Early scan or wait for 12 weeks

[DontEatOrangeSnow]

Hi everyone, I had a possible missed miscarriage picked up at 12 week scan - measured 5 weeks and slow heartbeat, followed by a miscarriage a week later.

I am fortunate enough to now be 5+5 weeks and I don't know whether to have an early scan, possibly around 8 weeks. My theory is that if it is bad news I would find out earlier.

I just wondered what everyone else thought, and would love to hear experiences :)

[GrumpyFish]

I had a couple of very early MCs after DS, and so (now pg with DC2) did opt for early scans this time round (was lucky to get 2, one at 8 weeks and one at 10 weeks - have a lovely EPU here). The wait for the 8 week scan seemed like forever, so I can't imagine having had to wait until 12 weeks. For me the early scans did give me some peace of mind - particularly the 10 week scan when I could see how the baby had grown and developed. Early scans don't actually change the outcome though so I do think that whether they are of benefit depends on your personality. For me they just helped to keep me a little bit calmer. I think the chances of miscarriage if you see an ok sized baby with a normal speed heartbeat at 8 weeks are something like 2%, which gives you pretty good odds if that scan is ok.

[BayeauxT]

Yes, definitely go for the early scan if you can. I had two mmc - first one found at 12 weeks, then I paid for private 8-week scan when I fell pg again (which was also a mmc) and third time around I insisted that my GP refer me for an early scan, which he did - all good with that one! I couldn't imagine waiting until 12 weeks again, as with all 3 I felt really pg / nausea / sore bbs etc so there was no way of knowing really! Good luck!

[SMulledwineS]

I was admitted to hospital at 5w4d with severe pains in abdomen, found a large ovarian cyst so will be scanned more. Up until then I have been so scared of going for my 12 week scan and finding the pregnancy had failed. There's a small chance this pregnancy will fail too as they don't think it's developed enough for my dates.

Id def say go for the early scan if you can :)

[sh77]

Yes try to have early scans. I had 2 mcs. In this preg I had a scan at 7 and 9 weeks. Really helped with anxiety. Am 28 weeks .

Lots of luck.

[nicolamumof3]

i had early scan at 8+3 really really helped me to relax. Now awaiting my 12week scan which i can't get til 14 weeks as mw didn't refer me, so especially glad that i have at least had an early scan.

[Chynah]

I had a previous mc before my DC.

didn't have an early scan with #1 but did have adoppler which picked him up from 13 weeks so that helped put my mind at reat later on.

Was more anxious with#2 as am older mum anyway so had pivate scan at 6 weeks. Could see absolutely nothing really apart from a little blob but heartbeat was there and it measured up fine which really helped me relax a lot.

[DontEatOrangeSnow]

Thanks for all your stories and advice, it has helped to make up my mind to go for an 8 weeks scan :) I think if something was wrong I'd rather pick it up soon instead of finding out at 12 weeks

[crochetcircle]

I faced a similar dilemma having had a mmc at 11 weeks in June, then happily falling pregnant again in September. I know how hard it is to wait to 12 weeks.

My plan was to hold out til 8 weeks, when you are guaranteed a conclusive scan, and the risks of mc drop significantly once you have seen a heartbeat at that age.

In the event, I had a light bleed at 7+5 which was very scary, so I went in that day. Thankfully everything was fine, and I'm now nearly 17 weeks.

Good luck whatever you decide. Although the scan was reassuring that day, I found I could never remove the worry from the first trimester completely and I was stressed out about it even after the 12 week scan!

There are some very supportive therefrom this section for those of us pregnant after a mc which I found very helpful.

[crochetcircle]

Threads not therefrom! Bl**dy phone!

[owlbooty]

Hey Orange - I'm going for an early scan at 9 + 4 (next week!!) if I get that far after a mc at 7 wks last time. Good or bad news, I would rather know sooner than later. It's a really hard decision to make, though.

[DontEatOrangeSnow]

Thanks both of you, good advice Crochetcircle I'll hang around a bit

Good luck with your scan Owl, fingers crossed for you, and you're right, it's better to know

It's open tomorrow so I'll try and book something or 2 weeks time, which is better than waiting 6 weeks, and hoping I make it that far

[MumNWLondon]

Personally I'd wait until 12 weeks unless there is a real reason....eg a bleed.

Firstly - the scan will not help the outcome, and there is a theoretical risk that it could hinder.

Secondly even if you have a scan that only shows that baby is ok at that moment in time, no guarentee of what will happen afterwards.

I had an early scan with DD, but it only reassured me for the day of the scan.

[DontEatOrangeSnow]

That's a good point too MumNWL I wouldn't be so concerned except that an 8 week scan in my last pg would have picked up something was wrong sooner rather than waiting. I do have the fear that anything could happen in the 4 weeks after. It seems so hard to think ahead when I'm taking a day at a time, knowing that last time at 6 weeks it was already over as it had never begun properly. Sorry, just a bit reflective this morning - I appreciate everyone's advice so much