What happens if you aren’t 12 weeks at your first scan?

[guiltynetter]

i have my 12 week scan next wednesday (valentines!) and i’m very nervous. they worked the date of my scan out from my last missed period but i have long, irregular cycles and i honestly think at my scan next week i might only be 8-9 weeks. does anybody know what will happen? the midwife advised me to keep the appointment just in case. will they be able to see anything? and would they make me another appointment for when i am 12 weeks (so they can do the nuchal fold test etc?) just wondered if anybody has experienced this.

thanks to anybody who can help!

[ClareB83]

If you are between 11 and 13+5 weeks they'll date you and do the nuchal scan.

If you're earlier than 11 weeks they'll make you another appointment and do the 12 week scan then.

[excitedface]

Hi guilty, my hospital got their dates wrong and I went for my first scan at 10 weeks. I thought it was a bit odd, having read they only do some of the tests from 11 weeks onwards but went with it anyway. They did the scan and just booked us in again for a couple of weeks time so they can do all the tests. It wasn't an issue at all, they apologised a lot, but I've got an extra scan out of it so don't mind! Hopefully it will just be the same for you, and you get a bonus earlier scan!

[KimmySchmidt1]

This happened to me - they won’t necessarily be able to do all the measurements they need so they may ask you to come back. But they’ll try.

[Abzs]

I was 12 weeks from LMP with DS and measured at 10. Irregular cycles here too. They booked another scan for two weeks later.

[Namechangeuser]

Yes, at that stage gestation they should be able to see something, if not then they should do an internal scan.

I had an internal at 8 weeks due to a small bleed and could see him, looked like a little bean :)

At my 12 week appt they told me I was only about 10 weeks, and rebooked my scan for 2 weeks time.

Hope that helps!

[ilikepinacoladas]

Happened to me, gave me very quick scan to show heartbeat but told too early for any measurements. Given next scan date for 2 1/2 weeks later where they did nuchal fold etc. There wasn't any issue with the dates being wrong at all.

[guiltynetter]

ohh thank you, you’ve all made me feel a lot more reassured! i was kind of imagining this scenario where they can’t see anything and i might just be sent away to wait a few weeks. crazy i know.

how do they work out how many weeks you are from the scan, just by what they can see?

[Babybear1117]

I went to midwife booking appointment and then she sent me for scan the very next day. Was around 7 and half weeks and ended up having an internal scan. Still got pictures etc (just a little baby jelly bean in photos) was then made another appointment for 12 weeks for scan and tests.
Good luck and don't be worried! Xxx

[pastabest]

They take measurements and that gives you a date.

I had this but the other way round. I was sent for a scan at what I thought was 8 weeks. Turned out I was just shy of 11 weeks.

They just bought booked me in for another scan 2 weeks later.

[HoneyBee92]

This happened to me :) Went in for 12 week scan and I turned out to be 10+5. They still had a good look, the baby was bouncing around lots! They could still see the remnants to the yolk sac so knew instantly that I was earlier than they thought. They took some measurements, gave me my new due date, then got me back in at 12 weeks. Was lovely having a second scan! What was most incredible was seeing how much the baby had changed and grown in that time.