Help stop avoidable stillbirths by giving doppler scans to all pregnant women

Help stop avoidable stillbirths by giving doppler scans to all pregnant women

Started
6 January 2018
Petition to
Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt and 3 others
Signatures: 129,847Next Goal: 150,000
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Why this petition matters

Started by Nichola humpage

My son Noah Joseph was stillborn at 34 weeks in 2009. I had a happy and healthy pregnancy with no apparent issues.

That’s why, when Noah was born, I chose to have a post mortem and for my placenta to be analysed to find out what happened to him.

Results showed that he was too small for his number of weeks, It’s something that was not detected by any of my other routine scans - but it could have been detected by a Doppler scan - a scan that measures the blood flow making sure that the foetus is getting all the oxygen and nutrients they need via the placenta.

National guidelines say that unless you are deemed to be high-risk, you are not offered any further scans after your 20 week scan in the UK. If I had received a Doppler scan, Noah’s slow growth rate may have been detected and he may still be here with us today. That’s why I’m calling for Doppler scans to be given to all.

Each year, more than 3,000 babies are stillborn in the UK - one of the worst rates in the developed world. One in 200 babies dies before birth, mostly to mothers with no known risk factors. Research by Prof Kypros Nicolaides shows that over half could be prevented if the NHS implemented additional scans.

You can have a Doppler scan at the same time as a normal scan, as it uses the same equipment as an ultrasound. Therefore, the financial impact to the NHS would be minimal. Some hospitals have decided to offer these scans to everyone beyond those of the guidelines.

Such a small change to our antenatal care, could prevent an immeasurable amount of grief and devastation to hundreds of families.

Please sign this petition to help prevent others from experiencing the life altering loss of a baby.

I have no words for the impact that this loss has, and I would do anything to prevent someone else from experiencing it.

Thank you,

Nichola

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Signatures: 129,847Next Goal: 150,000
Support now
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