FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We’re based in Harrogate town centre, close to Waitrose and just a five minutes’ walk from the train station. You can find full directions here or with what3words: ///gear.energy.level

Please don’t pull down the narrow driveway to the clinic; there’s a very limited amount of space and we’d hate you to get stuck or damage your car. There’s plenty of parking right outside the clinic on Victoria Avenue - or you can use the car park at Waitrose for a couple of hours free of charge, if you make a purchase there. Waitrose is a one minute walk from Cocoon.

We offer a range of different scans for different stages of your pregnancy or fertility journeys. You can browse all of our services here, or feel free to contact us to discuss your options.

If you need to cancel your booking or do not attend your appointment, you will be liable for the full service fee. If you need to change your appointment, we’ll do our best to reschedule but please understand that as a busy clinic, this may not always be possible, especially at short notice. If you need to change an appointment, please contact us as early as possible.

We are a busy clinic and it’s important that we run on time for the benefit of all clients. If you are running late or feel you need more time with your sonographer, midwife or counsellor, please call the clinic as early as you can - it may not be possible to accommodate your request but we’ll always do our best to help.

Unfortunately it isn’t possible to transfer booked services - but please do contact us and we’ll do our best to find a solution.

No - it is vital that you attend all antenatal services provided by the NHS. The detection rate of abnormalities can vary depending on gestation (number of weeks pregnant) at the time of the scan, so we strongly recommend that any services accessed here at Cocoon are in addition to your NHS provision.

Following your appointment, we’ll email a report that details our discussions and findings. You are free to share this report with your NHS midwife or any of your healthcare providers. Occasionally, we will provide a recommendation of next steps if we feel a follow up is needed with either your GP, Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit or Maternity Assessment Centre.

It’s often helpful for you to bring your notes with you - so please feel free to do so, especially if your booked appointment is with our midwife, Kate.

We are only able to offer our services to adults at this stage - so you must be at least 18 years old.

Due to space restrictions in the scan room, we limit the number of guests you can bring to three.

This is a tricky one. We want you to be able to experience the joy of seeing your baby with your whole family, but having children in the scan room can be difficult to navigate. Our sonographers need to concentrate hard on the job in hand, and it’s important that they are able to discuss their findings with you freely. This can sometimes be harder to do with children in the room. With this in mind, if you’d like to bring your children with you, please ensure there’s a responsible adult who can sit outside the scan room with them until the sonographer is comfortable with them entering.

You’ll be sent an email before your scan with all the details of what to expect and anything you need to do before your scan, this will depend on the type of scan you have booked. If there’s anything you’re unsure about or want to check, please get in touch and we’d be happy to talk things through.

We’ll need access to your tummy area, so please ensure that whatever you wear is comfortable and accessible. We use an ultrasound gel during our scan appointments - it’s a clear gel but sometimes finds its way onto clothing, so avoid wearing anything you’re particularly fond of (it will likely wash out, but just to be on the safe side!)

Our sonographers are here to support you, whatever the outcome of your scan. Katie, Gemma and Penny are hugely experienced, empathetic women who are committed to supporting you before, during and after your appointment. If we detect anything we are concerned about or that needs further investigation, we’ll discuss the findings with you fully and write a report that you will be able to give to your healthcare provider. This could be your GP, Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit or Maternity Assessment Centre, depending upon the findings and gestation.

We understand that bad or uncertain news can be very difficult during pregnancy and will take time to answer any questions you have. We are very fortunate to work with Taking Baby Steps, two incredible bereavement midwives who work on-site at Cocoon, and we can arrange sessions with them whether you are experiencing loss, trauma, uncertainty or anxiety at any stage of your pregnancy and beyond.

Cocoon can’t guarantee the quality of your images. Ultrasound is baby-led, and it isn’t possible to predict their position or how visible your baby will be on the day of your ultrasound. There are a number of factors that can affect the quality of images, including fullness of bladder, BMI and general position of baby. If we are struggling to achieve a good standard, we will invite you back for a complimentary re-scan, at the discretion of the Clinic Director and Lead Sonographer.

The length of your appointment depends on the service you’ve booked - we’ll include further details in your booking confirmation.

We aim to complete our scans abdominally, however in some circumstances - particularly during very early pregnancy and fertility scans, we may need to complete a transvaginal (internal) scan in order to provide you with conclusive information. We won’t carry out this type of scan without discussing it with you first and receiving your full consent. We understand that these types of scan can be difficult, but the scan will be carried out with dignity and respect, and a trained chaperone will be on hand to offer additional support if needed.

We offer a SneakPeek early gender test from as early as six weeks - this is 99.9% accurate DNA test which is carried out as a simple blood test. We also offer gender scans between 16 and 40 weeks.

We cannot 100% guarantee the sex of your baby. Our sonography team has many years of experience in this area, however the result should be understood to be the opinion of your sonographer based on the information available to them on the day. For complete reassurance, our SneakPeek gender test offers 99.9% accuracy.

Of course, please let your sonographer know and they will keep this information to themselves.

Yes, the clinic has a fully accessible downstairs scan room, disabled parking and toilets. If you have any questions about access or specific requirements you’d like to talk to us about, please get in touch or include a note when booking your appointment.

It is very safe - there are no known risks to either mother or baby from ultrasound scans. However, scans may provide you with information that means you need to make further decisions and it’s important you feel well-equipped to do this. Cocoon offers a full support service, including sessions with our Lead Midwife, Kate and our support team, Taking Baby Steps. Please contact us if you feel this is something you might benefit from.

It’s really personal preference. Some people like to visit us regularly to make sure everything is progressing well and to document their journey. Some people like to just visit for a dating or gender scan. Everyone has different wants and motivations - we’re here for you whatever you need.

No, there’s no extra charge if you’re having twins.

If you experience any pain, discomfort or bleeding during your pregnancy, it’s vital that you seek medical advice immediately, through your GP or via 111.