Too many scans???

[Flossy1688]

Hi yet another question, Me and my partner are looking into an extra scan privately at 18 weeks my nerves are shot to pieces and i think i need some reassurance, my question is the GP told me they are not sure of the effects of too many scans i had 2 early pregnancy scans at 6 and 8 weeks my dating scan at 13 weeks plus there will be my 20 week scan and as bad as it sounds i have to have 30 week and 36 week growth scans due to still smoking and although trying what i can to stop failing miserably. so if we had a private scan in total that will be 8 scans??

[Angela36]

As far as I'm aware there are no medical records that prove this. I've also looked into that. I had early scan at 5 weeks, private scan at 9 weeks, my 12 week scan. I've still to get my 20 week scan and booked 4d scan for July. Pregnancy can b so nerve wracking. I'm feeling really anxious as I'm 17 weeks with my 2 nd and feeling no movement. My crazy head is always saying summit is going to go wrong. This is only natural. Try and relax. Good luck with trying to giv up. It's really hard but keep trying. I've been off civvies for 1 year now and still crave. Jus think of your beautiful baby growing. I used the sky cig for couple of months which was fab. Good Luke huny x

[Flossy1688]

thankyou so much, i dread writing about the smoking but i have had no one actually telling me off just words of encouragement all the time

Thankyou for your lovely comments

x x x

[Flossy1688]

*comment

[Megzey]

People just presume that as soon as you get pregnant you are just gonna be able to quit straight away which is NOT the case. I was only an unsocial smoker when I went (before I got pregnant) out so luckily I have stopped going out so stopped smoking but finding it hard with wine, I loved a nice glass or two or three in the evenings and hate it when my husband is sitting there with a beer. Luckily I have still got my sons easter eggs to munch through so instead of drinking wine I eat easter eggs or chocolate. I am gonna end up so fat but at least I have managed to curb the drinking habit. Everytime you fancy a cig open an easter egg, I am telling you it works wonders ;-/

I dont know about the scan thing to be honest. Ask the private scan people if they are honest enough they should know the risk.

[DrFluffy]

I think your GP is talking more about the non-medical effects if too many scans, a phenomenon of 'the worried well' - has been shown in non-pregnant populations to be associated with hypertension, oddly of type two diabetes (presumably though the 'Metabolic Syndrome' pathway) and an earlier 'all causes' mortality. All though, to be fair, it's not the 'excess health seeking behaviour' that does it specifically, but it's a marker for anxiety and mild, undiagnosed mental health issues.

Private scans are not always the holy grail either - they are more likely to misinterpret something borderline abnormal as normal as they will not have access to your hospital scan images. The most tragic case of a private scan blatantly lying was a someone I admitted from A&E resus to the obstetricians - had had previous miscarriages, so had a private early ultrasound scan - the report she had in her bag, which stated viable intrauterine pregnancy - impossible given she had a ruptured ectopic. I got my consultant to scan her, while we waited for the anaesthetist and O&G SpR, to ensure this wasn't a twin pregnancy with I intrauterine and one tubal sack - but nothing! Confirmed by O&G too. You have to wonder about the skills of an ultrasonographer if an A&E consultant performs a better obstetric scan.

I currently have monthly scans (NHS) as my placenta is a bit shite (26/40 - I've now had 5 scans, next is in a few weeks). I used to have my BP checked by a midwife before, but it is always on the high side on scan day, do I have it done 30 minutes after!

[Tsaj in reply to DrFluffy]

I find your comments regarding ultrasonographers quite insulting. I am a sonographer myself. How do you know that the private scan done was done by a sonographer? Often these private clinics only have doctors scanning. Sonographers go through rigorous training before we are allowed to scan. My training is a post graduate diploma at masters level after my radiography degree. In total I have had 5 years of training.

I would also like to point out that we had a senior obs reg where I work who scanned after a sonographer who said that an intrauterine pregnancy could not be seen and that an ectopic pregnancy could not be excluded and findings should be correlated with bhcg. The doctor then scanned after her and stated that the pregnancy was a viable intrauterine pregnancy. The patient had another scan and an ectopic was confirmed. So it works both ways, there are people who are scanning who shouldn't be allowed as they have had no formal training and ultrasound is not regulated properly.

[DrFluffy in reply to Tsaj]

I know it was an ultrasonographer as we made it an SUI and it was investigated. My pt had 2.5 l of blood in her abdomen and nearly died! But I take your point regarding doctors scanning too! It's definitely an area that needs more regulation (not only obstetric, but also things like private AAA screening etc.) - shame radiation regs can't apply really, as at least there would be legislation then!

[Tsaj in reply to DrFluffy]

That is quite shocking that the sonographer could have got that so wrong! I guess in every profession there are people who just aren't up to scratch but somehow get their qualification.

I had a patient once who came to the epu as she was having bleeding and pain. She was supposed to be around 14 weeks or so. She had a scan done in Nigeria which apparently showed a viable pregnancy of 12 weeks. When I scanned her I could see no pregnancy. She seemed very shocked and had the scan pictures from her previous scan. The doctor who had scanned her had measured an ovary and called it a viable intrauterine pregnancy of 12 weeks! The patients pregnancy test was negative. She was just having a period ( she had been having bleeding all the way through which presumably was just her periods). The patient was understandably very upset and angry. Crazy that people who don't have a clue how to scan can get away with it as it is dangerous.

What is a radiation reg?

[Flossy1688]

Ladies your wise words amaze me thankyou all so much x x x

[Flossy1688]

also im currently trying to find out if the E cigarettes are ok to use i had 1 when i was trying to quit last year and it was working quite well till i needed refills and was easier to go and buy fags instead if i can find out whether they are fairly safe during pregnancy i will give them a good go as im worried about babies withdrawal also if i just stop, definately a catch 22

x x x

[Angela36 in reply to Flossy1688]

I don't know we're u stay but if there's a keystore near u they sell the sky cig starter pack which is about a tender. When I bot it it was 30 pound. Wen u run out u can buy the refills there in all different flavours. There is no harmful stuff like tar, rat poison etc in them. It's only a nicotine replacement. Giv it a bash. Worth a try. Good luck xx

[Flossy1688]

Thankyou i'll definately look into that one x x x

[CharlotteDavies]

Hi Flossy I know what you mean about the smoking I have cut down to 3/4 a day and still feel crap about it but its really hard, I also have a patch on in the day to help with breaks etc.

With regards to the Scans I think you'l be fine, I have'nt heard anything to suggest too many scans will hurt the baby as the ladies stated above. This is my first and I'm 16 weeks today I also heard the babies heart beat today with the midwife which put my mind at rest Good luck with the cigs you are certainly not alone on that front xxxxx

[Flossy1688]

The midwife refused to listen to the heartbeat for me last week i was so upset when i left

x x x

[CharlotteDavies]

Ah Hun I'm sure all is fine I only heard it for a split second cause bean wouldn't sit still but not long to wait for your next scan I know how you feel it's horrible not knowing what's going on in there, I just can't wait to be showing properly, won't be long xxxx