Unregulated pregnancy screening clinics in the UK are putting people’s lives at risk, experts say health

Mainstream clinics offering pregnancy checks could be putting unborn babies and their mothers at risk due to a lack of suitably trained staff, British experts have warned.

According to the Society of Radiology (SoR), high street clinics have seen tremendous growth in numbers. However, hospital specialists say they have witnessed cases of missed health problems, misdiagnosed cases, and situations in which women were wrongly told their babies were deformed or dead.

“I had a woman referred from one clinic for a possible miscarriage, and when I examined her, they measured uterine bleeding and completely missed a very early gestational sac with a baby inside of it,” said Katie Thompson, a sonographer at the hospital and head of SoR.

“Possibly, if they were in a private clinic that could provide an abortion service, they could have been given some medication to induce a miscarriage in a pregnancy that was not actually a miscarriage,” she said.

SoR says it has also seen cases in which private clinics incorrectly told women they had an ectopic pregnancy – a potentially life-threatening condition – or conversely missed an ectopic pregnancy, while they also misdiagnosed cervical problems and ignored abnormalities in the babies that should have been detected.

Elaine Brooks, a former sonographer at the hospital and Midlands regional lead for SoR, said some people attended their 20-week scan at the hospital having had a special “gender” scan a week or two before.

“Then they come in for their NHS scan, and there’s a very significant abnormality that should have been detected – something like spina bifida, or polycystic kidneys, or fluid-filled ventricles in the head – things you wouldn’t expect to show up in a week.”

The revelations come amid calls from the SoR for sonographers to have a “protected” job title – meaning it can only be used by qualified practitioners registered with a regulatory body. This is indeed the case For titles such as radiologist, dietician, and speech and language therapist.

“Right now, anyone can go and buy an ultrasound machine and set up a practice with no qualifications at all. And it’s happened,” Thompson said. “One person bought a machine and started scanning in her front room, because she thought after she had a baby, it would be nice.”

It is also possible for people who have been struck off the professional register to have ultrasound scans in a private setting, Thompson said.

The SoR said the Health and Care Professions Council had evidence of a sonographer who was struck from the professional register of radiographers for 10 years for sexual misconduct and was later employed in a private ultrasound practice.

Thompson said the lack of a professional record means it is difficult to verify whether someone has had the appropriate training, but there are some steps people can take.

This includes checking how long the practice has been in business, that it is not only registered with but has been visited by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and checking reviews. Thompson also suggested asking people such as midwives, friends, family, GPs and NHS sonographers to make recommendations.

“There are some excellent private clinics with fully qualified staff,” she said.

The Department of Health and Social Care noted that although sonography was not a legally regulated profession, sonographers could voluntarily join the Clinical Technologists Register, meaning patients could check whether they met professional standards.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “No parent should have to face the shock of misdiagnosis, and our sympathies are with the families affected.

“We are committed to ensuring appropriate regulation of all health and care professions so that patients feel confident that their care is in safe and qualified hands.

“The Healthcare Professionals Regulation remains under review to ensure patient safety remains paramount. We will carefully consider any proposals from professional bodies regarding this matter.”