It seemed inconceivable that we would not be having a baby in May. I had to be rescanned latter. Public Health England (PHE) created this information on behalf of the NHS. We felt as if we were in limbo. Find more information and details of support groups on NHS.UK. I want to be nice again. The scan can provide information that may mean you have to make further, important decisions. I couldn't bring myself to push. DS had 2 soft markers: talipes (club foot) and 'echogenic locii' somewhere - heart I think. I loved him instantly and didn't want to let him go. 18-20 week scans provide clinicians with more information than earlier scans because by18 weeks a healthy baby should be larger and better developed. I returned to be told they wanted to scan me again, another internal to see exactly what was happening. I felt more informed, and I felt that that was what I needed in my head to see you know, that I've got to accept now that this, all these things are real on the screen and this was really my baby that's suffering all these things [sighs], but I was sad as well. To help us improve GOV.UK, wed like to know more about your visit today. The decision to terminate the pregnancy was my partner's and mine. 'Yes, if that's okay with you,' kind of thing, like you do. There was an extra digit on one of the hands. Tears started to roll down my face. This scan takes place between 18 weeks and 20 weeks 6 days of pregnancy and is commonly called the 20-week scan. I did. Others, including those who had been given leaflets to read about the scan beforehand as well as some who were health professionals, said that they had been nave about the 20-week scan. 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. And, for a few hours, I'm convinced I've made a terrible mistake. 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). I managed to tell my mum, who said she would come with us to the hospital. The screen may be directly facing them or at an angle. 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. So we decided to book an early 10 week private scan. The consultant had said it wouldn't be like a normal delivery. Trying to carry on as normal, working and putting on a brave face. Why me and not you, you bastard? But it was very evident. No one else attended and we didn't have a service. Those two weeks were agonising for us both. I should stop being dramatic and pessimistic. We didn't feel we could tell anyone what was happening. And I couldn't escape the feeling that I was being selfish. I had a horrible feeling of relief. The doctor told me he was 98% sure this was a failing twin pregnancy. So on the Monday we went in to see the senior sonographer, I think she was a consultant at the hospital. I faced another internal scan where I began to feel helpless and alone. The anomaly scan, also called the 20 week scan or mid-pregnancy scan, is used to detect pregnancy irregularities significant in diagnosis of any of the following conditions: In most instances no serious issue will be found during the scan and many parents-to be will come away knowing that all is progressing nicely and, perhaps, having found out . And I'm glad I did and she's glad she didn't. It is also sometimes referred to as the mid-pregnancy scan. And even at that early stage it was beginning to sink in that there was something really not right. Though the 18-20 week scan can detect when certain parts of the baby's body have grown abnormally, it may not be possible for clinicians to identify why it has happened or make a firm diagnosis based on the scan alone. For example, you may be offered further tests that have a risk of miscarriage. Is it the same scan or is it the same equipment? The doctor or midwife looking after you will let you know before you come. I think there might be a problem'. We decided that we wanted medication to help me. And nothing prepares you at all. A company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales company number 3266897. Back on the EPU unit, a doctor organised for me to be admitted into the ward, to take the medical management under supervision as the sac was now to big for me to safely miscarry on my own at home. For five months my body had known there was something wrong, yet I had felt fantastic. 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 get terribly irritated by my close friends and family. Reading individual, real-life experiences can be a helpful resource, but it is never a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment from a qualified health care provider. And that was scanning up from the above the head, then you were coming up through the child's head, so you were seeing the chambers in the brain, sort of it was evident in all four chambers of the brain, then suddenly one chamber was empty. My baby might have Down's syndrome. factor is very strong. 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. Or, at the very least, heart problems. So that was it. 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. As I left the room to compose myself. But I was struggling mentally with the anguish, grief and endless hospital visits. I wanted to be a passive patient while the doctor did what he had to do. My partner watched the baby come out, and for a split second I saw a look of joy on his face. I swallowed the tablet and we left the building. I think I was about 20 weeks cos they, the hospital I think did the 12 and the 20, that was their standard thing and, yeah, so I got the 20 weeks one. The same unique expression he had when he saw our two year old born. 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. Our position in our families has shifted. Did you, how did that scan make you feel? Next most likely (but actually in the minority) they identify something which whilst not 100% healthy is treatable. Just that really! 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. And you could see, where you should have a picture of 4 chambers, you could really see 2. I didn't really know what that was. 'I was having nightmares and panic attacks. [Husband] couldn't make it. And so began the most bizarre day of my life. I was then told yet again bad news. I was experiencing some light bleeding for the past few days. Some people had underestimated how serious any abnormality found at this stage could be for the baby. 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. 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. Being deeply unhappy and kind to others at the same time is nigh on impossible. I am a darker, harder version of myself. A long process of blood tests, scans, doctors and hospitals. 1. I think I don't everything just seems a real blur because it was, it was such a strange experience. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. In a small number of cases some very serious conditions are found. I had no idea if we were doing the "right" thing. Can you describe the difference between the scan at this later stage in a pregnancy? I felt sad, but not the complete devastation of the last scan as they had seen a change of some sort. I felt I needed proof of what was wrong before I take such a huge decision and that I couldn't do it based on what someone had written on, on the paper. ABDOMINAL CIRCUMFERENCE MEASUREMENT AT 20 WEEK SCAN. I was told that while bad news at the 12 w scan is often of the life or death kind, bad news at the 20 week scan is often of the 'needs an operation in childhood' or 'needs to wear a brace for a year' kind. 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 have a terrible hatred of pregnant women and a new respect for infertile couples. An hour passed and I started to panic. But it is a soft marker for Edwards' syndrome. Wishing to be anywhere, but here being told the same agonising truth over and over again. And the first few things they said it didn't sound as thing, as though things were terribly wrong. So it was, there was very, very little movement from the baby because I remembered first time round by that stage, you know, that the baby was quite big and it moved around a lot at a later scan. At which point they turned round and said, 'Well, there is something very seriously wrong with the baby, we don't know exactly what, but you do need to have a more in-depth scan at your regional hospital to find out the detail'. It was over. Your mind has closed to the possibility that there could be anything wrong. Again, no notes can have been written down because the midwife asked the same question. And how wrong could they be? Some things can be seen more clearly than others. The baby was very, very small. He felt doing more blood tests would only cause me more discomfort and false hope. My belly was growing and I was feeling great. Maybe. Two days, after on Christmas Eve, (my 12 week date) I had more blood tests. So at least then we went to that next stage prepared for the worst really. We left for home feeling completely numb. The sonographer will be able to tell you the results of the scan at the time. By this point I had stopped bleeding, this caused problems. As you felt that, you know, it was probably going to show lots of problems and it just wasn't what we wanted, but at the same time we needed to sort of see it and, we needed to prove it I suppose. The scan will find about half (50%) of those babies who have heart defects. But with time although we will never forget, I know we will be ok again. So choroid plexus cysts on their own, no problem, but if there's something else wrong, then that's a problem. He bluntly told me, he wasn't interested in whatever was seen before, he was only going to go by what he saw that day. Some of the conditions that can be seen on the scan will mean the baby may need treatment or surgery after it is born, for example cleft lip. And with each one we had to have the same conversations. And also what the prognosis would mean for our two year old: now a very happy child, he would have a completely different childhood with such an ill sibling. By my own hand, I had to end the pregnancy. 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. . Within it are a number of recommendations for the communication of findings from ultrasounds. Sam followed and I broke down. When I think about how long it took them to deliberate ultimately, maybe not, but it just felt like a bit of a fast food situation, didn't it? 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'. Sometimes it is difficult to get good views of a baby. We understand the real meaning of "shit happens". 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. I think the whole experience has made me a pretty nasty person. These opinions do not represent the opinions of Tommys and are not advice from Tommy's. What would we like to do with the body? Finally, Monday came and we went back to the hospital. It was exactly like the labour I had with my first child. I thought I was going to burst into tears. 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. My son's congenital heart defect was detected at the 20 week scan and he had 2 other markers, no . Could you tell? So we went home really and I sort of had to think about it all night. I was saving my child from pain and suffering. I wasn't unduly worried at all. She just said, 'It's a bit short, it needs to be checked' again basically. 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. This was a ray of hope for us. 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). Had 34wk scan last week and all is well - of all the babies found to have a two vessel cord, was told less than 6% experience any growth issues etc. The hormone levels had dropped, but they wanted to scan me again. Several parents said they would have preferred being told something, even it was vague. However painful and traumatic the labour was, it was better than what would happen at the end of it. And I can, the words that the scanning member of staff used, "Everything's fine", will stay with me forever. 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. No one else ever met the object of my grief. 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. We've joined the grown-ups and we both feel very different. But that was too easy. Eventually she got the measurements she wanted. So it was quite common, this is what happens. Thanks girls, it's amazing how protected our babies are in there isn't it?! And this baby sort of floated, and occasionally there was a slight movement, but it was very you could almost see that he was really poorly just from looking at the screen. Enough for two weeks after he had been cremated. Forcing my hand to my mouth to take the tablet was probably the hardest thing I have ever done. Spina bifida can usually be seen clearly on a scan and of those babies who have this condition, around 9 out of 10 (90%) will be detected. Dont worry we wont send you spam or share your email address with anyone. But he was not sure. I couldn't work out what was taking so long and put it down to the doctor being young and inexperienced. Some hospitals do offer earlier anomaly scans of the baby, but they will not show as much detail as scans performed between 18 and 20weeks. I had hope that the little bumps inside me were fighting just as much as I was to stay with me. We'd sort of put those discussions to the back of our mind, and then all of a sudden there are other abnormalities so yeah it was a bit a bit of a shocker [laughs]. I know I could have delivered him in a quarter of the time, but I couldn't bear the thought of him leaving me. So I trusted him. I was told this was common as my body and hormones still thought I was pregnant. It was another consultant, who said, "I'm afraid I have some bad news - your baby has Down's syndrome." My partner was away working and was waiting to hear whether he was having a son or daughter. He's now had the all clear and is wriggling round on . At this point it wasn't looking great. I had an appointment with my consultant 2 days later, and again he said, you know, 'Very common - shouldn't worry about it too much, you know, if, the problem is if they find anything else wrong'. He started to scan me with a cold expression, then told me, "it didn't look good" and that "my womb looked raggedy". I would be put to sleep, and when I woke up I wouldn't be pregnant any more. It's part of our family. Immediately I knew what decision we should take. I just want to be normal again. She didn't want to see the baby. Where we were living then at the time you only had a scan at 20 weeks. Smiling at myself and picturing me and Sam becoming parents. I did think it was a bit strange that she wasn't talking, and then she sort of said, 'Oh, I think there's a problem. We were convinced everything would be OK. And I can just remember flashing a look at you as if to say, 'Have I made a mistake here somewhere? The only thing you're thinking now is the birth, and what if something goes wrong in the birth? And they took us out of the scanning room, into a more quiet room while they typed up the report. We thought it would all be over very quickly but, in fact, it was another 11 hours before the baby was delivered. In order for the sonographer to get good images of your baby, the scan is carried out in a dimly lit room. Eventually, the midwife said to us very sweetly, "I think we should deliver the baby now." There's nothing wrong, you know, we've had all the tests, everything's fine,' and being very upbeat about it all. And so this one can't tell you anything, it's pictures, you're going, you're going to see your baby, you're going to get pictures. So instead, I was advised to go home and let nature take its course. . On January 18, my baby was born, at 23 weeks - a little boy. I was sat on the sofa working, my son was at nursery and my partner was in the bath. So it was just, we were coming up to the 20-week scan and I was just getting more relaxed, just actually starting to look at maybe baby catalogues or, you know, going down the baby aisle at the shops, which I'd always avoided. It was real. I mean the lady who was scanning was very quiet for a long time. We left the hospital a couple of hours later. You get extra care and monitoring as appropriate and baby is proactively treated. You have rejected additional cookies. . This does not mean there is anything to worry about. My mum arrived early to look after our son, and my partner and I got a cab to the hospital. We walked all the way home. And I am slowly coming to terms with what has happened. And I wish that I'd been told at that point, that somebody had actually turned round to me and said, 'Look, I'm sorry, but I think there's something very wrong. 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'. You've had, you've had your Down's Syndrome check and that's okay. This short video explains screening for 11 physical conditions in pregnancy. To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account. For example, the babys brain, kidneys, internal organs or bones may not have developed properly. 12/12/2012 22:41. 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 didn't sleep that night I don't think. So he went out for a walk. I give pregnant women dirty looks. Went off for the 20-week scan, which you didn't, you weren't there, were you, for the first scan? If you choose not to have the scan you can still have all other parts of your routine antenatal care. And so we talked about it euphemistically, never saying the word "research". The thing that I have a very strong memory of is this child's face in amazing detail. And, sometimes, I wish I had invited my whole family into the hospital room to see him. Which she reassured us that she'd be absolutely fine, this was a one-off. I believed at this point I had miscarried, they wanted me to come back I'm for a follow up scan. It took 20 minutes to push him out. the amniocentesis) and the pregnancy had already ended, or because the scan was not routinely offered in their region 5 or more years ago. Some people we talked to had not had a 18-20-week scan, either because their babies' abnormalities had been detected by earlier diagnostic tests (e.g. So once again we were right back down, really no, really not knowing what to expect. I broke down and started hitting my disgusting body that had done this. It feels very lonely and isolating. 13/12/2020 20:45. The contractions started very quickly and within an hour my waters had broken. Have I misunderstood what's going on?' Never being able to look after himself. (See. Please note that the opinions expressed by users in Tommys Book of #misCOURAGE are solely those of the user, who is unlikely to have had medical training. Wed like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services. So I suppose from that aspect, mind you having not been told that or sitting there, I wouldn't have thought necessarily that was odd. unfortunately the 20 week anomaly scan can pick up serious issues, hearing heart beats at midwife appointment doesn't let us know what's going on inside the body in detail. Three midwives came and went. We need to have your opinion'. I give obsessively to charity, especially those linked to sick children. The consultant showed us the letter with our result on and, yes, there were the words "Down's syndrome". So we went home, me to rest in an attempt to prevent miscarriage, my partner to reassure us both. The gel makes sure there is good contact between the probe and your skin. I was told they needed to do a blood test to get a bench mark of my hormone levels. 18-20 week scans provide clinicians with more information than earlier scans because by18 weeks a healthy baby should be larger and better developed. But even if I was there, I still think I would have wanted to see the detail on the scan. There is always a chance that a baby may be born with a health issue that scans could not have identified. She describes having to make a momentous decision very quickly, and the ferment of relief, guilt and grief that followed, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. I went home feeling crushed; Sam and I both felt helpless. I want to stop having such horrible thoughts. I had to wait for a doctor to explain the situation. I felt the dread run through me. And everybody knows and everything is right. And it turned out the baby's heart wasn't forming properly, the chambers weren't forming properly. By this time, we were tired. I agreed to an internal scan as the sonographer said we could get a better picture of what was happening. And they took me to another room and they explained that the baby had what they thought was ventriculomegaly or something.