20 week scan at 23 weeks

[StealthPolarBear]

A friend has had her scan moved...she'll now be 23 weeks! I don't want to scare her but I'm worried that's dangerous. What do you think? Should I say anything?

Why dangerous? I had mine at 24 weeks with DD as I had booked in late and that was the earliest appointment.

i got the impression they were done as close to 20 weeks as possible as that was the beset time to pick up on certain things? Plus if there was anything wrong (no reason to think there would be) and if she wanted to terminate she's 3 weeks further on (i know the 24 week 'limit' wouldn't apply but still)

Well I don't know about dangerous but having lost a baby myself at 22 weeks as a result of problems found at that stage, I would (and have in subsequent pregnancies) personally be pushing for it to be as close to 20 weeks as possible.

But I appreciate I have baggage when it comes to this and the chances of anything being wrong are of course very slim.

the btw was meant to sum up in a nutshell my attitude to a limit for healthy babies, but not one with certain conditions. But not relevant to this thread!

so sorry fbb, i didn't know that.
Do you think i should say something, and how would i phrase it without panicking her?
The hospital have said they aim to do them at 22 weeks . I have a very low opinion of that trust anyway wrt maternity services

It's tricky isn't it? The bottom line is if there is anything wrong, it can only be good to know as soon as possible imo. But on the other hand the chances of something being wrong are very slim (assuming she's got no prior history or any reason to be concerned), and as you say you don't want to panic her or prevent her enjoying her pregnancy in any way.

Is she very clear on the actual reason for the scan; it being an anomaly scan rather than a 'find out the sex of the baby' or 'look at pictures of the baby' scan'? I only ask because some people do have a tendency to forget really what it's for and how important it is if they've got no particular reason to worry.

It's her second DC so I would think so. But I think she trusts what they say - which you would do - but I'm already suspicious of them as they are a bit crap.

I think if it were my friend I'd probably say 'Ooh that's quite late isn't it? Are you happy with it being then?'

Then if she is fine with it that's ok, but you have at least raised it as a possible issue and if she wants to ask why you might be concerned, she can.

Where I live, we only get a booking in scan, so I had my one and only NHS scan at 13+1! We ended up going private for a scan at 27+4. So personally I wouldnt panic her as I feel she is lucky to get an anomaly scan on the NHS.

This is something I have actually taken up with my MP and MSP. Postcode lottery when it comes to the health of your unborn child, I dont think so thank you!

Hope your friend gets on ok with her scan. Maybe if you want you could ask her to phone to see if they have and cancellations she could have but I woldnt worry her if possible.

hmm. I've kind of already done that - said I thought that was bad. Might just mention it again. Seems as though it's not standard though, and of course 20 years ago you didn't get scans at all...sure it will be fine.