Twin dating scan anxiety

[SUN100]

I have my dating scan tomorrow. I am 11+4 days with twins, conceived through ICSI. I am so full of anxiety that something will be wrong. I had a scan at 7 weeks and we saw both heartbeats. I have been feeling good, generally. No bleeding etc. I just cant stop worrying. Anyone have any advice on 12 week dating scan for twins. What to expect, what they look for etc?

[Seb9]

I didn't have twins but on my first scan they did measurements all over. They do all the nuchal fold measurements for down syndrome testing etc if you've agreed to them. It was over far too quickly and it was lovely to see our little bean waving and wriggling around. I think it's absolutely normal to be worried, I was petrified and my baby was conceived naturally. I had previously had a missed miscarriage and was absolutely sure the same thing was going to happen. My little girl is 5 months old now and amazingly perfect, so proof I was totally wrong.

[HollyT7]

Hey I felt the same, all the worry seems to stick around from not sure if it'll work to what if something goes wrong. All I can say is that it does eventually get easier and it'll start from the moment you see how much the babies have grown and how maybe we are normal pregnant women after all!! Enjoy tomorrow, you deserve too xxxx

[Franco81]

Hi SUN

Congratulations on your twin pregnancy.

I am currently 32 weeks pregnant with twins, also conceived through ICSI (our third full cycle) and totally understand your anxiety.

I was terrified at our first early scan and didn’t sleep at all the night before! Then the wait for the official FTCS scan was agonising. But I tried to tell myself that although I know nothing is guaranteed, there’s no reason to think everything shouldn’t be ok. Not easy I know!

They should talk you through all they’re doing and we were put at ease straight away when they confirmed two healthy heartbeats before doing anything else. They then measure each twin (I can’t remember everything exactly but they definitely measured the fluid at the back of the neck) and give you the result of that immediately but you’ll probably have to wait a few days for the blood test result and your estimated risk of Down’s and Edwards syndrome.

It’s a lovely scan as they really look like babies now and you might even see them wriggling around. Hopefully you’ll be able to take pictures home with you too.

I wish you all the best today and hope it all goes well xx

[Supergirl87 in reply to Franco81]

They only do the blood test if they can't get measurements. On my 12 week scan baby boy wasnt playing ball so we had to have the quads done later on. Hope this is useful. Best of luck xx

[Franco81 in reply to Supergirl87]

Oh it may be different in different areas then as they took my blood first then I had the scan. I think the two results then gave them the % risk of the different syndromes which they sent a few days later.

But whichever way they do it, I hope you get the reassurance from seeing your little ones on the screen again x

[emmab178 in reply to Franco81]

They don't offer the harmony blood test in all ccgs in the UK.

I got mine done privately in London. Got two very thorough scans at 10 and 12 weeks aswell as the harmony test for about £450. Was worth it to reduce my anxiety

[Franco81 in reply to emmab178]

I don’t think the NHS offer the Harmony test at all (although I have heard of one or two exceptions). We didn’t have this, just the ‘First Trimester Combined Screening’ which apparently isn’t always as accurate but should be offered everywhere according to the NHS and is the screening provided by a mixture of mothers blood test and scan although may not be done at the same time.

This was just my experience and it’s interesting it isn’t the same everywhere, I didn’t realise that.

I really hope all went well at your scan today SUN x

[Hidden]

Good luck wit your scan, I hope all goes well & offers reassurance. I felt like this everytime before each scan & heartbeat check ( I had a single pregnancy) after such a journey it’s difficult not to worry xxx