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Original poster

Scan photo - confusion

248 replies

ConnieCaterpillar · 22/04/2021 12:31

Hi Everyone

I hope this is in the right place and that my rambling makes sense.

We went for our first scan on Monday (first pregnancy) and all went well. Quick scan, lady said the heartbeat is all ok and viable pregnancy. Felt a little bit rushed and I couldn't really see much due to mask and glasses flogging plus lots of grey but maybe I was expecting a little too much, tummy wiped and out of the door. I asked about a photo and was told they will be emailed across and theres a charity box for donations. Perfect, received the scan picture today and can see where baby is, but I expected to see a little bit more I guess. I have googled 12 week scans and you can clearly see that baby is well a baby. My LO just looks like a dot. I have seen a few family members scans and ones from friends and they look like babies.... am I being silly or is this normal? Willing to be told I need to give my head a wobble, I just expected a little bit more development I guess. My last period was 23rd Jan and due date given is Oct 29th. Will try and upload a photo now if I can hide the identifying information as we havent shared our news yet either. Thank you all :)

OP posts:
Thread gallery
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PinkCookie11 · 22/04/2021 12:35

Commenting till pic is uploaded so don’t loose you

FluffMagnet · 22/04/2021 12:38

I am frankly in awe of sonographers making any sense of scans! I'm 10 days ahead of you on dates (2nd baby), and our pictures are frankly shite. However, our sonographer was absolutely excellent at running us through what she could see at the time, and way better than any of the scans I'd had with DD last time around. The way I look at it - although it's nice for is parents to have a look at whats going on inside, this is not for us. It is a medical procedure to check the health of the baby. Ditto your 20 week scan isn't there for finding out the sex, it is to look for abnormalities. If you want a more leisurely view for your own interest, private scanning clinics seem to operate up and down the country. I can understand your disappointment, but I'm pleased your baby is healthy!

namechangemarch21 · 22/04/2021 12:39

I've never had a 12 week scan like the one you see on the tv. Even my 20 week scan only vaguely looked like a baby. I think it is a lot to do with positioning, and It think in some cases how 'fancy' the equipment is. But basically, if the baby is in the optimal position you might get the baby 'snapshot' you see on tv/on the fridges of friends, and maybe if you're in a private scan place they focus on getting the photo that best looks like a baby, whereas I think if its a standard medical one they're focused on taking whatever measurements they need and snapping a random photo almost like proof it happened- a bit like if you got a group together, told them to pose and say choose, then took a few pictures to get the best shot vs holding up your phone, pointing it at people milling about and clicking.

I doubt its anything to worry about but I know its strange when your experience doesn't match up with what you expect.

Original poster
ConnieCaterpillar · 22/04/2021 12:45

Sorry the screen is reflecting and I've taken a close up shot so you cant see my name at top and hospital at bottom :) They have labelled the yolk sac which I presume is baby but it just looks a black blob to me [

Scan photo - confusion
OP posts:
FelicityPike · 22/04/2021 12:46

Are you sure you’re 12 weeks?
Should be much more than a yolk sac at that stage.

Original poster
ConnieCaterpillar · 22/04/2021 12:49

Oo there we go! Made a cup of tea in the time it took. Oh absolutely just pleased baby is healthy, I think I just expected something a little bit more pronounced maybe could just see a dot flicking :)

Scan photo - confusion
OP posts:
idontlikealdi · 22/04/2021 12:51

The dot flicking is the HB, it doesn't look like a 12 week scan, when are you calculating your dates from LMP or conception?

Did they confirm you are 12 weeks?

spittycup · 22/04/2021 12:51

That photo is quite bad quality of you are 12w

Definitely get a private scan and get a better picture for yourself

PegPeople · 22/04/2021 12:53

Its a very poor quality picture but the thing that would confuse me most is labeling the yolk sac at 12 weeks. Confused Was this an NHS scan?

Mammaaof · 22/04/2021 12:54

Are you definitely 12 weeks? Did the sonographer confirm how many weeks you were?

MySocalledLoaf · 22/04/2021 12:55

I had a scan per week while expecting my second child (several high risk things but perfect outcome). The type of image varied hugely with the type of equipment. The doctor I visited most often had a real museum piece and the pictures were like yours.
The internet images might be from private scans or from other countries with better equipment as standard. Possibly people don’t share the blobby ones much.

Original poster
ConnieCaterpillar · 22/04/2021 12:56

Hi Felicity,

I think so, my last period was 23rd Jan and I'm pretty regular give or take 2 to 3 days. We have been given a date of Oct 29th. I was asked how big we both were at birth, and said I was full term at just under 6lbs and my partner was around 8 or 9lbs but I wasn't sure.

OP posts:
Mammaaof · 22/04/2021 12:56

Not sure why the yolk sack has been labeled if your 12 weeks

Isadora2007 · 22/04/2021 12:57

Yanbu. I would actually want to call back and ask to speak to someone who can go over the other scans to clarify the dates etc.

PegPeople · 22/04/2021 12:58

@ConnieCaterpillar

Hi Felicity,

I think so, my last period was 23rd Jan and I'm pretty regular give or take 2 to 3 days. We have been given a date of Oct 29th. I was asked how big we both were at birth, and said I was full term at just under 6lbs and my partner was around 8 or 9lbs but I wasn't sure.

Surely they told you an estimate of how many weeks at the appointment though?

Also the stuff about how big you and babies dad were at birth is really weird. I've never heard anyone asked that at a scan.

Thistimelastyear · 22/04/2021 12:59

I would say it doesn't look like a 12 week scan at all. I had a scan at 10 weeks that looked like a baby and by my 12 week scan it was very clear. Based on previous scans yolk sac would be labelled pre 10 weeks.

Mammaaof · 22/04/2021 13:00

Didn't they tell you at the scan how many weeks you were?? Confused on the top of my scan photo it said exactly how many weeks I was (NHS scan)

PinkCookie11 · 22/04/2021 13:01

When she measured did she say how many weeks?

Mammaaof · 22/04/2021 13:01

At my 8 weeks scan my yolk sac was visible but when I went back at 12 weeks it was a full of baby you can't even see any part of a baby in that photo OP

pigglepot · 22/04/2021 13:02

That's a very weird photo abs very weird experience. I think you need to urgently call your midwife as unless they photos they have sent you aren't showing the full picture I don't think that's what you would expect to see at 12 weeks. If you can't wait I would get a private scan urgently and tell them your dates.

MissingCoffeeandWine · 22/04/2021 13:02

OP was this in the UK? Was it NHS or Private? It sounds like more like some of the early scans I had at 6/8 weeks - which would be more consistent with seeing a yolk sac labelled on a scan.

In the NHS the 12 week scan is usually the time that they will take NT measurements and you get your maternity notes. I've had a few and none have been less than 15 minutes. Do you have your notes - can you read the measurements on the scan report? Did they ask you to come back in a few weeks for a rescan?

I'm sorry your feeling confused. I would be confused (and likely a bit stressed) in your shoes too. You are right, the pics you have posted here do look very different from scans I've had at 12 weeks. Hope your ok as can be. Maybe worth phoning the hospital if you don't have notes or measurements?

TakeYourFinalPosition · 22/04/2021 13:04

I’d call back, I think.

I’m no expert - currently pregnant with my first - but I think it’d be odd to label the yolk sack at 12 weeks, and you’d have thought more would be visible at 12 weeks... usually the yolk sack is only highlighted before 10 weeks, I think.

Plus there’s only just 27 weeks until 29th Oct, which would make you 13 weeks + some days.

It might just be poor equipment, but the question about you and your husbands birth weights is odd; and it’s strange that they didn’t date your pregnancy or show you much, and that they labelled the yolk sack, so I’d just want to make sure that they were dating you at 13 weeks and all was good.

Don’t stress though Flowers You’ve seen a heartbeat, so the worst case is probably that you’re less pregnant than you think? Is that possible?

But like I said, I’m no expert, I’ve just done a lot of reading out of nerves and excitement!

TakeYourFinalPosition · 22/04/2021 13:05

Didn't they tell you at the scan how many weeks you were?? confused on the top of my scan photo it said exactly how many weeks I was (NHS scan)

This is a good point - what’s written at the top of the scan? The dates are usually there (so 7 + 4 or whatever)

needadvice54321 · 22/04/2021 13:06

I'd call back @ConnieCaterpillar , hope you get some answers x

Original poster
ConnieCaterpillar · 22/04/2021 13:07

Hi sorry it's taken a while to load, yes I agree with the scan quality. It arrived on a pdf as if it has been scanned on an old scanner so lots of white around the sides and very squeewhiff. Yes NHS hospital :) I went in and the person confirmed I was here for my 12 week scan, I was asked last day of period, any bleeding or pains, and then how big we both were as babies as the scan happened and the heartbeat was shown. It was very brisk but put down to me being nervous or maybe expecting too much. I asked about being able to have a photo, and said it would be emailed across and to give reception the donation and contact address. I'm racking my brains now and think the only mention of 12 weeks was as I first walked in. Do you think I'm less? When the photos came through I had a feeling that it didnt look right but just wasnt sure, maybe I need to phone and ask a few more questions.

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