Early scan - for or against?

[MrsLister]

Hi ladies

Last time I was pregnant I had an early scan at 9 weeks and discovered I'd had a mmc. Reason for early scan was that I was going up to visit my Grandparents (they live oop north so we visit once every few months) and wanted to tell them early, but wanted to make sure everything was ok before I did so.

Anyway - I was told at the EPU that if I became pregnant again I could contact them directly and book in for an early scan to check everything was ok.

My attitude thus far has been that I'm not going to do it. Reason being that I could have a scan at 8 weeks, see a perfectly healthy baby/heartbeat and then lose it before the 12 week mark as so many do - so why torture myself?

But then again - it would be lovely to see how it's all going, just for reassurance.

I'd be interested to know what your opinions are - should I wait as my instincts are telling me too?

Thanks

I also had a mmc and now I am pg again (9 weeks) and so far I have had 3 scans (1 nhs and 2 private). Unfortunately, each time I have a scan it reassures me for a bit and then I start panicking again that it has gone wrong since the scan. Not sure how I would be if I hadn't had the scans though...

Having said that each scan does get easier though as in most mmcs the baby dies very early often before a heartbeat so I know that my chances of it working out is higher with each scan. Now got to get to 12 weeks without giving in an having another scan!

Good luck!

Thanks for your reply and glad to hear things are progressing well for you.

Still in two minds - gah!

I paid for a private early scan and it did more harm than good.. It was a few days before my wedding and I wanted to make sure everything was ok.. The scan was hideous ended up with an internal scan and the woman telling me my womb was empty and asking me what makes me think I'm pregnant.. I was distraught.. I left it a day or so and tested again then went to the epu were they found my 7 week pregnancy as clear as day !! I'd be careful about the company you choose it ruined my wedding as I was so upset !!

With my first pregnancy I was scaned at six weeks four days
we saw the heartbeat and were reasurred all was well, I subsequently went on to mc shortly after I definately think that seeing the heartbeat made the mc more traumatic for us.

I would encourage you to follow you instincts. I assume from your post that you're eight weeks, do you think you can wait another four weeks? you can always change your mind anyway should your instincts change.

Newto- sorry that it ruined your enjoyment of your wedding, so glad that the baby is well

I had one recently (9+2)to put my mind at ease as I had a few troubles at six weeks, and have been very lucky symptom-wise. It was with every penny, all was fine, growth on target, strong heartbeat etc... I'm very pleased I had it done, as I would have driven myself mad by 12wks. The company I went to were excellent. However, I realise that it's not always good news at private scans, and I was incredibly nervous, but I'm the type off person that would rather know everything sooner rather than later. Good luck with what ever decision you make x x

Joymaker - I'm actually only 6+3 weeks so thinking about it very early! A colleague at work had exactly same thing happen - saw heartbeat etc at 7 weeks and mc following week.

It would probably help if I had major symptoms but so far just v sore boobs (if I've been wearing a bra all day) and very slight twinges of nausea. Although I do appreciate 6 weeks is early...

Anyway - thanks for your comments ladies. I think I'm going to trust my gut and wait for my 12 week scan

So interesting to see this thread as was about to start one myself. I'm also wondering about whether or not to have an early scan as had a MC at 6 wks in November (now 5 weeks pg and totally paranoid!).

Mrs Lister I'm interested that you say your EPU suggested an early scan on your next pregnancy as I haven't been given that advice. Like you, I don't want to lull myself into a false sense of security with a good result but at the same time I really don't think I could handle finding out about a MMC at the 12 week scan. I don't know about you but I'm constantly trying to fend off the need to keep doing pregnancy tests just to see how quickly that second line comes up or analyse how bold it looks!!

I think I probably will go for an early scan at 9 weeks as from what I've read most early MC are before 8 weeks but of course this guarantees nothing! Perhaps you should go with your instincts if there is no medical reason for you to doubt this pregnancy?

LIG I can imagine being just the same and wanting more scans to keep me reassured!

Good luck with all the pregnancies ladies.

I've had 2 mcs (one a mmc died at 9 wks discovered at 12wks scan)and i am currently 11wks so I know exactly how you are feeling. I am also conscious that a good scan is not necessarily reassuring for more than a few hours as I had a scan where it was fine and 3weeks later looked like it had died back on that day or very shortly after.

However, I do think early scans are good, not so much for reassurance but you know if it is dead I would rather know sooner than to be carry it around for a few weeks. Apart from a mc being emotionally more difficult to deal with the further on you think you are, you are at a small risk of infection if it dies and is inside for a good while.

I would go for it to be honest. Good luck!!

hiya ... I found out I was pregnant yesterday and had an internal scan because of complications such as ectopic pregnancy caused from my coil.
The doctors had no concerns after the scan I didn't see what was the point only thing you could see was my coil which was in the wrong place lol

I dont even kno how many weeks I am!!

which is worrying

Hi Hybrid - the EPU didn't actually suggest I have an early scan - they said 'if you feel you need one, you can always contact us directly'. Sorry if that wasn't clear. I think it was just to reassure me.

And yes re peeing on a stick temptation! My first (and so far, only) HPT this time round was a ClearBlue Digi taken 3/4 days after my period was due - it showed up with a 3+ immediately which I took to be a good sign so I haven't done another one. The temptation to head to Boots and bulk-buy is tempered only by how sodding expensive they are! Hahaha.

Positive mental attitude!

I had two consecutive m/c the latter resulting in an ERPC. When pg next time, I mooted early scan to my GP and she said very nicely and very matter of factly that a scan was a guarantee of nothing especially in the early stages and that it was much better to wait for the 12k scan as scheduled. TBH I think she was right though it did mean that I sobbed and sobbed at the 12w scan and it took twice as long to do (the mw was terribly nice).

Positive mental attitude indeed! Something I normally have in bundles but at the moment P now stands for paranoid! Ha ha!

Will be thinking of you!

Hi ladies I had a mc at 7 weeks then fell pg 4 months later. I was not offered an early scan and nervously waited till my 12 week scan, convincing myself It was all going to be fine this time. I was right it turned out I was 13+1 and baby was bouncing up and down we couldn't stop laughing and crying with happiness. As a result I have a big strong boy that's going to be celebrating his first birthday on the 17th of this month. Wishing you all happy and healthy pregnancies. Go by you instinct it's rarely wrong xx

I've had miscarriages and still gone for early scans. You could lose a baby at any stage not just by 12 weeks. My daughter was stillborn last December at 37 weeks so it's never a given. I'm now 30 weeks pregnant and had early scans and other scans along the way too, due for more also.

I had a mmc in Sept, and now 13 weeks pregnant. I wasn't offered an early scan with this pregnancy, and the wait for my 12 week scan was pretty awful. I was a wreck by the time I had it, was shaking and crying as soon as I walked in the room. Although I dont think an early scan would have changed this. Like others have said, it only reassures you temporarily.

My 1st pregnacy I had a scan at 10 weeks as I had some spotting which revealed all was well and baby had strong heartbeat. I was so happy came away with my picture and showed everyone. I went back at 12 weeks which should of been my 1st scan to find my baby had died. My second I mc at 6 weeks but I knew right from the start the pregnancy was not right unlike the first. The 3rd I had scan at 8 weeks to reassure me, baby was healthy strong heartbeat. I then had some spotting at 9 weeks so they rescanned me and my baby had died.
So when I was pregnant for the 4th time and started bleeding alot (unlike the spotting with others) I couldn't get out my head the two of my babies died a week after the scan. The hospital reassured me scans were safe and I know lots of people have early scans with no problems but I just couldn't do it so they kept checking my hormones levels were going up and they did despite bleeding heavily for over a week. ds1 is 10 now. The exact same thing happened with ds2 I bleed heavily but didn't have an early scan but my levels kept going up.
I think scans do give you false hope, they are only a picture of that moment in time. Sorry if that sounds negative

Yes, can you try asking for hcg monitoring. I had it with this pregnancy and it did help to reassure without too much false hope. However once you get past 7-8 weeks, it gets less and less accurate. So really, the most truthful (and cruel) thing is that we just never know.

Whilst I'm not the opening poster, this thread has really helped me. I was pretty convinced I was going to go for an early scan (and may well do once I've changed my mind a hundred times over!). But for now I think I just need to toughen up and get on with life and wait until the 12 week mark.

I do agree cheerfulcharlie that I would rather know if the pregnancy had ended earlier but I think for me personally, I'm letting it take over my life by worrying about something I can't control. Like you say orange a scan really is just a snapshot in time.

I'm so sorry for all the terrible loses people have experienced and wish all those with positive wee sticks all the luck in the world.

i have had several mc's and had a premature birth as well. my obstetrician told me that i would have early and then regular scans throughout future pregnancies. whilst it is not a given that a heartbeat=healthy baby after 9 months, and sadly babies can be lost at any stage, if a healthy heartbeat is seen even as early as 6 weeks the chance of mc does reduce quite dramatically (i can't remember what the actual figures are) and the later you are the chance decreases further. i am having my 12 week scan on tuesday having had a scan at 6 weeks and 9 weeks; i found my 9 week one more reassuring than the 6 week one, partly because of the amazing changes that had taken place , but i am still nervous as the 12 week one approaches, despite being desperately sick. i also have nasty cold at the minute and am worried that this may have had an impact on the baby in some way, even though i know this is unlikely. even though it is only capturing a moment in time, i am still glad i went for mine

I have had several m/c's too, but no longer trust early scans. I had scan at 7w3d with my dd where I was told there was nothing in the sac and I would m/c, clearly I did not as she is now a healthy 7 year old. I have also had scans where we have seen the heartbeat only for it to no longer be there two weeks later.

Last pregnancy 6 months ago, I was told I had not miscarried, but things did not look good as I was measuring 6 rather than 8 weeks, and two hours later same hospital scan showed I had "lost everything and uterus was normal non-pregnant size" etc. (nothing happened in that two hours, no bleeding or anything). I stopped all my meds, my levels slowly decreased and 4 weeks later I was very shocked when I passed the pregnancy sac (about 8 week size). So I had stopped the meds and even now don't know if it was stopping the meds or a natural m/c.

I am currently 7.5weeks pregnant and not even gone to doctors to tell them I am pregnant again. I do not intend having any early scans this time, I can't trust the sonographers.

Early scans can be very unreliable, especially if you have a tilted uterus, as you can measure 2 weeks behind and stress is added if you have a poorly performed scan is horrible.

One funny story I have of an early scan: when I went to an early pregnancy unit and was scanned by a junior doctor, she was measuring my ovary, I thought this was strange and even stranger when she started telling me that the pregnancy sac was empty and she was going to get the consultant. The consultant quickly found the real pregnancy sac, at the same time, the junior doctor discreetly binned her printed pictures of my "empty pregnancy sac", I guess that is a lesson she will never forget.

In my opinion early scans at worst - cause more stress, and at best - provide only a brief period of reassurance. But for some women those brief periods of reassurance help keep the overall calm of those stressful first few weeks. Regular reassurance, has been proven to be good for the pregnancy and one of the few things proven to help in recurrent miscarriage!

Sorry this is so long, in summary: I think each women has to decide for themselves whether the early scan will help or not!

Sorry about everyones losses.
Your story about your scan galwaygal reminded me when I had my first scan with ds1 I was shitting my pants due to previous scans. The sonographer kept shaking her head as if things were not good both me and hubby persumed the worst and I started crying. She finished scanning and said all was well showed us the heart beat with her head still shaking ten to the dozen I think it must of been some tic or something.

Like HA, I didn't get an especially early scan despite 2 m/cs and like HA I sobbed and sobbed and sobbed to see the wee precious heartbeat. And they can't scan a sobbing mummy but they were terribly nice to me.

OP, hope these early weeks pass quickly for you. It's not an easy time waiting and not quite believing. I was a fully paid up member of the "knicker checking brigade" it was painful. I remember making dh stop in the middle of a 2 hour car journey for me to nip to the loo at tesco as i was CONVINCED i'd started bleeding.

Hope your symptoms continue to get stronger!