I went for my 16 week midwife appointment yesterday. All she did was BP and check my urine was kind of hoping she would check for babies heartbeat with the doppler but no. Is this normal?
I have a high risk pregnancy for various reasons but main one being twins so just a bit worried. The rest of my appointments will be with the consultant and I will get scanned at each. I also have a private gender scan booked next week as my NHS board don't tell you the gender!
Morning, that does sound pretty standard to me. Your 20 week scan is really in detail and this is where you find out the gender. I do remember the midwife starts using the heartbeat thing later on pregnancy. I think when baby is small it can be hard to pick up the heartbeat.
Have you had any scans at all yet? I was classed as high risk in both pregnancies - due to multiple losses and ectopic so I’ve always been scanned from the very beginning, my gp referred to the early pregnancy assessment unit who looked after me up to 16 weeks, then I went into the normal appointments.
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Yes I've had 3 scans already. IVF pregnancy so first one was private scan which confirmed twins. Then 2 NHS scans at 9 and 13 weeks. Haven't heard the heartbeat on any scan just seen it on the screen. Next appointment is scan at 21 weeks with consultant appointment after. Private scan on Saturday so hopefully that will put my mind at ease.
I also thought the midwife would use a doppler at my 16 week appointment but she didn't. She did use it at my 24 week appointment, which was my most recent one. The NHS Trust where I live also doesn't tell you what sex the baby is. I hope you stay well!
For my first pregnancy (back in 2019) my midwife did check the heartbeat at 16 weeks, however my most recent pregnancy (2022) I didn’t even see the midwife at 16 weeks she just did a telephone appointment (actually at 18 weeks) to tell me my blood results that were taken at my 12 week scan (which was actually at 14 weeks). I was low risk on my first and high risk on my second x
Maybe there has been a change in protocol and/or depends which area you are in.
I was told they don't do the heartbeat routinely but you can ask for it and then they really should. I have done so on three of my appointments. Good luck for the rest of your pregnancy!
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