First OB appointment...

[OceanPrincess]

Hi all!

I have just moved across from the TTC thread, got my BFP on Wednesday!

I have seen my GP and just rang up to book in with the Ob I want to see, spoke to the receptionist and was transferred to the midwife and told that I won't need to see the Ob until about week 10. Is that right???

Seems a bit bizarre to not see them before then??

Also apparently I have to book in my own scans - is that right?

Help!

[Tobily]

Yes that's usually the case.
Unless you have a history of early miscarriage it's usual not to have the first appointment until late in the first trimester. I think they do it because by week 10-12 your pregnancy is past the period where it's most likely to miscarry.
Alot of the public hospital antenatal clinics don't see women for their first appointment until around 13 weeks.
Once you've had the low down on nutrition and what to watch for from your GP, there's not much more to be done except relax and enjoy the ride for a bit until babe gets a bit bigger

Re the scans, if your OB doesn't have a ultrasound in his rooms it would be usual to book your own scans. Even if OB does, often they don't do the NT (12wks) or morphology (20wks) scans themselves because their machines are often fairly basic and not up to it - so they send you elsewhere. OB's also usually only have basic sonography skills and those scans need to be done by a trained sonographer.
Congrats btw

[Mel A]

It can be different depending on you OB's avalibility. I'm not seeing my OB untill 9 weeks. He will then give me my Scan and BT referals for the Down syndrome test (Can't remember what it's called) I then have to book this myself.

If you don't see your OB till week 10 , you can get the referals from your GP for the scan and BT. That's what I did last time, as I was a new patient and the OB I wanted couldn't fit me in till 12 weeks.

The BT needs to be done in week 10 and the scan needs to be done in week 12 and needs to be done by a paticular type of scanning machine.

Hope this helps a little. Just remember even if you haven't been for your first appointment, they still have a duty of care, so if your worried or scared you can always call and have the OB call you back or go in for an emegency appointment.

[satya]

That all sounds right. I didn't see my OB until after I'd had the NT scan done due to the wait to see him & I have a history of miscarriage. I was managed by my GP until then and she gave me the scan referrals (also had to have one to check on progress after having spotting). When I had the NT scan done I had the OB copied in on them and it was the OB who rang me about the results of it even though he hadn't seen me yet.

By the way congrats on your pregnancy. I wish you a happy & healthy 9 or so months.

[StephV]

I ended up seeing my Ob at 11 weeks, so BT at 11 weeks 2 days and scan will be at 12w and 3 days.

Pretty standard stuff. Oh and he just gave me a referral for an ultrasound which i booked in myself. However when I was about 8 and a half weeks I went to my local GP as I needed a referral and asked for a scan then - got that one at 9 weeks and saw the hearbeat.....awesome!

[OceanPrincess]

Thanks ladies, I am much relieved

And thanks for your congrats too! I am still getting used to it!

[nagromeyk]

OP - Congrats on your pregnancy!

I saw my usual GP right up until I had the NT scan done. As Tobily said OB's generally dont like to see you (unless you have history of m/c) until even after the 12 week mark. This is what my GP told me and also the lady at my OB's office said aswell when I phoned to make the first appointment. My first appointment with my OB wasnt until week 14 but that was purely my choice. I was happy to see my GP until then as all they are really doing is giving you your referrals for your scans and BT's. As tobily said not alot else you can do but relax and give the special little miracle you have created time to grow and grow!

I booked my scans myself. I had a dating scan done at 8w 5d, the NT scan was done at around 12weeks and then the morphology scan done at 20 weeks.
First two done at Southcoast Radiology and morph scan done at Queensland Ultrasound for Women.

Good luck!