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Fetal Heart Scan and Antenatal Care

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clare1309

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Type 1
Hi All,

I'm new to these forums and am hoping for some advice.

I fell pregnant unexpectedly when my hba1c was around 12.8. Unfortunately I had spend years in denial about being diabetic and had never really made any attempt to get my blood sugars under control.

I'm doing my best now after starting on insulin, although I am having regular hypos and my average levels are still around 9, rather than the 4-7 which I've been told I need to be.

My antenatal care seems to have been lacking, I wasn't offered an early scan, saw the diabetic nurse once at 9 weeks and then not again until I was 22 weeks. The usual 12 week and 20 week scans haven't flagged up any problems but I'm just stressing now that damage could have been done as my levels have still been so high.

When I went to the clinic on Monday (at 22 weeks) I asked about fetal heart screening and was told I wouldn't have the scan, I've not even met my obstetrician as they told me he would have no real interest until I was at least 26 weeks. I have however been told that I will be given appointments for growth scans.

My next appointment is on 18th March when I will be 24 weeks and I want to go prepared knowing what care I should have been offered so that I do all I can from here on in to make sure my little girl is as healthy as she can be.

Can anybody share their experiences or offer advice on what I should have had care wise up until this point please?

Thanks in advance,
Clare
 
Hi Clare, I'm afraid I can't personally offer any advice, but just wanted to welcome you to the forum. Hopefully some of our lovely mums and mums-to-be will be along to help soon 🙂
 
Hi Clare,

That sounds like atrocious 'care'!! You should be seen very regularly by a specilaist diabetic antenatal team, they should be doing growth scans & checking your urine for protein & tracking your bp as well as helping you get those levels down. Your eyes should also ve checked for retinopathy each tri. What region do you live in? Might be worth moving hospitals. I'd call diabetes uk's careline (number is on their website). They used to do a good basic leaflet on diabetes & pregnancy but withdrew it (!!), but maybe they can send you the gist of it? I think the basic care standards should be on there too. Best of luck! X
 
Wow, the care you have received (or not, as the case may be) is shocking!

I was booked in to the antenatal clinic as soon as I found out I was pregnant each time and was then seen every 4 weeks until 30 weeks, then every fortnight after that and weekly at the end. At each appointment I saw the diabetic nurse, diabetic consultant and specialist obstetrician. As Twitchy said, your urine, bp and HbA1c should've been regularly checked, as should your eyes in each trimester. I also had growth scans every 4 weeks from 20 weeks onwards.

Get on to this asap as you should be receiving far more care than you are currently.
 
I am 14 weeks pregnant and am being seen fortnightly by a midwife, consultant obstetrician and consultant diabetic dr.
I have known other people who have not had the early viability scan, I think that depends on your hospital. Growth scans don't always happen either I did not have any with my first pregnancy and they have said I won't get any this time round either. You definitley should get the heart scan though.

I am quite disgusted by the lack of care you have had, i would definitely ask about changing hospitals, is there another one that you could get to?
 
Get hold of the NICE guidelines for diabetes and pregnancy (can't link as on phone stuck under feeding baby but google) as they've got the care recommended in. I certainly found it was a case of she who asks loudest gets the care tho.
 
Hi All,

Thank you for your replies, I honestly thought that I might be overreacting to the whole situation and that I was asking too much! After reading the NICE guidelines several times, it's clear that my "care" has been somewhat lacking.

At my appointment on Monday they did check my urine, and I noticed in my notes that they had put NAD however only today I was at the doctor's getting antibiotics for a UTI. I know it's possible that there may not have been any signs of infection on Monday, but it also makes me question if they missed it. I'm not even convinced that they are checking for ketones either despite my somewhat erratic and often high BG readings.

Oddly enough, the last time I had my blood pressure checked by anyone within the medical profession was at my first appointment with my community midwife nearly two months ago!!

The only saving grace in this shambolic situation is that I have my second eye screening since falling pregnant tomorrow, but I'm also worried about this as problems were detected on my last check.

I am currently receiving my med/obs "care" at Haywards Heath, but my midwife at my doctor's surgery is based out of East Surrey. Given my recent concerns I am going to try to chat with her to see what her opinion is on the situation and whether I would have been offered the additional appointments etc if I had been seen at East Surrey in the first place.

As this is my first pregnancy, it's hard not to worry but knowing that I should have been better looked after just makes me feel worse :(

Thanks again for all your kind words of advice and suggestions, I will keep you updated on how things progress 🙂
 
Hi Clare its sounds awful the so called care you have been offered. Im 23 weeks pregnant and since i found out at 4 weeks I have seen my team of 5 (specialist midwife, diabetes consultant, obi consultant, diabetes nurse and dietician) every 2 weeks. I have my blood pressure and urine checked when i get there and all my bloods looked at and monitored. I also get phone calls just to see how im getting on and have access to a variety of numbers for the whole team. I have had 3 scans now, 6 weeks, 12 weeks and 20 weeks and already have 3 more growth scans booked in every 4 weeks till my baby is due.
This is my first baby and can honestly say even though being a pregnant diabetic is relentlessly difficult after 15 years of being a type 1 I have finally found a benefit from it, that being the amazing care both me and my unborn baby are receiving.
If i were you I would def look into it as what you have described is disgusting :(
Good luck and I hope you are enjoying the rest of your pregnancy aside from this 🙂
Emma
 
That is awful care
What's your recent hba1c? How r u feeling now? I really feel for you!
 
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