I have always had all the routine scans (dating,NT scan and 20 week scan) .....this pregnancy however i have had alot of extra scans but they were due to issues with the cord.
gosh this annoys me when "medical professionals" treat people like this, FFS we have choices and reasons for our choices and we shouldn't be talked to in that manner. And in a way it makes you feel stupid when they question you like this. Tanya sorry that you had to go through that and be treated that way.
Wow, your hospital's awesome! I mean, the bedside manner leaves a lot to be desired, but I think it's great that they are using the technology they have to help mothers if they choose to take advantage of it - my local hospital will only give two scans, and they would rather only do the 20-week scan but to know when an expectant mum is at 20 weeks they need to have already done a dating scan - they'd skip that first one entirely if they could get away with it. I had to ring the hospital no less than FOUR times to get a dating scan with DD2, and I was outright refused the opportunity to have an NT scan ('you're too young, it's a waste of resources' they told me repeatedly), and a good friend of mine told me the other day that the new managing director of the hospital has disallowed u/s techs from revealing the baby's gender to parents at the 20-week scan - apparently s/he is afraid parents will try to terminate if it's not the gender they want?! Umm, yeah, because a TOP at 20-odd weeks is SO easy to access, especially for such a frivolous reason, what a douche.
But yeah, even when I had threatened miscarriages, bleeding, pain, lack of movement towards the end of pg etc etc, I was denied ultrasounds every time, told it was a waste of resources, if I was losing my baby an ultrasound wasn't going to fix it so why bother? I wasn't trying to abuse the system (although I jump at any chance I'm given to look at my baby and make sure everything's okay in there), I just wanted to be able to use the equipment my tax dollars are paying for, when I had good reason to use it!
Yes, your doctor was a bit of a twat in the way he spoke to you about not wanting more scans than you deem necessary, I don't agree with his manner at all. But I think it is great that you are at least offered the chance to have more scans than my local hospital deems 'necessary'.
Perhaps it is because so many women DON'T know their bodies, DON'T know their cycles, and have no idea when they ovulate - and believe theat everyone has 28 day cycles.
So yeah, your LMP date can be out by quite aways.
I'm not sure I am seeing your issue - you know when you are due and you didn't have a dating scan which is the 'norm' and is generally considered to be the most accurate scan in terms of deterining age.
Also, as mentioned above, most women have it to ensure a viable prenancy and to see their babies - and there is nothing worng with that.
If you know your dates, why does it matter what someone who is trained to deal with the lowest common denominator think? Smile, nod, answer his questions and be on your way, knowing you are one of a select froup of women who have an understanding of their own bodies.
But that's the point - Tan's asking if women are so out of touch with their bodies that a sonographer is more of an expert on when they're due than the actual woman in question - and it seems that the answer is - sometimes they are that out of touch!
With both I've had the NT and morphology scan. With my first, I had no idea that cycle lengths could mean that ovulation happened at different times and so on - I'd always been textbook 28 days so I never thought much about it...before pregnancy I knew nothing about my body, so it doesn't surprise me that women aren't familiar with their bodies, cycles, symptoms. I had no clue. I only got into the Family Birthing Centre for a waterbirth because all the OBs were booked out! And I thought that was bad luck! Someone sure was looking out for me...
I imagine Tan, that your being confident about your dates and informed, might have been less usual than we'd hope. I'd love to see a little more education in high schools during their student development days - or was I just not paying attention (feasible option)?
I was hoping to only have the NT and Morphology scans this pregnancy, but due to a raft of complications, large bright red bleeds, discovery that I was losing a twin, concerns with my cervix length..... I had 5 scans by the time I was ten weeks not what I wanted, but it is how it ended up going.
What upset me more was the second scan I had at the WCH, the Sonographer was rude as he didn't believe me that there was a second sac, that had ruptured (it had ruptured the night before, and he was doing an external US, and it was clearly visibly on the internal scans I had prior to after and about a week further on it was visible more on the external and the partial sac was still present just over 1 week ago. It is horrible when they question your knowledge, it is your body and you know what you have been going through. He had to get his boss to be present for the internal scan and, she had a quick look, said I wouldn't make it to full term and walked out the door again... she didn't fill me with any form of confidence at all
Unfortunately I will be having quite a few more scans, to monitor my cerivix length, growth scans on bub as we have had a reduciton in growth and checking all the bleeds and clotting that is left, although it was breaking down and hopefully it will be reabsorbed. This isn't what I would prefer, but my OB is keeping a close eye on everything to try to prolong the pregnancy as long as possible. And for that reason alone for me and for this pregnancy I am happy to do what we have to do....
With our first pregnancy we did chose to get a 3D scan done at 29 weeks, but we aren't planning to do it this time.
It was very rude how you were treated and it was your decision to chose what scans you wanted, not for them to dictate, I lvoe how your dates were almost identical to the scan, a bit of a nah nah nah nah nah
Exactly, Trill - even when you think you're in tune with yourself, ther's someone with a framed certificate saying you couldn't possibly be. My MW changed the EDD when I 'went over' because I told her when implantation occurred. Had I told a GP how I knew they would have insisted I go by something more 'reliable' like LMP (which was proving UNreliable!) or a scan. It was very reassuring to have this discussion with my MW and to then have my baby about 2 days after the 'new' EDD
We HAVE, in general, lost how to intuit our bodies because of the prevailing culture of consultation, specialists and scanning. So, my answer to the OP question is 'yes, women are out of touch with themselves a lot of the time, for various reasons and now we just take it for granted that this is the case and distrust women who are taking it back'. Medicare rebates for health professionals are the sweeter for it, too.
ETA: My comments are separate from the women who are curious to see their babies again. I know women who just wouldn't have a clue about their cycles, and absolutely clueless about what's going on with their bodies - it's not so much an indictment on them, personally, but on our culture.
There comes a point where we have to accept that all our decisions will not find approval with every other human being. It doesn't feel nice when we bear the brunt of this disapproval but we need to be strong in our decision and know that what we are doing is right. In the end, it really is the mother's choice as to whether they have numerous scans or not. For whatever reasons. Just like it is their choice to be having a baby. Sure there are some people who may not be in tune with their bodies, but so what? I think we are lucky to have the option of a dating scan. I chose to just let my body work and not worry about when I was ovulating etc. I did know when my AF was supposed to be due and I knew that they were pretty regular, but I had no idea if that meant that I would give birth on a particular date. Babies come when they want anyway, regardless of whether your dates are right or not.
I'm sorry you weren't treated nicely by your sonographer. A lot of the time, they haven't received the right training in dealing with patients especially when it comes to the sensitive nature of pregnancy. I had fantastic experiences with most of my scans but that's because I paid a fair bit for private after bad experiences with the public system.
At the end of the day, it's wonderful news that everything was good with your scan. Best of luck for the rest of your pregnancy xx
BellyBelly Member
Tanya sorry that you had to go through that and be treated that way.
Smile, nod, answer his questions and be on your way, knowing you are one of a select froup of women who have an understanding of their own bodies.
Someone sure was looking out for me...
not what I wanted, but it is how it ended up going.
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