2 ).

Do you think the fact that i have no contact to anybody at this stage is normal? pls let me know. thank you v.much!

liath · 11/09/2006 20:16

Hi Vio,

I'm in Edinburgh - we only get one scan here, a dating one at 12 weeks. If you want a nuchal scan or detailed scan you have to go private. I won't see a midwife until after the scan - I'll be 14 weeks by then. It's fairly common not to get much medical input at all in the 1st trimester here unless you have a history of problems like miscarriage.

There's a due in April antenatal thread if you fancy a chat with people at the same stage of pregnancy - it certainly helps to feel you're not alone in all this!!

HTH

Vio · 12/09/2006 12:54

Thanks HTH,

I will have to wait till I have my first scan then.I suppose i will then decide whether or not i want to have a second one privately ( if theres only 1 available). Thanks for your info !

Vio · 14/09/2006 15:01

Hi everyone,

just a questions to ask. Last time i saw my GP, on 4 Sep, she said i am 7 weeks, so i must be 8-9 weeks now. she said she will sign me up to an antenatal hospital and i will recieve a letter from the hopsital ( like an appointment telling me where to go and when and what time etc ). but i haven't recieved anything yet. I should have asked her when i should expect it but i didn't and i wonder if you know when you will get it?

I am thinking of calling the doctor.

tassis · 14/09/2006 15:03

Vio, I expect you'll get it any day now, but you could phone the doctor if you wanted to chase it up. Maybe wait until after the weekend...

weeonion · 15/09/2006 08:49

hi vio - i am in the same situation as you. i thinki leftthe doctors in some shock and didnt ask the right questions. i did ring him last friday to find out when i might hear from the hospital - he wasnt too helpful so i took it upon myself to ring the maternity unit directly. they are to get back to me. i will let you know if it was a worthwhile venture!

come and jon us on the main april thread!

Vio · 15/09/2006 09:29

HI weeonion,

i have joined the main apirl thread already. I saw your info. you're 35 and due date 20 Apr . I am 32, due date 22 Apr..think we are in a v.similar situation. You living in Scotland as well?

I called my doctor yesterday ( well, shes busy so its the receptionist who answered my question) she said that i won't be getting the letter at this point ...she reckons it should arrive in around 3 weeks time ( when i get to 12 weeks ). well. i dont know...just wait and see i suppose.

I have not really had any check up so far ( except that when i went to my GP on 4th Sep, she checked my blood pressure). I am a first time mum though i know i have always wanted a baby...but the fact that i am pregnant now...it just suddenly becomes a v.daunting experience..i have been sick and vomitting...v.bad. I worry sometimes...you know..all i really want now is 7 months later ...i will have a healthy baby..:O) thats what i really really want.

geordiemacminx · 15/09/2006 09:41

Hey Vio; I'm in a similar situation to you and weeonion, due 1/5/07, living in N Lanarkshire. I think here you get an appointment with the midwife somewhere between 10-12 weeks, then your 12 week scan... not sure what happens after that. I had a m/c in June so am worrying loads that everything is ok, I guess what we all need to do is chill out and enjoy our pregnancies as much as possible. I know its not easy - I've been really sick too, but I'm sure we'll all be ok. There seems to be a few of us in the same sort of area...before we know it we'll all be sittting in the park togther with our new babies worrying about all sorts of other things!!!! xxx

weeonion · 15/09/2006 12:32

hi vio and geordiemacminx - we are indeed the april tartan crew!! i am in glasgow east and full of fear at frist time - is that twinge ok? is it meant to feel like that etc etc geordie - ys idea of us sitting in the park next year made me

we should keep in close contcat - i think the level of care here in scotland is pretty different to other places. there's liath on the april thread as well from edinburgh!
good to hear from you both

geordiemacminx · 15/09/2006 13:43

I had quite a few "twinges" and almost crampy pains... not quite as bad as period pains but everything appears to be ok - I guess in the first instance it was implantation and now its just my uterus stretching... ooooh thats a nice thought isnt it??? Apparently normal uterus is the size of your palm and at 8 weeks its the size of a grapefruit.. although it all depends how big your hands are...

I think April/May is going to be a lovely time to have a new baby...

Keeping in touch sounds great, I moved up here a couple of years ago, have made a few friends but non of them have kids. Should imagine I will be quite lonely come April...

weeonion · 15/09/2006 13:54

geordiemacminx - i think it is great to hear from you - we are indeed in the same situation. i moved here 3 years ago and most of my friends are through work (all gay men so no pregnancies there!!)

lets keep in touch - cant wait to hear how we all get on at first scans

Vio · 15/09/2006 14:20

HI weeonion and geordie - you two aren't from here? :O) me either. I moved to Glasgow only a few months ago...don't really have any friends here ( actually, i am from Hong Kong so I really don't have alot friend in the UK except a few in London).

I am living my new life in Scotland but i do have to admit that i miss home sometimes..:O) still a bit childish though i am going to be a mum soon...becos i dont have many friends here..i don't know if i have any choices ..don't know what to ask the doctor..don't know what sort of care i will be getting...etc...that worries me....but geordie was right, i should try to enjoy being pregnant.

I don't know how many scans i will get but i guess i will find out after the first appointment with the hospital.

Pls let me know how you two are getting on cos i think i will be good to share our experience!!..;O) pls stay in touch!

geordiemacminx · 15/09/2006 14:29

Its quite funny that out of the three of us - none of us are actually from scotland

My dp is a scouser so god knows what kind of accent the little one is going to have!!

I think, although am not 100% sure that you get one scan at 12 weeks and that is more or less it.. although should you need more then they will bring you in as often as you need. I was at Wishaw hospital yesterday and there was loads of quite pregnant ladies in getting scans so although its not practice to give more than 1 I think it must happen quite a lot. Of course there is also the option of having a private scan.

I'm sure we'll all be fine, I would be much better if this morning sickness would stop a bit but hey its a good sign so I cant complain too much. I've must been on ebay and bid on a couple of pairs of maternity jeans... I know its still really early but my jeans are really digging into my tummy when I sit down which is horrible.. heaven help me in 6 months... I tihnk I will be like one of those umpa lumpa's!!!!

weeonion · 15/09/2006 14:33

hey you two! all aliens in scotland!!!!!!

i just rang the appts at my hospital to see when i would be seen for my first scan and was told prob not until 16 weeks! this really shocked me - as its too late for some screening tests. rang my dp in tears.

really wish there was more suuport available on this - i feel we are left to find it all out ourselves!

geordiemacminx · 15/09/2006 14:39

Thats really bad weeonion... although nothing much I can say to make it beter - what did the doctor say?

I'm sure everything will be fine though.... can you not try contacting the epu at the hospital and asking for a scan... at wishaw they allow this - not sure which hospital is your local over in Ballieston?

weeonion · 15/09/2006 14:49

thanks geordie. i rang teh docs - they are to get him to ring me back on monday. i am going to the princess royal.

what is the epu??

geordiemacminx · 15/09/2006 14:54

Early pregnancy unit - most hospitals have them -hairmyres in east kilbride and wishaw, princess royal probably does too? Alternatively if you dont get the answers you want then there is always the more "underhand" method of getting a scan

Vio · 15/09/2006 15:15

hi weeonion n geordie,

My hushand is from Manchester and i am from Hong Kong..lol...like you georide, i was thinking..what sort of accent my little will get..) I think i will speak chinese to my baby but my husband doesn't speak a word so hes going to have to speak in English...:O) I want my baby to ba able to speak both languages.

Anyway, I asked the receptionist when i rang my GP yesterday, she said they're going to sign me up to Royal Maternity hospital...so weeonion, are we going to the same one?

Well, i try not to worry so much..though i do worry stimes..i feel that theres not much i can do at this point..just wait for another 3 weeks and if i still do get the letter..i will have to call again..so i am not sure when i will have my first check up and scan etc.

You see, being a first time mom....you seem to worry about everything cos you dont know alot and dont have the experience. In fact, when i first discovered i was pregnant i went to see a doctor and he told me to give urine sample, told me when my due date will be and that it. He didn't tell me to take folic acid or other supplements...then when they have the result ( i had to ring them to find out) then the second visit i saw another doc and shes more helpful...she told me that i should take folic acid straight away till 12weeks and i can get it for free. ( I felt, why didn't the first doc i saw told me this..ok, you can call me naive but i really wasn't sure..i didn't read any magazine or books before i found out i was pregnant...i felt that he should of at least inform me that its wise to take folic acid.

Anyway...if i don't get the 2nd one, i will go private cos i think its important. well, i am buying new clothes too...just seem to be getting bigger each day..!! bit worried that i am having twins cos i dont think i can cope with having 2 babies at the same time( the first time).

weeonion · 15/09/2006 21:33

vio - i am meant to be going to the princess royal maternity so yep - i think that is hte same one

chubszuki · 16/09/2006 01:15

hi everyone,
i think is soo bad you have all had to ask for scan appts and that you only get 1!!! I live on small island (isle of lewis, stornoway) im due in oct, i had 1st app at 12wks with mw, scan at 14wks, scan at20wks, scan at 25wks, and my last on wed at 35 wks!! I cant belive the difference in care all over the uk! this is my first baby and so far eveything has been fine no complications or probs. hope you all get things sorted n get appointments soon. glad i found this thread thought i was only person in scotland!!!
xx

weeonion · 16/09/2006 10:13

hey chubski - good to hear from you! there seems to be a few of the tartan crew lurking around! glad to hear everything has gone well for you - which hospital are you with? not long to go for you now - how are you feeling??

chubszuki · 16/09/2006 16:24

hi weeonion,
im going to the western isles hospital the only hosp on the island! due 15th oct ive got 4 weeks to go and counting, i just cant wait to meet baby now, and be able to get comfy, last few weeks are no picnic! the joys you guys have to look forward to when r you due? is everything going ok? xx

weeonion · 16/09/2006 22:05

wow - you are getting close now! i am only 9 weeks - due 20th april so a long long long way to go yet! is this your first??

you seem to have had a pretty good standard of care on the islands . i dont know how i am going - i have only saw my doc once and wont have first scan til 16 weeks. will then see doc at 20weeks. its all a bit patchwork down here!

chubszuki · 17/09/2006 01:51

yeh care here seems quite good the consultant is very good, midwives are ahit or a miss you never see the same on twice some are loveley others are alful hope nice ones are on duty when baby comes! this is my first baby and although care is good im clueless as to what is going to happen re birth?? midwives dont even discuss it!! got my first A/N app on tue the mw forgot to tell me when and where to go!!! hope everything goes well when you get your apps, is this your first? is your doc any help? xx