chances of bad news at 20 week scan mumsnet
For instance a couple who knew their baby was 'on the small size' were told he was fine at the 18-20 week scan, but discovered at 32 weeks that he had microcephaly. So on the Monday we went in to see the senior sonographer, I think she was a consultant at the hospital. We both thought we would like some good to come out of this horrible experience, so wanted to talk to somebody about the possibility of using the body for research purposes. I was told they needed to do a blood test to get a bench mark of my hormone levels. But now that's changed. Just wonder whether anyone had ever been told? This was on the Friday. Being deeply unhappy and kind to others at the same time is nigh on impossible. The first words I said were: "If there's anything wrong then it's my fault", I had been working 70, nearly 80 hours the previous weeks and pushed myself hard. 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. No one else but my partner saw how similar he was to our son. It was over. Surely he couldn't have missed anything else that is so serious x. hi ladies. I was sat on the sofa working, my son was at nursery and my partner was in the bath. In fact, interestingly enough, going sort of. For many other women, the 18-20 week scan was the point at which they discovered the baby had serious problems. Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned. Tears started to roll down my face. And, so they sent me home at that stage because they said the specialist wasn't available till the following day, which was awful. 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. Instead, I had to raise a glass of water to my mouth, take a swig and swallow the tablet. It was another consultant, who said, "I'm afraid I have some bad news - your baby has Down's syndrome." However, a few hours later there was another shift change. I have a terrible hatred of pregnant women and a new respect for infertile couples. Sometimes specialist scans such as 3D scans, or MRI scans, are used to examine the baby in greater detail. We must have had one before that as well, we must have had one before that, but it came back quite normal. By this time, we were tired. So we had to go in and out a couple of times, and we were just waiting around for ages and ages. We needed closure, to allow us to grieve properly. It was interesting - well it was fantastic to see this fetus and to see this child that was yours that was horribly ill - but you didn't really get much opportunity to see that because the consultant was more about measurements and all sorts of blood flow and various other screens coming up. The contractions started very quickly and within an hour my waters had broken. Read full disclaimer. 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. This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. We went, I went in to the scanning room and they're quite bland facially anyway, whether everything's fine or not they just look at the screen to start off with and do measurements but I very quickly realised that the woman's demeanour wasn't, even for a bland face, was concerning. The scan will find about half (50%) of those babies who have heart defects. And nothing prepares you at all. This image shows a baby's face and hands at 20 weeks, and gives you an idea of what you'll be able to see at this scan. I know I could have delivered him in a quarter of the time, but I couldn't bear the thought of him leaving me. Smiling at myself and picturing me and Sam becoming parents. 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 wasn't unduly worried at all. For once in my life, I had been organised. I think they perhaps could have done, if they had looked a bit closely. In the case of a suspected abnormality, women should be seen for a second opinion by an expert in fetal ultrasound, such as a fetal medicine specialist. And it's like, I really wanted to see it and I didn't, and it was it was very mixed. This scan takes place between 18 weeks and 20 weeks 6 days of pregnancy and is commonly called the 20-week scan. 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. So I no longer trusted my instincts. The milk came and stayed for what seemed like for ever. I was wondering if anyone has been is this situation and can give me a glimmer of hope. There, I would give birth. So it was quite common, this is what happens. The doctor gave her consent, and I took the four little tablets. 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. or sort of light chat that we'd, we'd experienced before with previous scans. The pain was excruciating, but nothing compared to how I felt inside. Everywhere you look, there are happy, fat, smug pregnant women. Thick milky discharge at 14 weeks.tmi pic attached. By my own hand, I had to end the pregnancy. I took my vitamins, stuck to the healthy diet and put on a brave face. . Severe chromosomal conditions such as Edwards' syndrome are now often picked up in the first trimester antenatal screening but itwill usually be more obviousat the 18- 20 week scan, though usually a firm diagnosis will not be made until one or two specialists have weighed up all available evidence about the baby - which usually means that another expert needs to scan the baby again, or until the woman has had an amniocentesis. I didn't want to be convincing him to agree with me. Many parents were shocked by findings from the 20-week and later scans. If you are not sure, you can contact them and ask. As soon as we arrived, we were shown to this little room. I still feel guilty, I still cry at random times. And then all of a sudden, I was still laughing and we were all very upbeat, and then suddenly, he suddenly said, but I was still, still laughing, and he said to me, 'Oh, there might be a problem, there might be a problem with the, I think this baby has hydrocephalus'. When I told him what had happened, he refused to believe anything was wrong and said he'd sort it out when he came home. We use some essential cookies to make this website work. Eventually, the midwife said to us very sweetly, "I think we should deliver the baby now." 13/12/2020 20:45. Perhaps because we are alone in this, it has brought my partner and me very close. ABDOMINAL CIRCUMFERENCE MEASUREMENT AT 20 WEEK SCAN. Not a good sign in a hospital consulting room. But it is a soft marker for Edwards' syndrome. But even if I was there, I still think I would have wanted to see the detail on the scan. We had so much power, we could decide that this little thing should die. 2022. And I couldn't escape the feeling that I was being selfish. For example, some babies have a condition called open spina bifida, which affects the spinal cord. Do you have any thoughts about that? And that was extraordinary to see the detail that that could offer. It would have been nice to see someone straight away because I was in such shock. So I took the test and jumped in the shower. Seeing your baby on a screen can be really exciting. An hour passed and I started to panic. He started to scan me with a cold expression, then told me, "it didn't look good" and that "my womb looked raggedy". I had to wait yet another sleepless night. In some cases concerns in utero fix themselves sometimes needs treatment. And they took us out of the scanning room, into a more quiet room while they typed up the report. We were denying him his life. Eventually she got the measurements she wanted. Emma was 20 weeks' pregnant when a routine scan revealed that the baby she was expecting had Down's syndrome and heart problems. 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 next day, it was confirmed that my bloods had again dropped. Could she possibly have something that's not been detected? Some parents wondered if it was possible to have the same scan done at 16 weeks rather than 20 weeks. I have horrible thoughts. 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. We strongly advise readers not to take drugs that are not prescribed by your qualified healthcare provider. It went from bad, to worse, to worse, to dire, then to better. We thought it would all be over very quickly but, in fact, it was another 11 hours before the baby was delivered. We don't know, but it's not looking good'. x. I pray it's just her heart but I can't see anything else is wrong as I have been scanned by a consultant since I was 14 weeks and every time he has said everything looks okay and she is growing consistently. All my instincts were to protect my belly, yet here I was allowing someone to stick a huge needle into it. The nursery I had selected for our two-year-old son; my maternity leave; the bunk beds; the summer holiday suitable for a newborn baby. I didn't sleep that night I don't think. Not marginalised into being a victim. And I know I can't hurry up the process of grieving. And I knew there was no way out. It sounds crazy, but I just knew. I remember thinking, 'that doesn't look quite right'. Maybe our son would have overcome his problems, survived his illnesses, led a happy life. We walked all the way home. Public Health England (PHE) created this information on behalf of the NHS. I tried not to sit still for too long, because then I became too aware of the little thing inside me. 'Yes, if that's okay with you,' kind of thing, like you do. You have rejected additional cookies. We bought a two tests that evening (quite lucky as I messed the first one up!). And it's, I can't remember exactly what it was now, it's about where the brain is supposed to form. I mean, you just, you're just overwhelmed, it's so much fun. I was becoming numb to the whole process. Many people were deeply affected by their experiences of the 20-week and subsequent specialist scans. For example, the babys brain, kidneys, internal organs or bones may not have developed properly. You've had, you've had your Down's Syndrome check and that's okay. 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. Went back a week later for the scan and, you were with me for this one, weren't you? I remember thinking, 'Gosh' I now know it was a girl, I didn't know that then, that, 'She looks just like her brother'. 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.. He sounded like a wild animal in pain, deep pain. the amniocentesis) and the pregnancy had already ended, or because the scan was not routinely offered in their region 5 or more years ago. I had no issues at my 20wk scan with DD - and neither did any of my antenatal group (9 mums). Some people want to find out if their baby has one of the 11 conditions and some do not. So obviously quite relaxed. That was an extremely difficult day. There was cause for concern. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, midwife or hospital immediately. If one of the conditions is found or suspected, the sonographer may ask for a second opinion from another member of staff. She brought up a picture of the heart on the screen. Still, the consultant thought things would be OK. There is more detailed information about the main conditions that are looked for during this scan on NHS.UK. My partner's face was lit up, seeing the baby for the first time. This does not mean there is anything to worry about. No one else felt him kick. Well send you a link to a feedback form. The thing that I have a very strong memory of is this child's face in amazing detail. The consultant explained that this was just very bad luck and not, as far as they knew, genetic. He had to come to the decision by himself. Just doing it. However, at the time neither of us could articulate that. My wife turned the screen away from her. She wanted to have a look at the skull, which was the main thing, but she couldn't see it from where the baby was. That he was small. And having read, since read my information on Edwards' syndrome, a good 85 per cent have problems with the heart. The baby was very, very small. So I sort of went home quite, fairly kind of happy and I, at, at this point I hadn't any idea things could go wrong anyway. I was experiencing some light bleeding for the past few days. Actually you could tell from the brain development as he scanned up through the chambers of the brain, that one quarter of the brain, one chamber was not evident. Please ask your hospital about this before your appointment. Specialist scans had a powerful effect on some parents because they could see the baby more clearly and in some cases people recognised which parts of the baby's body were not working properly. Our position in our families has shifted. No discussion, no quiet contemplation. But my brain had been given a train of thought that was impossible to stop. It is impossible to escape them and each one underlines your loss. My partner was away working and was waiting to hear whether he was having a son or daughter. Purpose of screening. Limitations of the 18-20 week scan We were told to go to the hospital immediately. I guess the morphine made it easier. It is also sometimes referred to as the mid-pregnancy scan . I was willing the results to be normal. From losing my dad to his battle with cancer, to then having to face another battle with cancer and my mum; thankfully she pulled though. But for those few days they were torture. Specialist scans had a powerful effect on some parents because they could see the baby more clearly and in some cases people recognised which parts of the baby's body were not working properly. The midwife was on the verge of tears and I felt responsible. We talked all night and thanked God for crap television. Some say this estimate is really below the reality, and the out-of-pocket average costs are higher. We'll make an appointment with the senior sonographer, the consultant at the local hospital, and she'll do your scan and she'll be able to tell you more things'. 1. 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. To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account. . It can be such a shock so do whatever you need to feel better. I had a horrible feeling of relief. To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account. I don't know how we got through the next couple of days. But the consultant had found more spots on the heart and the measurements were the same. While some parents understood the clinician's restraint - even when they had to wait an hour or more for a definite diagnosis - others disliked being kept in suspense and wanted to be told what the clinician was thinking. We had the baby cremated. Living in this world must be unbearable for them. In order for the sonographer to get good images of your baby, the scan is carried out in a dimly lit room. Again the legs were quite twisted, they said that the baby's sternum was very short - things weren't in proportion you know - the head was quite large, the neck was very thick, there wasn't really like a neck as such it was just things were kind of - there were lots of things that obviously the consultant could see that we weren't aware of. Sometimes specialist scans such as 3D scans, or MRI scans, are used to examine the baby in greater detail. 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? [Husband] couldn't make it. The clinic advised a follow up scan the week after, to check on progress and to see what to do next. 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). We scattered his ashes over a bunch of snowdrops. b>Bad news at 20 week scan. DS had 2 soft markers: talipes (club foot) and 'echogenic locii' somewhere - heart I think. I've been incredibly lucky to have such amazing support from Sam, my mum, and close friends and family. The scan yet again confirmed things were not good, however the sac had grown. Find more information and details of support groups on NHS.UK. Another sick joke. We had to discuss what we wanted to do with the little body after delivery. It is extremely rare for these pregnancies to reach term as they typically spontaneously miscarry early in pregnancy. Having the scan does not hurt but the sonographer may need to apply slight pressure to get the best views of your baby. If you choose not to have the scan you can still have all other parts of your routine antenatal care. For example, you may be offered further tests that have a risk of miscarriage. We talked about the different sorts of pain relief I could have and I opted for a morphine drip, which I could control. I had to stop myself from yanking out the needle. 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'. Despite this new discovery, the sonographer was still concerned. We would terminate the pregnancy. I know its hard- but i really wouldnt worry about it too much as the worry will stress you and your body out. The gel makes sure there is good contact between the probe and your skin. So I trusted him. Or, at the very least, heart problems. 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. 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. During the examination, sonographers need to keep the screen in a position that gives them a good view of your baby. But it was very evident. Those two weeks were agonising for us both. But worse was to come. 17/12/2020 17:13. I felt crushed, I wanted him to at least acknowledge what had been found already. And as soon as she said those words, both of us were like, 'Well what's wrong?'. Our week-by-week PREGNANCY emails are a must for parents-to-be. By 7pm, I still hadn't delivered the baby. We need to have your opinion'. The sonographer told me to take the notes, and the scan photos with me so they could review them also. And the doctor - because it was a doctor rather then just the, a sonographer or whatever the correct term is - was scanning my wife, and she hovered over the heart of the baby and said, 'Oh there's the heart, we'll come back to that'. Thanks girls, it's amazing how protected our babies are in there isn't it?! They sort of drew some diagrams, and they said, 'But we need to refer you to a specialist to confirm the diagnosis'. That he - I think I was 21 weeks and 3 days, and he was coming up at 19 weeks and 4 days, or something like that. Specialist scans Looked exactly like our two year old as a baby. It felt as if we had gone power crazy. It's part of our family. 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. Except for the persistent, nagging doubts. He wanted to talk about it, but I didn't. Laura miscarried her twin babies in February. Most scans are carried out by specially trained staff called sonographers. It would be a personal tragedy for my partner and me, but that is all. This one cannot show you anything, that's what's inside your mind. The only thing you're thinking now is the birth, and what if something goes wrong in the birth? Has anyone been told the wrong sex at 20 week scan? I was sent home with a leaflet, strong painkillers and two types of antibiotics. 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. And, faced with feeling sorry for myself or feeling sorry for my child, I know which I'd choose. I travelled to work that day feeling amazing. Later, I did see and hold our baby. So I was a bit ignorant of the kind of things, you know, what the scans were really doing - maybe it was, a bit na've I think. Rather sharply, my partner tried to explain. All the time, the baby was kicking and I felt like a murderer waiting to strike her victim. The sonographer will be able to tell you the results of the scan at the time. I ran into the bedroom to tell Sam, who was ecstatic. At first the closeness came through a sense of guilt. Christmas came and went in a blur of emotion, it felt so wrong to be celebrating when we were in such turmoil. The appointment usually takes around 30 minutes. Originally I hadn't wanted to go down that road. I thought surely everything is ok, as they couldn't detect twins the week before. . It was sick. But I was struggling mentally with the anguish, grief and endless hospital visits. Some of the other conditions, such as heart defects, are more difficult to see. Emma was 20 weeks' pregnant when a routine scan revealed that the baby she was expecting had Down's syndrome and heart problems. 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. I couldn't bear to see the baby and asked the midwife to take him away immediately. The baby was kicking so hard that I began to believe him. And it turned out the baby's heart wasn't forming properly, the chambers weren't forming properly. Nights were impossible. You're in and out and that was it. Because we knew that that wasn't normal, that wasn't what we'd experienced before, it wasn't just the, 'There's the arm, there's the leg, oh look the baby's moving'. And, it does not occur to you in the slightest. He felt strong and fit and healthy. 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. My partner went out with him, wanting to see him. I've realised that being a nice person is a luxury some can't afford. So at 20 weeks I went for my scan with my husband, with my daughter, to get our photographs. A few people recalled how frightened and alarmed they became when they sensed that the atmosphere in the scanning room changed in an instant from 'jokey' to serious when the baby's problems were detected. But here I was, minutes later, lying down, waiting. Could you tell? 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). Never being able to look after himself. So we hid in our house. I was told this was common as my body and hormones still thought I was pregnant. We went in, had a scan, I can't remember the exact sequence of events because the baby was still in the wrong position.