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! And shortly after that, that scan we'd finished and the consultant leant back and said, 'I'm afraid we have some problems here'. I tried not to sit still for too long, because then I became too aware of the little thing inside me. Public Health England (PHE) created this information on behalf of the NHS. Still, the consultant thought things would be OK. I believed at this point I had miscarried, they wanted me to come back I'm for a follow up scan. This one cannot show you anything, that's what's inside your mind. The contractions started very quickly and within an hour my waters had broken. As I was called for my scan I was nervous and emotional. It is extremely rare for these pregnancies to reach term as they typically spontaneously miscarry early in pregnancy. I think what everyone is saying is that most likely outcome is that there are no problems at all. 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. I was told this was common as my body and hormones still thought I was pregnant. The consultant explained that this was just very bad luck and not, as far as they knew, genetic. 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. The ultimate betrayal. This does not mean there is anything to worry about. 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). The scan can provide information that may mean you have to make further, important decisions. I'd had the scan in the scanning room, I can't remember what they call it now, it's silly, it's gone from my head. No sort of questions about, 'Do you want to know whether it's a boy or a girl?' Read full disclaimer. You have accepted additional cookies. The baby was kicking so hard that I began to believe him. We had so much power, we could decide that this little thing should die. I had to stop myself from yanking out the needle. 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. The pain was bearable but uncomfortable, the hospital rang me a few days later and asked me how I was. Well, at the regional hospital it was a 3-D scan. Wishing to be anywhere, but here being told the same agonising truth over and over again. There was a very marked lack of amniotic fluid which made it difficult, not even for the scanners to see, that made the picture of the scan look very, very different. The hormone levels had dropped, but they wanted to scan me again. He was sure the consultant on Monday would see that the measurements were completely normal and that there was nothing to worry about. But on, in the middle of March, 10th March it was, we had a 20 week scan. It is also sometimes referred to as the mid-pregnancy scan . 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.'. My mum arrived early to look after our son, and my partner and I got a cab to the hospital. We've joined the grown-ups and we both feel very different. If necessary, you will be referred to a specialist, possibly in another hospital. I couldn't bear to see the baby and asked the midwife to take him away immediately. We scattered his ashes over a bunch of snowdrops. factor is very strong. How was that scan different from the dating scan? 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. Again, we weren't understood. The doctor wanted to do another blood test to confirm a significant drop in my hormone levels. Again, no notes can have been written down because the midwife asked the same question. . I had to take a tablet there and then, under the supervision of a nurse, to end the pregnancy. 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. Some people had underestimated how serious any abnormality found at this stage could be for the baby. 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. Somehow, I walked from the sofa up to the bathroom and told my partner. I get terribly irritated by my close friends and family. The doctor told me he was 98% sure this was a failing twin pregnancy. Some stories I hear are amazing! And at that, I let out a scream I think. It seemed inconceivable that we would not be having a baby in May. I was told they needed to do a blood test to get a bench mark of my hormone levels. My belly was growing and I was feeling great. He wanted to talk about it, but I didn't. But the consultant had found more spots on the heart and the measurements were the same. But he was not sure. 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. You've had, you've had your Down's Syndrome check and that's okay. With my oldest it turns out she has a minor thing that affects 1 in 1000 of the population and wont harm her at all it's just "there" and with my second the issue turned out to be nothing. And I couldn't escape the feeling that I was being selfish. 2022. So instead, I was advised to go home and let nature take its course. But the closeness has remained after the drama has died down. 15/02/2014 08:02. But it was very evident. Some parents wondered if it was possible to have the same scan done at 16 weeks rather than 20 weeks. How common is it for 2nd baby to come early..? Sometimes it is difficult to get good views of a baby. All women are offered a dating scan, and an 18- 20 week fetal anomaly ultrasound scan, in line with NICE and UK National Screening Committee recommendations. It was, 'Oh we'll come back to that'. Then, three days later, I would go to the labour ward - the ward I had been expecting to visit in two and a half months. And they took me into another room. You can change your cookie settings at any time. And I'm glad I did and she's glad she didn't. . 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. Yeah, yeah. What were babys measurements at 20 week scan? I couldn't have the added responsibility for changing his mind. I think they perhaps could have done, if they had looked a bit closely. Hugely upset that to think that the baby was so poorly. I've realised that being a nice person is a luxury some can't afford. No one else felt him kick. Specialist scans You have rejected additional cookies. You could see her face, and the major aspect that was, that was the indication of what was wrong was the thickening at the back of the neck in this instance, which, when you're looking at a fetus is, you know, sort of half a centimetre thicker or not is completely immaterial to me, and would look like a completely normal neck, but from the point of view of the consultant was severely abnormal. We must have had one before that as well, we must have had one before that, but it came back quite normal. The doctor or midwife looking after you will let you know before you come. I went home feeling crushed; Sam and I both felt helpless. The 18-20 week antenatal scan and further tests, Ending the pregnancy for family & personal reasons, Deciding whether to see, hold and name the baby, Photographs and other mementoes of the baby, Saying goodbye to the baby - services & funerals, Coping with bereavement - women's experiences, Coping with bereavement - men's experiences, Men's ideas about their role in ending a pregnancy. I had never imagined having an amniocentesis. Or, at the very least, heart problems. Cardiac surgery can do some amazing things. The screen may be directly facing them or at an angle. Unfortunately I was not met with a compassionate sonographer. My partner really wanted me to, and by that time I had no sense of what was right or what I should do. I loved him instantly and didn't want to let him go. I had hope that the little bumps inside me were fighting just as much as I was to stay with me. I was young, I didn't need one. And again, you know, you read all the books and it tells you 'this is the diagnostics', but after a while you don't hear that inside your head any more No, no, no, I'm fine - because everything's perfect. I mean, you just, you're just overwhelmed, it's so much fun. A black and white picture of your baby will then be seen on the ultrasound screen. An hour passed and I started to panic. But she told us, she told us, she gave us some more detail, she said, 'There's this, there's a big gap in the brain where there shouldn't be'. Living in this world must be unbearable for them. Baby loss stories Just doing it. I sat and waited to be called for my scan. (See 'Resources'). I then found that soft markers means 'vague unproven suggestion of a link', and that echogenic locii are small concentrations of calcium which are incredibly common and harmless. 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), tbh, they never give you good news at scans. We're going to go and see them. Yeah - in, stomach, out. I want to stop having such horrible thoughts. The milk came and stayed for what seemed like for ever. Most hospitals do not allow children to attend scans as childcare is not usually available. Health professionals use the 18-20 week scan to examine the baby's size and position, and also to check if his/her brain, heart, lungs and other internal organs are developing as expected. If this happens, you will be offered one further scan by 23 weeks of pregnancy. But no. I had to wait yet another sleepless night. (See. . The decision to terminate the pregnancy was my partner's and mine. Slightly marked from our peers. So even if anomolies are found, they don't always mean a problem.. x. I had issues at the 20 weeks scan with both of mine. The baby kicked, blissfully unaware of what I had done. To help us improve GOV.UK, wed like to know more about your visit today. On the third day, we got a phone call. Some parents wondered if it was possible to have the same scan done at 16 weeks rather than 20 weeks. Tears started to roll down my face. I wanted to be a passive patient while the doctor did what he had to do. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) have produced a report on Termination of Pregnancy for Fetal Abnormality in England, Scotland and Wales (May 2010). And in this instance the scan was very evident that there was something very seriously wrong. Several parents said they would have preferred being told something, even it was vague. Having the scan does not hurt but the sonographer may need to apply slight pressure to get the best views of your baby. So we decided to book an early 10 week private scan. 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 went away and came back, and she couldn't get a good picture. 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.