to ask if it's possible for a scan to miss a twin?

[Carlalala101]

I had my first scan last week and my pregnancy was dated at 9 weeks 4 days. The sonographer performed the ultrasound for only around 3-4 minutes and didn't seem thorough at all.

This is my third pregnancy, my other DC are four and two years old. This time, I knew I was pregnant before I tested. The line was immediate and dark despite being several days before my missed period. I feel nauseous all day every day and cannot bend over without retching. I'm so extremely tired that I fell asleep playing on the floor with the DC midday today and headbutted the floor I can barely eat and have had lots of stretching and cramping pains. Perhaps most significantly of all, I think I look around 4/5 months pregnant already.

I suspected before my scan that twins could be a possibility and was hoping to have my mind put at rest but the speed of the ultrasound and my continuing growth and symptoms makes me wonder if it's possible for a twin to be missed at an early scan. I hadn't heard of it before but having Googled it, it seems it is possible though I'm sure it's very rare.

AIBU to ask if you, or anyone you know, had a twin pregnancy that wasn't detected at an early scan? And am I being unreasonable if I book a private scan to investigate more thoroughly?

Oh I didn’t notice this was a zombie thread!

@ShowOfHands

It's been 4 years. I suspect, it's probably clear whether there's a hidden twin by now...

LOL

Why is there no zombie warning on this?

(i know i've just bumped it and added to the problem )

Could you just be bloated from stress/hormones etc? I have a completely flat stomach and I’m a UK4, but stress quickly makes my stomach swell and it really hurts. I think it would be unusual to develop a bump this early on.

Oh ffs just realised it’s a zombie thread. Why do people revive these threads??

@Inneedofaholiday2017

3rd pregnancy - you'll pop much sooner sorry!

I was convinced my dd was a twin pregnancy for all the reasons you also outline but no - there was always only one and she's right here now. Each pregnancy is different. When they listen to the heart beat they can listen for two in your next app. Likelihood is nothing was missed tho.

This is true

The uterus has sort of memory muscle. So it almost pops right out. It’s complex. But that’s why people looking bigger with subsequent pregnancies

It's possible but honestly I was the same with my third pregnancy. I was ill with all my pregnancies but she was by far the worst, and I was showing at 9 weeks (probably mostly bloating but I was amazed!) She was the worst pregnancy I've had. 2 boys before.

It's possible, op, but why do you think you might be having twins/

Oops! Missed the date.

Yes, it's possible, it happened to me.
I really thought I had twins on my second pregnancy because I was so big so quickly/early on. They said it was only one baby and I didn't query it because I thought they would see two heartbeats later on in the pregnancy if they'd missed anything.
As it was, I continued to be huge but only one heartbeat was detected. When I gave birth, there was a twin baby which had died at 22 weeks so they still didn't see it there, it came out with the placenta.

Just hoping for an update

The Cranberries sing a song about this thread…

My sister was comparing herself at 10 weeks (completely flat stomach and her first) to a friend who is pregnant with her third and bigger than your pic. I don’t think it’s at all unusual to be bigger than previous pregnancies and all can be different with different symptoms. I’d say twins are pretty unlikely, but maybe it’d be a good idea to get a 2nd opinion all the same.

With my third pregnancy I got an early scan. It showed an absorbed twin, that is an empty sac.

I would leave it until the next scan, but if you want peace of mind then book a private scan.

@placemats

The OP posted more than 4 years ago.
I doubt a private scan would be much use to her now.

@Carlalala101

This is how big I am already; I wasn't this size until at least six months pregnant during my last pregnancy. It feels feel far too big for just ten weeks

I had a huge stomach both times - i too have a flat stomach usually and am quite slight.. i got quite big early and only gained the amount you are supposed to but it was all stomach. i had big babies but also confirmed to have polyhydramnios with the second. too much amniotic fluid...the scan at 12 weeks should allow you to bring up your concerns. or you could as you gp if you have health concerns re your stomach size. BTW the i also got sick the first week I was pregnant! just the one baby no twins.

@GoldenBlue

I know someone that had this happen

Scan 1 = 1 baby
Scan 2 = twins
Scan 3 = triplets

All healthy, just not spotted in earlier scans

However I showed similar to you very early on with my babies. So much so that an acquaintance congratulated me on my pregnancy at 10 weeks. I don't know about you but I like to be really sure its pregnancy not just fat before congratulating, and really there was no doubt it was a pregnancy bump. A healthy single baby, big but not unusually so.

Is mum's name Jo? and are the triplets 10

Yes - my first scan missed 2 babies!