Really confused by Due Date & also NT Scan :-(

hollymp1

We had been trying to get pregnant for over a year, saw a fertility specialist and finally were able to get pregnant via artificial insemination. So the insemination took place on October 4th, I had my first sonogram around 5 weeks or so and then the fertility specialists sent me on to my regular OB/GYN for the remainder of the pregnancy. So I go to see her around week 8. For whatever reason there's mass confusion around my due date. It appears that the nurses and the doctor are unable to calculate a due date properly. They always ask " What is the date of your last period?" Well, I have PCOS and never get my period. I know the date of insemination, so can't we just figure it out using that October 4th date? Jeez. So, we meet with the doctor yesterday, which I believe was week 12. We go to the doctor yesterday and the nurse says "well you are 14 weeks, did you get your NT Scan?" Huh, what? No mention of this was made by our doctor on the first visit, let alone the fact that we are 14 weeks?

Can someone please explain this to me? Do due dates always have two weeks added to date of conception?

So they proceed to tell us (acting as if it was our fault) that we need to call the hospital units to get the NT Scan done if we want it ASAP. I'm pretty emotional at this point. It's my first pregnancy, this is all new to us, and we had so much trouble trying to conceive, I just want it to go right. We get back to the car and start calling the first two hospitals that they gave us the number for. The receptionists at both places acted like we were crazy trying to get an appointment so soon as they had been booked solid for the next 2-3 weeks. In fact, one asked for our due date, which we said we were unsure of, but were told it was 6/27/14, and the receptionist said " well, it's too late then." So I called back the doctor's office (we were still in the parking lot at the time) and they gave us a few more places to try. Same response. We decided to go back into the doctor's office in hopes that they may have some pull in getting us in somewhere for a scan. We were met with blatant rudeness from the doctor's staff. The one nurse said "it's not our fault" when we asked why we didn't know about a scan. I broke down crying and the nurse goes "well just because you'd like to have a scan and see the baby doesn't mean you can." I wanted to kill her. She told us to keep calling around for cancellations and that "this happens all the time."  I find it hard to believe it happens all the time. After having some time to calm down and think about it and read the message boards, maybe some doctors don't advise their patients about NT Scans, but at the same time I feel the knowledge should have been shared by my doctor about when to get a scan. It's just frustrating. Needless to say, I'm currently looking into switching doctors.

Sorry for the rant, it's just a frustrating and emotional time.

gallifreygirl

Because most doctors calculate from the last period the date that they use when measuring is usually going to be two weeks before conception, especially because there are plenty of people who don't know exactly which day they conceived on. 

I think the NT scan is something that most doctors recommend on a case by case basis depending on family history and other risk factors.I think it is totally your doctor's job to tell you what tests you do and do not need to get done in a timely manner, it could be the reason that they didn't mention it was because they saw it as being optional in your case.

I'm sorry you're having such a bad experience with your current doctor and hope you're able to find someone better.

hollymp1

Thanks so much! Seems like a multitude of screw ups. So at least I know my due date is now 6/27/14, little further along than I thought! My husband has accompanied me on all the trips, so at least I know I wasn't crazy, as he heard the same things these doctors/nurses were telling us. 

nicole336

I'm sorry this happened. IF is hard enough without an incompetent OB office being rude to you. Unless you are advanced maternal age or have a family history of chromosomal abnormalities (Down's, Trisonomy 18 etc) it's generally considered optional to have an NT scan. I would definitely find a new OB office though... not knowing how to calculate a due date from an IUI is scary!

hollymp1

Thank you so much for all the advice.  I feel much better today about it and we will be looking for a new OB on Monday.

dragonfly711

So sorry this happend to you.  Wow, there was a lot of mess up there.  You should have been informed about everything way before now.

I had the NT scan but I am AMA ( 39) also hubby has Down's in his family.  We had genetic counseling down along with the NT scan.

If you are younger than 35 this probably would be elective.  Insurance might not cover it either.  The NT scan checks for Down's.  The blood work that I had Materni21 checks for Trisomy 13, 18, 21.

If you are really concerned you could check to see about the blood work, since it is blood work you could still get that done.  Our NT scan was good but we did the blood work just to make sure.

I am so sorry this happend to you.   Glad that you are looking for a new OB and maybe you should talk to a higher up about what happend at your OB office.