chances of bad news at 20 week scan mumsnet
The scan will find about half (50%) of those babies who have heart defects. I give obsessively to charity, especially those linked to sick children. It was sick. Apologise for somehow doubting their right to be in this world. Though the 18-20 week scan can detect when certain parts of the baby's body have grown abnormally, it may not be possible for clinicians to identify why it has happened or make a firm diagnosis based on the scan alone. The pain was excruciating, but nothing compared to how I felt inside. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk. I get terribly irritated by my close friends and family. It felt so wrong. All my plans were beginning to fall down. So I lay on the bed and my partner sat next to me. It was, 'Oh we'll come back to that'. In some cases concerns in utero fix themselves sometimes needs treatment. And she sort of got up and walked out of the room and called someone in. I was becoming numb to the whole process. All my instincts were to protect my belly, yet here I was allowing someone to stick a huge needle into it. Again, no notes can have been written down because the midwife asked the same question. Within two days I was waiting in my local EPU unit for further tests. Although the anomaly scan is often called a 20-week scan, you may have it any time between 18 and 22 weeks, although it's usually done between 18 and 20 weeks. Nice people shouldn't hear about what we'd done. I am a darker, harder version of myself. I know I could have delivered him in a quarter of the time, but I couldn't bear the thought of him leaving me. Finally, Monday came and we went back to the hospital. As two youngest siblings, we were both permanently stuck in the irresponsible, childish role. Do you have any thoughts about that? Good luck has not come easily over the past few years. Thick milky discharge at 14 weeks.tmi pic attached. The week that followed was an agonising wait. But you could see there was something wrong? And you know, we were laughing and joking. The consultant had said it wouldn't be like a normal delivery. This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. I thought I was going to burst into tears. Most scans show that babies seem to be developing as expected, and none of the 11 conditions are found. The appointment usually takes around 30 minutes. So had to come back in a week's time for a scan, which again is quite a common thing I found out. And they, sort of two of them were looking at the scan machine and then they sort of switched everything off and said, 'Oh, I think we have, might have a problem'. So we hid in our house. Instinctively, did it feel right? We were convinced everything would be OK. In a small number of cases some very serious conditions are found. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. And my partner and I would have a completely different life from the one we'd imagined. But it's bloody hard being miserable the whole time. Specialist scans are performed in specialist fetal units and if clinicians feel that there might be problems scanning will be done up to 32 weeks. I think what everyone is saying is that most likely outcome is that there are no problems at all. Living in this world must be unbearable for them. So instead, I was advised to go home and let nature take its course. Mumsnet carries some affiliate marketing links, so if you buy something through our posts, we may get a small share of the sale (more details here). Our baby was beautiful. And so this one can't tell you anything, it's pictures, you're going, you're going to see your baby, you're going to get pictures. An hour passed and I started to panic. And it was then because we were at 20 weeks by this point, there was only fairly short window to actually, to get some more tests done, find out what the problems were, and then make any decisions that might have to be made. This is not what I imagined pregnancy to feel like', Baby Loss Awareness Week - Voice Five - Bryony Seabrook. The doctor gave her consent, and I took the four little tablets. The following is a quote from their report: If the scan reveals either a suspected or confirmed abnormality, the woman should be informed by the sonographer at the time of the scan. We left for home feeling completely numb. I hadn't thought about the mechanics of such a late termination, but had assumed it would mean some kind of operation. We talked all night and thanked God for crap television. I did think it was a bit strange that she wasn't talking, and then she sort of said, 'Oh, I think there's a problem. It went from bad, to worse, to worse, to dire, then to better. I have a terrible hatred of pregnant women and a new respect for infertile couples. I agreed to an internal scan as the sonographer said we could get a better picture of what was happening. Baby loss stories Sometimes doctors will wait to give the baby more time to develop and carry out repeat scans - this had confused several parents we talked to who had gone for repeat scans not knowing that the baby might have a problem. I thought surely everything is ok, as they couldn't detect twins the week before. Dont include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details. I didn't have a clue. She brought up a picture of the heart on the screen. As I say, I'm not a very nice person at the moment. It was just sort of deadpan faces, very serious looks, someone else coming to check. It was positive, and I felt elated. Some people had underestimated how serious any abnormality found at this stage could be for the baby. So we went home, me to rest in an attempt to prevent miscarriage, my partner to reassure us both. At first, I still had to deal with the physical implications of having given birth. I think they perhaps could have done, if they had looked a bit closely. I think it's the same - in fact I think it was probably the same room, same consultant - and [sighs] I suppose it felt upsetting because at the dating scan you're full of hope and this scan we knew wasn't going to be good, we knew it was maybe the last time we would see the baby moving around. However, a few hours later there was another shift change. I felt more informed, and I felt that that was what I needed in my head to see you know, that I've got to accept now that this, all these things are real on the screen and this was really my baby that's suffering all these things [sighs], but I was sad as well. It felt as if we'd gone underground, that we were part of the criminal fraternity. Check benefits and financial support you can get, Find out about the Energy Bills Support Scheme, NHS fetal anomaly screening programme (FASP), Screening tests for you and your baby (STFYAYB), nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3, more information and details of support groups. Never lacking a sense of the dramatic, it felt as if we shared the responsibility for the terrible, dirty act that we had committed. Could she possibly have something that's not been detected? The same anxious wait for a little, pathetic cry. At first the closeness came through a sense of guilt. Picture every packed football staduim up and down the country - all healthy pregnancies and births. This was on the Friday. The consultant at the time wasn't really that interested in that imagery. The people who did know what was going on seemed far too sure that we were doing the right thing, that there was really no choice to be made. Away you go'. To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account. Can you describe the difference between the scan at this later stage in a pregnancy? We scattered his ashes over a bunch of snowdrops. Slightly marked from our peers. Purpose of screening. That they could have spotted something, or not? But now that's changed. Or, at the very least, heart problems. The thing that I have a very strong memory of is this child's face in amazing detail. Later, I did see and hold our baby. And of course some other measurements she needed to take like the width of the skull, which she couldn't take because the fetus was in the wrong position. This time, they discovered the baby has a two vessel cord (only one vessel from placenta to baby instead of two) and I've been monitored to make sure the baby grows properly and kidneys aren't damaged. So we had to go in and out a couple of times, and we were just waiting around for ages and ages. I couldn't bring myself to push. We strongly advise readers not to take drugs that are not prescribed by your qualified healthcare provider. The "why me?" Enough for two weeks after he had been cremated. We were told to go to the hospital immediately. Like many things, the theory is very different from the reality. Sometimes it is difficult to get good views of a baby. I want to be nice again. It was probably all right but hadn't had any fluid in it at the moment. For example, you may be offered further tests that have a risk of miscarriage. He had to come to the decision by himself. This short video explains screening for 11 physical conditions in pregnancy. Life expectancy of 30 or 40. This one cannot show you anything, that's what's inside your mind. We thought it would all be over very quickly but, in fact, it was another 11 hours before the baby was delivered. Sometimes specialist scans such as 3D scans, or MRI scans, are used to examine the baby in greater detail. After preparing myself to face having to take the medication. So we'd gone through the Down's syndrome or worse scare, we'd had conversations about what we would do, if it was confirmed that it was Down's syndrome or another syndrome, another sort of chromosome abnormality. I've still had no cramps or bleeding so fingers crossed everything is ok I just couldn't believe I fell down the stairs, I can't remember the last time I ever did that! I had to wait yet another sleepless night. or sort of light chat that we'd, we'd experienced before with previous scans. He told me that they may want to do blood tests, but that 'he didn't see the point'. I remained positive, we researched lots of cases of mistaken dates, inconclusive scans, and compared them to our situation; scrutinising everything to try and believe it was all one big misunderstanding. There was an extra digit on one of the hands. It would have been nice to see someone straight away because I was in such shock. No one else attended and we didn't have a service. Others, including those who had been given leaflets to read about the scan beforehand as well as some who were health professionals, said that they had been nave about the 20-week scan. But I still didn't want to be the one who stopped this baby's chance to live. On the third day, we got a phone call. Somehow, I walked from the sofa up to the bathroom and told my partner. As you felt that, you know, it was probably going to show lots of problems and it just wasn't what we wanted, but at the same time we needed to sort of see it and, we needed to prove it I suppose. As I lay down, and the sonographer started, I could see there was something wrong. DS had 2 soft markers: talipes (club foot) and 'echogenic locii' somewhere - heart I think. Immediately I knew what decision we should take. Most hospitals do not allow children to attend scans as childcare is not usually available. So he was about two weeks smaller than what he should have been. I tried to show him the notes and the photos. It was another consultant, who said, "I'm afraid I have some bad news - your baby has Down's syndrome." The first midwife seemed to understand what we were trying to say, and said she would ask the doctor to come and talk to us. The same unique expression he had when he saw our two year old born. Hugely upset that to think that the baby was so poorly. So that just left the talipes. Soon, the doctor came and inserted the tablets that would induce labour. And that was a terrible moment to be sort of hanging on, waiting. Wed like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. But even if I was there, I still think I would have wanted to see the detail on the scan. You may need to have a full bladder when you come for the appointment. Many parents were shocked by findings from the 20-week and later scans. So we went back the day after Boxing Day, the 27th, and the consultant greeted us, which made my alarm bells go, and she started scanning us and I think her lines were, 'What concerns me about this baby is that they've got a diaphragmatic hernia, which has meant that part of the stomach of the baby was in its chest cavity.'. I just feel very unlucky. I didn't sleep that night I don't think. He started to scan me with a cold expression, then told me, "it didn't look good" and that "my womb looked raggedy". Well send you a link to a feedback form. It is extremely rare for these pregnancies to reach term as they typically spontaneously miscarry early in pregnancy. Many parents were shocked by findings from the 20-week and later scans. And I can just remember flashing a look at you as if to say, 'Have I made a mistake here somewhere? And so we had to go out a couple of times, [wife] had to walk around, and she had a drink of water, which is supposed to sort of change things inside, or help the baby turn around or something because the sonographer couldn't get the measurements she wanted. Many people were deeply affected by their experiences of the 20-week and subsequent specialist scans. It is essential that all practitioners performing fetal anomaly ultrasound screening should be trained to communicate abnormal findings to women, as such information is likely to have significant emotional impact. She describes having to make a momentous decision very quickly, and the ferment of relief, guilt and grief that followed, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. You will be able to discuss this with your midwife or consultant. So when that happened to us I really didn't worry, I thought, you know, it was literally the baby was in awkward position, they couldn't see the heart and that was why. The doctor didn't come. We'd sort of put those discussions to the back of our mind, and then all of a sudden there are other abnormalities so yeah it was a bit a bit of a shocker [laughs]. But at the 20 week scan, which was on a Wednesday, we saw the nurse at the local hospital, the sonographer, and she did a scan and she found that the femur length was quite short in the, in the fetus. We were bound to each other because of the blood that was on both our hands. Entering the labour ward, I waited for someone to say, "Go home, you are 16 weeks too early." I endured 12 hours of medication and in the early hours February 7, 56 days after my first scan (at nearly 18 weeks), I miscarried our babies. I had no idea if we were doing the "right" thing. So it was, there was very, very little movement from the baby because I remembered first time round by that stage, you know, that the baby was quite big and it moved around a lot at a later scan. So carried on with the plans, and, you know, planning for the, another baby to come along and then we went for a 20- week scan which is obviously the big one and very exciting, seeing all the arms and legs and once again everything was going fine, 'Look here's the baby, here's the length of baby'. I didn't think my instincts were worth much. Desperately trying to hold onto the glimmer of hope we'd been given. You have rejected additional cookies. Maybe our son would have overcome his problems, survived his illnesses, led a happy life. It was just a few little things like the kidneys were hard to find, and the stomach was hard to find, but that might be because it wasn't filled with fluid. No one else but my partner saw how similar he was to our son. I know it sounds odd that you want to hear that it's wrong, but you, you know it's wrong, and you, you want to be reassured either that it's okay or is there something seriously wrong. We need to have your opinion'. Three midwives came and went. And shortly after that, that scan we'd finished and the consultant leant back and said, 'I'm afraid we have some problems here'. And so, yeah we got to, carried on with the pregnancy, kept seeing the consultant, kept sitting in the waiting room outside, because there was a terribly long waiting time sometimes, depending on what time you had the appointment. The results come in stages. hi ladies. He bluntly told me, he wasn't interested in whatever was seen before, he was only going to go by what he saw that day. So, in the end, we said we would arrange our own funeral. And it turned out the baby's heart wasn't forming properly, the chambers weren't forming properly. Scans cannot find all conditions. I want to be happy again. We had the 20 week scan yesterday and got some devastating news. There's nothing wrong, you know, we've had all the tests, everything's fine,' and being very upbeat about it all. I don't know how we got through the next couple of days. We talked about the different sorts of pain relief I could have and I opted for a morphine drip, which I could control. Previous scans in this pregnancy and with my first child had been fun - a chance to see the baby wriggling around and perhaps find out its sex. And I knew there was no way out. The baby kicked, blissfully unaware of what I had done. We went in, had a scan, I can't remember the exact sequence of events because the baby was still in the wrong position. We didn't name him. And thank God I did. This might be uncomfortable. I was booked back in to discuss management options, if nothing had happened. I was another one who did get bad news at the 20 week scan. Next most likely is that baby doesn't co-operate and they can't see some parts of anatomy and call you back 2 weeks later just because they couldn't see (i had this but because twin pregnancy I was due to be scanned 2 weeks later anyway). That was the first time I had heard him cry. But here I was, minutes later, lying down, waiting. Nights were impossible. I had an appointment with my consultant 2 days later, and again he said, you know, 'Very common - shouldn't worry about it too much, you know, if, the problem is if they find anything else wrong'. Forcing my hand to my mouth to take the tablet was probably the hardest thing I have ever done. The first result, which tells you if the baby has Down's syndrome, is ready in three days, but the other chromosomal problems cannot be eliminated for up to three weeks. And how wrong could they be? It felt like a lifetime to reach our 12-week-scan. And it was Christmas Eve and at the time I didn't think, the sonographer did spend a little bit of time scanning us and queried my dates several times and then explained that she couldn't quite see the baby's heart properly and would we come back in a couple of days? Where we were living then at the time you only had a scan at 20 weeks. Sometimes women were told that the sonographer had found a 'marker' or sign of a chromosomal condition and had to wait for an amniocentesis to confirm the findings. My partner went out with him, wanting to see him. It was exactly like the labour I had with my first child. My partner really wanted me to, and by that time I had no sense of what was right or what I should do. Back on the EPU unit, a doctor organised for me to be admitted into the ward, to take the medical management under supervision as the sac was now to big for me to safely miscarry on my own at home. I hated my body and hated every feeling I was having. And nothing prepares you at all. The gel makes sure there is good contact between the probe and your skin. Several women had taken young children with them to the 20-week scan because they expected to see 'nice pictures of the baby'. I used to think the feeling of your baby kicking inside you and the sight of a foot poking against your skin were the most fantastic things in the world. The scan can provide information that may mean you have to make further, important decisions. The rarest scenario is that the baby is severely ill and choices will need to be made. Many described how sonographers and doctors were very restrained and didn't speak at all until they had analysed all the baby's details. Cardiac surgery can do some amazing things. You've had, you've had your Down's Syndrome check and that's okay. And I, my husband and I both ran our own business at the time so we were desperate to get back and do some work, and things were going really well, so.. It was all going wrong and I wanted to get as far away from the hospital as possible. Eventually, the doctor finished the scan and said that some of the baby's measurements were very small. I know its hard- but i really wouldnt worry about it too much as the worry will stress you and your body out. There is always a chance that a baby may be born with a health issue that scans could not have identified. Then I picked myself up. To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account. You're in and out and that was it. Eventually she got the measurements she wanted. And at that, I let out a scream I think. And she said that, you know, as the, if the baby did develop further there would probably be other problems with internal organs that weren't really that visible at that stage. She just said, 'It's a bit short, it needs to be checked' again basically. My partner tried to remain calm, and at my request rang my mum. I think I don't everything just seems a real blur because it was, it was such a strange experience. I mean, you just, you're just overwhelmed, it's so much fun. Others said they were shocked because all the early diagnostic tests (e.g. For women who have been given distressing news about their baby during the scan, there should be a health professional available to provide immediate support. The sonographer then passes a hand-held probe over your skin to examine the babys body. On the next shift, the new midwife asked us again. But on, in the middle of March, 10th March it was, we had a 20 week scan. Anyway we went in for the meeting with the consultant on this particular time, and we'd got to, I was 30 weeks pregnant by then. There were also two spots on his heart, which were "soft markers" for Down's syndrome. It wasn't measuring at all the right measurements for the age - there was a heart defect, the limbs were sort of distorted, the arms were, you know - you could see that the arms were very sort of contracted, the hands were contracted. And I can, the words that the scanning member of staff used, "Everything's fine", will stay with me forever. And so began the most bizarre day of my life. He then told us what the prognosis would mean for the child.
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chances of bad news at 20 week scan mumsnet