Special unit for 12 week scan

[Lilli79]

Hi everyone, I have booked my first midwife appointment for 31st Aug. The GP practice don't seem very knowledgeable and the midwife is only around one day a week. I did however speak to the maternity unit in my local hospital (where I should have had scan) but they told me that because I had ivf I will be scanned in a special unit elsewhere. Anyone know about this? After the helpful fertility clinic, gathering info has now become quite scatty! I'm in Bristol if that helps, thanks xx

[ICSI32]

My fertility clinic told me I'd be able to have my scans at whichever hospital I chose in the area (I live in birmingham so there's a few), the midwife at my gp surgery (who does 1 day a week and has not returned my calls for the last week so I'm still in limbo) is supposed to refer me to the one I chose. The fertility clinic didn't say anything about needing to go to a special unit though? They said it's just counted as a normal pregnancy now for the onward scans so could go to any hospital

[Lilli79 in reply to ICSI32]

Yeah in fairness I only had my 6 week scan on Tuesday so there is no rush, but I'm more worried about my gp practice. I picked up the pregnancy info pack yesterday and asked the receptionist to pass on a message to the midwife for me. Her less than interested expression led me to believe that my message would be filed in the bin!!! (I've had really poor experiences with GP receptionists before!) The early pregnancy unit were lovely but told me that appointments for scans can fill up quick, I really want my husband to come with me as was unable to come to both ET and 6 week scan appointments, but due to work commitments finds it difficult to get time off work. Sorry stupidly long reply, I now have to wait for the midwife for any info I guess!

[ICSI32 in reply to Lilli79]

That is really frustrating! And I feel the same, I'm now just over 8 wks and haven't got any appointments and midwife not returned my calls but I will keep trying. One thing with the NHS is you don't usually get anywhere unless you keep badgering.

[Hidden]

Mine have just been at my local hospital, I am consultant led so have appointments with the midwife and consultant and have monthly scans booked in to check on everything xx

[emmab178]

Welcome to the 'your pregnant, the nhs do very little till later on in the pregnancy club'. The NICE guidelines say you should have a midwife booking appointment preferably before 10 weeks, it's there they ask you lots of background questions and decide if you are midwife or consultant led or both.

Going from ivf clinic care to being pretty much on your own was quite a shock to me. But the midwives do have a helpline in our area that you can phone with issues.

I'm in west Surrey and ivf alone does not mean you are consultant led as you need another risk factor like multiple pregnancy or bmi over 30 or previous miscarriages etc.

Once you do the midwife appointment it will trigger the nuchal scan which is around 12 weeks.

The midwife at my gp is only one day a week also.

[Lilli79 in reply to emmab178]

Thanks for this, sounds like it's the same everywhere. Yeah we were warned by friends that in early pregnancy they don't really care too much, and that to them it's just another couple having a baby. It's so different to all the lovely nurses in the fertility clinic. Thats useful to know about the phone support I did see it mentioned in the info pack. I have so many questions now!! 😯

[MonkAK]

Hi there, it is normal for the midwife to only be in the surgery a day or two a week as there is a team that covers an area of a few surgeries and they will share their time between them as well as do home visits, work in the hospital, etc. I also didn't get any information until my booking appointment but, when I did, it included numbers to call to speak to a midwife 24/7 and they are always very good. I did have my first midwife appointment at 7 weeks, but then I informed my GP surgery of my pregnancy when I got the BFP, so your waiting time is probably around the same as I had to wait. If you have any problems or concerns before then, you can always see your GP. GP receptionists are always a nightmare - I think it must be a pre-requisite of the job!

I have my scans at the local hospital the same as everyone else, but as I am consultant led I see the consultant there afterwards. I think that if they are sending you somewhere else it is just so that they can give you extra and more specialised care, which can only be a good thing.

I'm not in Bristol, but I used to live there and have lots of friends who have had babies there. From what they tell me, while a bit shaky at the start, the care you get there later in pregnancy and during birth is great. My friends had a midwife come to their homes at the start of labour and examine them and give them gas and air so that they could stay at home for as long as possible before going to the hospital. Where I live, you just have to time your contractions and manage on your own until they say you can go in!

Wishing you all the best for your pregnancy. Xx

[Lynnr54]

I had my 6 week scan at IVF clinic before being discharged from there then it was into the normal system. My GP practice (midwife - no GP contact at all) sees ladies about 8 weeks in and then there were a couple of long gaps. From memory I seem to think I had midwife appts at 16 and 24 weeks then they started more regular reviews from 30 weeks. Scans were done at my local hospital and there were an extra 2 scans later on which most ladies don't get both of which I saw a consultant after. Other than the 2 scans and a debate about date of induction I was treated the same as a normal pregnancy.

[Mrsjj]

I think the ladies have pretty much covered your questions already. In the early days you are kind of left to keeping fingers crossed and hoping everything is fine. Gp surgery is just for general practice and they will forward you to a local hospital for your scans. Remember you can pay private and they are def easier to fit around work so your husband can be there with you. We've had 2 private ones and a private blood test as NHS only does 12 and 20 week scans and after years of trying i just needed more. My midwife is difficult to see too she only does 2 mornings per week but that relationship does get better over time so try not to worry too much. The special unit may just be for the early stages you are in as a precaution and once your pregnancy develops you will be the same as everyone else. Enjoy your pregnancy x

[Lilli79 in reply to Mrsjj]

Thanks, yes I think perhaps because the local maternity unit is mid wife led perhaps that's why I need to go to a different unit. I think I will just go with the flow on this, not going to get stressed about it. Hopefully if the 12 week scan isn't during my husbands holiday time his work will take pity and let him take some time off. The 6 week scan was so lovely I'd hate for him to miss the 12 week too 😌 Thanks for all the replies xx