Woman's 'shock' at private baby scan clinic experience

A pregnant woman has criticised her experience at a private ultrasound clinic after being told her baby's heartbeat could not be detected at an early scan.

Mireia Colomer booked the appointment at Precious Glimpse Roundhay in Leeds at eight weeks, but claimed the sonographer did not examine her properly.

She was referred to the NHS for another scan days later, where staff were able to reassure her that she was still carrying her baby.

Her visit was just days before a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection of Precious Glimpse which rated it inadequate, citing concerns over training.

The owner of the business, which offers scans from seven weeks of pregnancy, said: "I never hurry with scans, and should I have referred [to hospital], there would always be a valid reason."

Colomer went to the clinic, based on Street Lane in Roundhay, on 3 May, and had previously used its scan services when expecting her first child several years before.

She had also suffered an ectopic pregnancy in October 2025, and hoped for "reassurance" from the private sonographer.

She said: "I just wanted to know that everything was OK. I was very anxious about being pregnant again and I was scared that it wasn't going to work out."

She booked in after seeing an Instagram post by the business advertising scans at seven weeks.

After a first attempt, she was asked to drink more water and go for a walk to try and move the baby into a better position, but a second attempt was also unsuccessful.

"You couldn't see anything. No zooming in and the sonographer was like, 'right this sac is measuring five weeks, you should be eight weeks and I can't see anything, there's no heartbeat'."

She felt "shocked" by the results and went to St James's Hospital in Leeds, where a scan found a heartbeat and confirmed she was eight weeks pregnant.

"Precious Glimpse didn't examine me properly, she didn't really go around, she didn't really spend enough time to make that decision," she said.

Colomer contacted BBC Your Voice after it reported in August that the Care Quality Commission had rated the business inadequate.

"I spent three days of hell thinking I had lost my child due to the negligence and the rush of this lady," she wrote.

Shortcomings by the CQC, identified during their visit on 5 May, included a failure to keep equipment clean and well-maintained, which inspectors said could put people at risk of harm.

The report said that the registered manager, who carried out the scans, had not kept up to date with mandatory training or undertaken refresher competency training to ensure people were kept safe.

The CQC said current national guidelines do not recommend "souvenir" scans beyond those offered by the NHS because the risks to the health of developing babies are currently unknown and research is ongoing.

Colomer's appointment took place two days before the CQC went to the business as part of an unannounced visit.

"When I saw the article, I was like, right, this is not a mistake. This is negligent. This is not having the training updated," she said.

"How can I trust a person that doesn't have the training up to date to tell me she couldn't see anything?"

In response to the allegations in the previous article, Precious Glimpse Roundhay said "all aspects raised have been addressed" relating to the CQC visit.

Kate Marsh, midwifery manager at Tommy's, the pregnancy and baby charity, said while it was understandable for expectant parents to seek reassurance, it was important to go to NHS scan appointments.

"NHS staff have the expertise and training to look after you and your baby so it's vital that you keep all of your NHS antenatal appointments, even if you decide to have private scans as well," she said.

Precious Glimpse Roundhay had been part of the Precious Glimpse Ltd franchise, but a spokesperson for the latter said they were no longer affiliated.

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