Did You Suffer From Scanxiety During Pregnancy?

Pregnancy can be an anxious time for even the most zen expectant mum. But would you fork out for an 'extra' ultrasound scan during pregnancy to put your mind at rest?

A new poll has revealed that almost a third of pregnant women pay for private ultrasound scans during pregnancy – with many saying they were prompted to do so because of anxiety about their baby's wellbeing.

The Sun reports:

"MUMS-to-be are suffering from scanxiety – and are splashing millions of pounds on unnecessary antenatal scans during their pregnancy, a study has found."

Expectant mums are currently offered routine scans at 12 and 20 weeks, and experts advise that additional scans may pose risks to the baby.

But of course – as you'll know if you've had a high-risk pregnancy – some women are offered additional scans on the NHS due to complications arising during pregnancy.

The study, by ChannelMum, also revealed that a third of the mums who said they'd paid for a private scan did so not due to specific medical concerns but just because they wanted to 'check in' on their baby.

I can't say this ever occurred to me during any of my pregnancies. Not because I didn't feel anxious – my third pregnancy (when, let's just say, I was closer to 40 than 30) was nine long months of anxiety – but I don't think a private scan would have done much to put my mind at rest.

A friend disagrees though – she had seven scans during one pregnancy and says:

"Having numerous scans was not a waste of money to me. It put my mind at ease after a bleed, allowed me to monitor my baby's progress and was also a reassurance about my baby's babies gender."

If you do pay for a private scan, it's important to choose a fully-qualified sonographer.

We'd like to hear your views on this story. Did you pay for private scans during pregnancy? And, if so, did they offer you the reassurance you were hoping for?