Pregnancy after a miscarriage

Hannibal Smith

Okay....so I'm at the very early stages of pregnancy....only 5 weeks so I'm not getting too excited or obsessed about it at the mo. I do want to try and start booking things with the hospital however because when I tried to book things in November at 8 weeks everything was booked up and I nearly didn't get a 12 week appointment.

Anyhow, said last pregnancy came to a sad and early end and I'm just wondering, when I'm on to the hospital, if you've had a miscarriage do they give you an earlier appointment or should I be insistent about it, do I get scanned earlier (not ultrasound scanned, but regular heart beat detection scanned)? Or what happens?

Cocoon1100

Hi and congratulations, great news

You need to go and visit your doctor. You need a doctors letter for an early scan. The earliest that you can be scanned is 8 weeks as they cannot detect the heartbeat before this time.

The doctor will make an appointment for you and you will need to bring the letter with you. This will explain to the nursing staff why you need an early scan.

Wishing you all the best.

Grawns

Snap! I'm the same, I'm 6 weeks tommorrow and have been waiting to see. but I was late ovulating so I bet I'm only 5 +2. Until I see a heartbeat I won't believe it's all okay. I am going to get a private scan at 8 weeks anyway but I don't want to mess things up with the hospital so better get a move on. Think I will pop along to my doc this afternoon and get the ball rolling Fingers and toes crossed for both of us.

Hannibal Smith

Thanks for the reply Cocoon...I know what you're saying makes sense, but I just know from previous experience, what your doctor asks for in the referral letter and what the hospital give you sometimes don't quite match up I suppose I'm wondering if I want an early scan am I going to have to fight for it, or will the hospital be sympathetic in the circumstances and offer it on a plate to me.

Yay Grawns! I was with my GP on Fri because I've had sinusitis and I only for the fact he was prescribing me antibiotics I wasn't even going to mention it to him because I'm so afraid of jinxing it So we agreed we wouldn't make a big deal out of it and I'd call back in 4-6 weeks. But I suppose what Cocoon is saying is right, I can't make an appointment with the hospital before I get a referral letter from the gp...jees I'm not as 'together' as I thought :eek:

alde

Hannibal,

If you ring the hospital and mention you have had a miscarriage and are very concerned they will schedule an appointment for you. I am 8 weeks pregnant and had a scan at 6 weeks (saw the heartbeat). I am back in on Monday for another scan as the baby was a little small none the less the heartbeat was there so please god everything is ok.

Hope this helps.

GoerGirl

Congratulations!!!

I found it varied after each loss. My second child was following 2 losses - I was scanned at 10wks on that pregnancy. My most recent pregnancy was following an early loss and I did not get an appointment til 14wks. My friend just got an appointment this week for 18wks - she had a miscarriage last year.

They are so busy.... anything before 20 weeks is considered normal!:eek:

Cocoon1100

Hey good luck to you all and congrats.

Hannibal phone the hospital and ask for the scan room, the nurses there can tell you if you can come in without a Doctors letter. I phoned Drogheda and was told no way that I had to have a letter. Its worth a try though cos different hospitals probably have different policies.

Hannibal Smith

ah thanks ladies. Yes you're right I'll have to make an appointment with the gp first. Unless I make an appointment with the gp for 4 weeks time and make an app with the hospital in the same week! Then I'll only be 8 weeks *touches wood* and will have the gp letter. Omg I'm genius!

Grawns

Hannibal Smith wrote: »

ah thanks ladies. Yes you're right I'll have to make an appointment with the gp first. Unless I make an appointment with the gp for 4 weeks time and make an app with the hospital in the same week! Then I'll only be 8 weeks *touches wood* and will have the gp letter. Omg I'm genius!

I like your plan:) but if it doesn't work where are you based Hannibal? I found a place in Tallaght that will do an early scan for €80. I think that's the cheapest in Dublin

Hannibal Smith

ooh thanks for that Grawns. I might bear that in mind...though I'm not sure about going to a clinic like set up and finding out that things aren't as they should be. Have you tried these types of places before? Are they nice there? I'm such a wuss

liliq

Hey Hannibal,
I haven't been to the clinic in Tallaght myself, but I've only heard good things about it- that the sonographer there is lovely, takes her time etc.

I went to the place in Blackrock, and found it great. It was more expensive than Tallaght which was my first choice, but there wasn't an appointment available cos the girl was on holidays. (I was too impatient to wait!) :rolleyes:

Skadi

Congrats.

It really depends on the hospital as to what their policy is but some hospitals do have an EPU (Early Pregnancy Unit) where they see women who have early miscarriages.

I had a late loss in my last pregnancy and was dealing with a breavement midwife in the CUMH. This time when I got pregnant I rang her straight away and had my first antenatal visit at the hospital at about 5 wks so that they could take bloods and the midwife arranged for my first scan at 8 wks. I actually had been seen by the hospital twice before I informed my GP that I was pregnant.

Grawns

Hannibal Smith wrote: »

ooh thanks for that Grawns. I might bear that in mind...though I'm not sure about going to a clinic like set up and finding out that things aren't as they should be. Have you tried these types of places before? Are they nice there? I'm such a wuss

I went to femplus in blanchardstown and they were great but they've put their prices up. I have no idea what happens when they discover something is amiss I might phone and ask. It's horrid waiting for the first scan for me so it must be shocking hard for you. Fingers crossed for everyone.

Hannibal Smith

Grawns wrote: »

I went to femplus in blanchardstown and they were great but they've put their prices up. I have no idea what happens when they discover something is amiss I might phone and ask. It's horrid waiting for the first scan for me so it must be shocking hard for you. Fingers crossed for everyone.

The last time it was 12 weeks. I'd no idea that anything was wrong. They weren't going to give me a scan until 20 weeks because they were so busy, but the day before there was light spotting (nowt major and I'd had it on the first pregnancy so wasn't worried about it) so I thought if I mentioned it so I'd get a cheeky scan lol I nearly died when there was no heartbeat. But being in a maternity hospital kind of made it a little easier. If it turned out to be the same thing again and I had to go out to a reception area and there were loads of blokes with sports injuries I don't know how that would be lol

Thanks for the replies ladies. I meant to make the appointments yesterday, but forgot, but will definitely do it on Monday.

Good luck to everyone xxxx

January

Hannibal Smith wrote: »

The last time it was 12 weeks. I'd no idea that anything was wrong. They weren't going to give me a scan until 20 weeks because they were so busy, but the day before there was light spotting (nowt major and I'd had it on the first pregnancy so wasn't worried about it) so I thought if I mentioned it so I'd get a cheeky scan lol I nearly died when there was no heartbeat. But being in a maternity hospital kind of made it a little easier. If it turned out to be the same thing again and I had to go out to a reception area and there were loads of blokes with sports injuries I don't know how that would be lol

Thanks for the replies ladies. I meant to make the appointments yesterday, but forgot, but will definitely do it on Monday.

Good luck to everyone xxxx

femplus is a place especially for women so there'd be no guys with sports injuries... I'm sure they'd be very discreet and send you straight to your maternity hospital with a letter from themselves.

Kbolt

@liliq we went to ultrasound dimensions in blackrock too because they were open on sunday, was helpful since we're working on Saturday. was brill!

they posted this video which others might find helpful:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yxbS8PH2Vk

good luck all.

xox

Hannibal Smith

Just an update, I finally registered with the hospital on Friday (finally plucked up the courage to make the call) and they were lovely. They understood completely about why I'd be anxious about waiting the 12 weeks so they made an appointment for me for the 30th March. I'll be 9/10 weeks so I'm happy enough with that.

I'm absolutely dreading it, but fingers crossed this time it's a keeper