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Pregnancy

Debating if I should get an early scan at 8 weeks??

27 replies

EmilyJane86 · 03/02/2014 19:30

I am in two minds about getting a early scan at 8 weeks. It will be private obviously and most probably a vaginal scan. I just wondered if anyone has any thoughts on this. I am anxious about the pregnancy and am hoping that this might calm my nerves until I get the routine 12 week scan. thank you

OP posts:

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bakingtins · 03/02/2014 19:33

If you are going to have an early scan, 8 weeks is a good time to do it. If you see a baby with a HB measuring approx right for dates at that stage MC risk drops to 3%.
At that stage they normally start with an abdominal scan but often need to do a vaginal scan to get accurate measurements. It would be a blob with limb buds waving - there is a huge change between 8 weeks and the baby pics you see posted at 12 weeks.

EmilyJane86 · 03/02/2014 20:20

Thanks. Did you do this?

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NurseSapphire · 03/02/2014 20:23

I did this. Worth every penny if you can afford it, rather than sitting around fretting like I was. Best of luck.

Alb1 · 03/02/2014 20:25

I did one at 9 weeks an it was a great help for a small while, still got just as nervous again after a while but It was nice to no things are atleast heading in the right direction!

lillajag · 03/02/2014 20:26

I had one at 8 weeks just to reassure myself that I was indeed pregnant, and the joy DP and I felt when we saw a ticking heartbeat. It was worth it!

At my hospital they only do vaginal scans that early, it doesn't hurt and it's done pretty quickly :)

eurochick · 03/02/2014 20:29

8 weeks is a good time - halfway between BFP and the 12 week scan, and you should be able to see something.

I had a scan at the EPU then due to bleeding, and could quite clearly see the embryo. I've also had earlier scans and with each week passing, much more becomes visible.

If you haven't had one before, internal scans are fine. I've had about 30 in the course of early pregnancy and fertility treatment.

EmilyJane86 · 03/02/2014 20:39

I'm driving myself crazy with worry still doing pregnancy tests to make sure it's real. I hope I calm down as I know it's bad for your baby and my loved ones. I can get it done for 100 pounds, does this sound about right?

OP posts:

NurseSapphire · 03/02/2014 20:45

Yeah, seems to vary between Â£80-100

Scuttlebug · 03/02/2014 20:52

Exactly what bakingtins said, seeing a heartbeat means the risk of an mc drops to 3%. I had a scan at 8 weeks to help with my anxiety, following an earlier MC. It was abdominal, cost 95 and saw me though mentally till the 12 week scan when I was once again reassured. Well worth doing IMHO. Am 23 weeks now! All the best x

EmilyJane86 · 03/02/2014 20:58

Oh okay so maybe I should just do it. My mum had a miscarriage first pregnancy so I've always told myself the same will apply to myself. I got pregnant the within a week of my coil being removed so all seems to good to be true. I suffer from anxiety anyway and I am trying to wean myself of my medication which I am sure has something to do with my worsening anxiety. I feel such a melodramatic idiot

OP posts:

MrChow · 03/02/2014 21:01

I would do this next time I'm pregnant. I've just suffered my 4th miscarriage (twins) and cruelly I'd seen heartbeats 10 days before. So next time I'm going to be uber anxious, although I know a scan won't prevent it happening it may reassure me.

Iworrymyselftosleep · 03/02/2014 21:05

Nah you aren't an idiot it's a bit scary, isn't it, having to just trust that the right something is happening. I have a history of recurrent mc so have been scanned several times and it does ease the anxiety for a while. I hope everything goes well.

Don't beat yourself up over this. If you need it to rest easy then sort it out. If you can trust its all ok then fine for you.

summerbaby2014 · 03/02/2014 21:09

I had a 9week scan and it was great. You can see quite a lot. It doesn't tell you for sure that all will be fine from then on, but a successful scan at this stage means significantly reduced chances of things going wrong.
Stop doing the tests and get a scan booked! I used ultrasound direct, it was about £100.

loopylou52 · 03/02/2014 21:10

I had a private scan at 8 weeks and am really pleased I did - as others have said, it's a really good time to do it because it's about half way between bfp and 12-week scan. Ours cost Â£75 and was abdominal. We saw a little blob with a flickering heart beat and got to hear the heartbeat too - it was such a relief to see there really was something there!

Good luck with your pregnancy!

Metalhead · 04/02/2014 09:13

Just a word of warning - it might not actually provide the reassurance you're looking for. I had a private scan with my first pregnancy around 8 weeks and it was great, but this time round the scan put me at more than a week behind my dates, so now I'm even more worried as I'm convinced the baby isn't growing properly, and I'm having to pay for another private scan as I simply can't wait the 6 weeks until my NHS scan.

loopylouu · 04/02/2014 09:29

If you go private, it will be an over the tummy scan, not internal. The machines are far superior to the ones the NHS use.

I had a few scans due to problems, all early Nhs ones were internal, all private over the belly - consultant explained that it was the difference in machines.

Shente · 04/02/2014 09:31

I had one as my hospital epu offers them for those who have previously miscarried, it was great and they found a heartbeat at six weeks. Don't know how common this is but maybe discuss with your gp before booking privately as they may offer one if you are suffering with anxiety

Roshbegosh · 04/02/2014 09:33

loopylou they told you bullshit. Don't know why.

metalhead If the size is not what you expect this early on do not panic about baby growing it means your dates are wrong.

loopylouu · 04/02/2014 09:44

I was told that by both nhs and private - my consultant (NHs) does both NHS and private. She was the one who advised me to get a second opinion scan from a private dr when a problem was picked up on a scan (not baby bond or any of the commercial places) as the machines are superior. The nhs sonographer agreed with her.

Went to the feral medical centre in harley street, you could see that the machines were state of the art and everything was clearer even to me.

Metalhead · 04/02/2014 09:45

Rosh I know it's easy to get dates wrong, but in my case I am 100% certain that the scan date is out by at least a week - otherwise I would have got a BFP 2 days after conception.

loopylouu · 04/02/2014 09:59

Metalhead - It's probably best to go back and check to be on the safe side. I had the same thing in a previous pregnancy - only I was dated exactly two weeks behind. Meaning I would have got a positive test before I'd even ovulated (I got a positive at 3 weeks 5 days, I couldn't wait to test!). I knew my dates were right, and so did the dr when I explained when I tested and that I'd been tracking ovulation. When I went back a week later, the pregnancy had ended (MMC) but as the dates were so off, I knew something was up (plus the heart beat was much, much slower than it should have been at 8 weeks).

No meaning to worry you, I am sorry if I have, but if you can go back after a couple of weeks, it may put your mind at rest rather than waiting until 12 weeks.

This pregnancy, I had an early scan, again they said a week behind and my heart sank. But, when I went back ten days later, the measurements agreed with my dates exactly and so did the 12 week scan so all was well.

Hope all goes well for you, but if you need another scan to reassure you, then go for it.

Roshbegosh · 04/02/2014 10:04

loupylou whether it's internal or not depends on the GA, not whether NHS or private.

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Metalhead · 04/02/2014 10:19

Thanks loopy, sorry for your mmc, that is my biggest fear! I have booked another scan next week and am hoping baby's growth will have caught up, but I am mentally preparing myself for the worst.

ToffeeOwnsTheSausage · 04/02/2014 10:24

I found that early scans just put your mind at rest for that moment and actually going on to lose the baby I had seen on the scan was worse than the not seen miscarriage I had later.

eurochick · 04/02/2014 10:25

loopy I've had internal scans at both private clinics (with the new dopplar machines that also monitor blood flow) and at the NHS EPU.

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