CUMH no anomaly scan

lazygal

Great news.
I had bad news after a pre natal test this year, not scan based. We opted for further testing as we knew what we wanted to do given various outcomes. My consultant has had people decline further tests for many reasons. At least you'll get more information from the scan.

Sesame

lazygal wrote: »

Great news.
I had bad news after a pre natal test this year, not scan based. We opted for further testing as we knew what we wanted to do given various outcomes. My consultant has had people decline further tests for many reasons. At least you'll get more information from the scan.

I have a friend who baby died minutes after birth in Cork. She didn't have an anomaly scan or know there was anything wrong. It was a fatal fetal abnormality which would have been picked up on the scan if she'd had one. If her consultant did know, she would have got totally different care in labour where there would have been preparations made for the end of life situation, memory footprints, a special room to facilitate the birth. Instead she said it was pandemonium with doctors being buzzed, people everywhere and no one able to tell her what was happening.
For this reason alone, an anomaly scan should be recommended. Also, I can't imagine what parent wouldn't want to know about potential heart defects, or something that's treatable if found early enough. Would someone really say no to finding that out if it meant better treatment for the child?

shesty

That is completely bizarre.So does it mean that if you don't want infomation, you tell them (before the scan starts?) And if they spot something...then what?They just don't tell you anything?Surely they have some sort of duty of care to tell you something .Like what if a baby needs a heart operation shortly after it comes out or something?I get they are makong it the parent's choice to know but it seems really strange.

lazygal

Some women will say they don't want to be worrying their whole pregnancy and therefore won't have scans. Or they know they'll continue the pregnancy no matter what so don't want to know about any issues. People have all sorts of reasons. I suppose you can't force people to have scans and tests either.

bee06

Sesame wrote: »

I was in CUMH today for my 12 week booking in appointment and scan.

I was told at both the 20 week anomaly scan is back for everyone! Its performed between 21 and 23 weeks as standard for everyone. There's a letter in my folder about it which is worded quite weirdly.

It says "You'll be offered a scan that produces a 2d black and white image. The 3d and colour images that you sometimes see are on television and in magazines are not used."

Really no need for the infantising language but the patronising attitude I received from some midwives on my last pregnancy all came back to me me when I read that!

It also says" Please take time to consider what information you and your partner wish to know. Not everyone wants to know if their baby has an apparent abnormality"

Hmmm, that reads to me as if the issue with the scan being removed as standard was not necessarily to do with lack of resources and more to do with someone in a decision making role having a personal view or moral difficulty in providing this knowledge to patients. What parent would not want to know if there was an abnormality? What parent would not want the hospital to be best prepared to deal with the outcome rather than waiting for the surprise in the labour room?

The reason they weren’t standard is covered in this article. https://amp.irishexaminer.com/analysis/babies-parents-and-cork-university-maternity-hospital-may-suffer-without-fetal-anomaly-scan-381890.html

Delighted to hear they are now standard for everyone. I had my baby in December and had to go to Tralee to get a private one because the place that does them privately in Cork was fully booked.

shesty

lazygal wrote: »

Some women will say they don't want to be worrying their whole pregnancy and therefore won't have scans. Or they know they'll continue the pregnancy no matter what so don't want to know about any issues. People have all sorts of reasons. I suppose you can't force people to have scans and tests either.

True but they obviously observe say that a baby will need extra care, or birth decisions may have to be made based on so.ething seen in the scan...do they just leave the parents in ignorance until the labour/birth is done?
It's probably a minority I suppose, but it still seems strange.

Sesame

Yeah I agree. It is strange and strange to have to sign a form saying that. There's definitely some sort of internal politics involved which warrented that really odd form.

lazygal

I've found a level of infantalism in maternity services which I haven't seen in other health care. Nurses and midwives calling me mum, telling me I'm a good girl, that sort of thing. There's definitely an attitude that we can't be trusted with too much information from some staff.

rainbow kirby

^ I *hated* that. I have a name, use it ffs!

babymakesthree

20 week/ anomaly scans still aren’t standard in every hospital unfortunately. Definitely not in Tralee unless you have risk factors that warrant one. It’s disgraceful really