Early pregnancy scan measurements

[OliveHill]

I went for an early pregnancy scan today because they're not sure of my dates since I haven't had a period due to breastfeeding. I did a pregnancy test 3 weeks ago which was positive and the last time we had sex was 5 weeks ago, so I figured I must be about 7 weeks or more. They did their measurements, and said at 3mm it wouldn't be more than 5 weeks. So am now really really really worried. Does anyone know how reliable early scan dating is? They seemed to have absolute confidence in it...

Hi OliveHill, were they able to see a heartbeat or is that too early? Another thing too - it depends on when you OV. Some of your DH's "swimmers" could have been still around from your last sex when you OV'ed, which could have been later in the month.

What did your doctor tell you? Are they bringing you in for a rescan?

Early scans are horrible!! And scary!

I had an early scan a few weeks back, and my doctor (who really is very nice) was preparing me for a blighted ovum and said to see him the week after. I was 7 weeks at that point, the week after I went to see him (last week) and baby dot was 17.7mm long.

I am sure that they are practising for hide and seek, or they are just going to be camera shy!

Personally, I wouldnt worry about early scans, and would in my own experience recommend against them.

If you are still worried and haven't been booked in for another scan and really did only have sex 5 weeks ago, then you could ask your doctor to do some blood tests. You'll have to go twice to get the differential tests to check that your HCG is increasing as expected.

I had the same scan result as you and in fact I had to get 3 blood tests as the first one was inconclusive. Tunred out it was twins but that I had had a missed miscarriage - but at least it meant I was prepared when I went back for my scan.... (there's a whole different story about the midwives misreading the sonographer's report whcih meant that I was called back unencessarliy for further scans )

So, get another scan and/or get blood tests done.

Did they book you in for a further scan in ten days time? The scan results are more reliable than blood test results, so a scan would be needed to confirm whatever the blood test results seemed to indicate. I had something similar happen to me - thought I was 7.5 weeks, but measured at 5.5 weeks, had further scans and all turned out well with the PG, so these things can happen.

In your circumstances, I think it's a pity they didn't wait longer to do a dating scan, to avoid this sort of thing happening (I had an early scan due to pain/bleeding, so ectopic PG had to be ruled out).

Thank you all for replying. Feeling less worried today. They think they might have seen a heartbeat but weren't sure. I spoke to them again today and they are going to do another scan in a couple of weeks. Wish I'd never had to have one at all now! Very tempting just to wait and see what happens and not go near the hospital ever again!

They did another scan a week later and thought it had grown but was still 2 weeks smaller than i'd thought. When i was 10 weeks i had a miscarriage. I'm glad now that i had the scans because i was preparing for it to go wrong.

They did another scan a week later and thought it had grown but was still 2 weeks smaller than i'd thought. When i was 10 weeks i had a miscarriage. I'm glad now that i had the scans because i was preparing for it to go wrong.

Prettybird - i'm assuming you meant

Tunred out it was twins but that I had had a missed miscarriage

rather than

Tunred out it was twins but that I had had a missed miscarriage