Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Call for baby scans
Robyn says procedure could help save lives
A DUNDEE woman whose baby was stillborn has called for a type of scan she believes may have saved her child’s life to be made standard practice.
Robyn Stevens and partner Brian Tolmie’s baby girl Konnie was stillborn on September 30 last year.
The 26-year-old today said she believes Konnie might have been saved if she had received a Doppler scan.
A Doppler is a form of ultrasound that helps to assess a baby’s health by measuring the blood flow in different parts of the baby’s body, such as the umbilical cord, brain and heart.
This helps to show whether the baby is getting all the oxygen and nutrients they need via the placenta.
Robyn today said: “All women should have access to this. It’s sad to think women aren’t getting this.
“Things could have been different in my pregnancy with Konnie if I had been able to have the scan.
“It can detect issues in the placenta and it could have made a difference if it was an option for me at the time.”
It comes after a petition was launched to introduce Doppler scans for all pregnant women. Organisers say the scan is proven to reduce stillborn rate by 50%.
Currently only pregnancies that are deemed high risk are afforded the scan — usually at 12 and 20 weeks.
Robyn utilised the scan in her pregnancy with baby Darlah — who was born on October 24 — following the loss of Konnie. She said she previously hadn’t known anything about it.
Robyn, who along with Brian recently donated baby clothes and equipment to the labour and TULIP (Tayside Unit for Loss in Pregnancy) suite at Ninewells Hospital, said: “I think the scan costs £19 each time — but a child’s life is completely priceless.
“I know a lot of people who have also lost children and anything that can spare other families from going through what I went through is something that I will back.”
Robyn, who lives in the Kirkton with Brian, Darlah and her eight-year-old brother Kayden, said the scan could be easily implemented into ordinary care that pregnant woman receive.
Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell said: “All women are offered two ultrasound scans during pregnancy. Any additional scans are offered on an individual basis depending on risk assessment. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists recently updated guidance on this.”