"My daughters 20 week scan."

Instead of yesterday being a happy day my daughter was left very upset and is still upset by the way she was treated by the Doctor conducting her ultrasound.

The doctor felt it appropriate to explain to my daughter not very kindly that the scan was not clear due to her weight, pointing out on the screen the layers of weight that were making it difficult to get a clear image. Showing her if she pushed down and compressed the weight layers it was a little clearer. There is a way to say things and the abrupt way this doctor did was cruel and unkind to say the least. At one point saying can you lift up your stomach. As the scan was unclear the doctor explained we would need to return next week to get a clearer image of the baby’s heart and lips, again reiterating because of her weight.

After the scan my daughter was holding in tears as she was taken for her whopping cough injection. The Maternity care assistant who escorted her saw she was upset, asked if she was ok and got her a tissue and was very kind and allowed my daughter to sit in a room to wait rather than the corridor. A few minutes later there was a knock on the door and it was the doctor from the scan asking if my daughter was ok and was she upset?   Had they upset her?   My daughter by this point was openly sobbing, the doctor then apologised saying that they were just honest. They didn’t come in acting like my daughter was worried about not getting all the images on the scan and worried about her baby, but knew it was because of the comments about weight.

The doctor then asked if my daughter suffered from anxiety as if that was to blame for being upset at being fat shamed. There is a way to say things, to make a person feel comfortable and valued while in your care. It should be a priority, my daughter was made to feel like a second class citizen because she is overweight. My daughter is now dreading further scans and ante natal appointments. What happened to NHS Scotlands values yesterday, care and compassion, dignity and respect!

My daughter has had several scans in this pregnancy due to a subchorionic bleed, most of them in EPAS and the kindness and empathy she was shown there each time was exemplary. I have taken time to think should I share this but have done so in the hope that in sharing this I save another woman this upset.