Viability scan, worth paying for?

[Laura1037]

I'm considering paying for a viability scan next weekend, will be almost 7 weeks. Are they worth doing? Just want to know everything is where it should be

I had one for my second pregnancy and I think it was worth it. I was so worried about a blighted ovum and felt I wanted to know there was a heartbeat. Good luck!

Hello. I think it depends entirely on you and on your medical history. In most cases, I think my answer would be "no" - but this is assuming (a) that you have a normal sort of income rather than money-to-burn, in which case you're far better off keeping your money for the myriad of things you'll want to get for your baby once he/she arrives and (b) that you are in a country where you'll get a non-paid-for scan in a few weeks anyway.

If (a) is wrong and you have nothing to worry about with money then I guess go for it, and if (b) is wrong then do go ahead but wait till about 12 weeks which is when there is enough development for problems to be spotted.

Exceptions would be if you are a particularly stress-prone and worrysome person and you are finding it impossible to relax ntil you know for sure, or if you have had a history of miscarriages - then I think it might well be worth it.

I had one at 8weeks just because we were both so excited and. I couldn't believe I was actually pregnant! It was fab even though you only see a little blob seeing the heartbeat was amazing! Just gone back to the same place for 4d scan which was also incredible. I say if you can afford it then go for it as I've found the pictures have encouraged me to keep going through constant sickness and Spd.

I would. We had one at 8 weeks as a treat and because we simply couldn't believe there was really a baby in there. (silly I know!) It was a lovely experience and although the baby was mega tiny we have some really cute images of this little upside down person. He obviously wasn't shaped like a baby, but I'd never seen a pre-12 week scan and found it quite magical to see! I would only do it if you can afford it though as it can be quite expensive.

We had one at 9 weeks because I was told 12 week scans were running a fortnight late and I couldn't wait. It was wonderful and really put my mind at ease. The best bit was the comparison with three weeks later (12 week scan was't late).

I had one at 7 weeks because I was off on holiday out of Europe and wanted to know the baby was in the right place before we left. It was very useful, we couldn't see much but a heartbeat and it definitely put my mind at rest.

Definitely worth it if you have the budget. Where I am the equipment is much better hence the picture much clearer at the private scans.

depends. I wanted one to see there was an actual baby developing ,there was and the 8 week scan was fab, we saw and heard heart beat. Sadly at 12 week scan found out baby had died during about a week after our initial scan. Heartbreaking and not that uncommon.

Definitely worth it for us. For the peace of mind. I couldn't imagine the stress of having to wait til 12 weeks to find out if the pregnancy is viable.

It's a personality thing I guess!

We had scans at 8 and then 10 weeks (the latter as I was not as far on as we thought and wanted to check growth. Expensive but, for us, worth it, its lovely to have 8, 10, 12, 20, 27 and 29 (last 2 were 3d, last one a repeat as they messed us around).

I would say not, as things can go wrong between an early scan and a 12 week scan.

I had early scans (from 6 weeks) in my last pregnancy and because they couldn't find a heartbeat etc I had to keep going back. The waiting period between the 3 scans was very hard and they eventually diagnosed a mmc at 10 weeks.

I'm pregnant again (10+4) and although I'm bricking it at what they'll find at the scan at 12+2 i've found it emotionally easier to be in blissful ignorance than being strung out wondering. I didn't have an early scan this time as I didn't want false confidence that all would be well.

I can totally understand your desire to see your baby though!

We had one at 8 weeks because my previous pregnancy had been a MMC picked up at the 12 week scan and I hated the fact the baby had died at 8 or 9 weeks and I had carried on thinking everything was OK for those 3 or 4 weeks.

Ours was £99, which we could afford and felt good value for the comfort we got from it, but value is certainly relevant to whether you have £99 to spare.

We got one at 9 weeks at the Fetal Medicine Centre in London. I had a special situation as this is my first pregnancy, but I was flying overseas to visit family at 10 weeks and I wanted to be sure everything was all in the right place (etc.) before I broke the news to them. It was a bit of an indulgence - 100 pounds - but DH agreed and it was a great experience for both of us. It really settled my mind. Unless I had bleeding in a subsequent pregnancy I probably would not do it again as this was a special situation...

If I had known at 7 weeks what i know now at 11 weeks I would have done it!

The last two weeks have been hard not knowing if everything is OK. I just posted about feeling anxious about my 12 week scan and it's felt like a very long wait.

I had a scan at 7 weeks on the nhs because I was bleeding. It was really nice having the reassurance of seeing the heartbeat. Didn't stop me worrying between them and the normal scan though.

I had a scan at 7 weeks on the nhs because I was bleeding. It was really nice having the reassurance of seeing the heartbeat. Didn't stop me worrying between then and the normal scan though.

I had an early scan at about 8.5 weeks after 2 early mc's. (we already have 2dd's) While I felt better after the scan this only lasted a day or so. The panic leading up to the scan date, and the panic between my next one (NHS) at 10.5 weeks was just as bad, if not worse than having no scan at all. I'm now waiting for my 20 week scan at the start of September and feel really scared about it as well.

If we were to go for DC4 I would probably not have an early scan again. What will be, will be and all that...

Goodluck whatever you choose!

I had a previous missed miscarriage, so I had one at 8 weeks with DD as I was bleeding and super stressed (not on NHS though) and it did reassure me a lot. Not sure I would have made it to 12 weeks with my sanity intact. I am pg again at the moment and had one at 8 weeks and it was very reassuring.

It may be mumbo jumbo but for me both times seeing that heartbeat was really positive and stopped me thinking so negatively and I have to feel that is a good thing.

I always use the Women's Ultrasound Centre, about £100, but they are lovely. My sister found a local place that was about £35 for a viability scan, but I dont think they are medical professionals, just trained in using the scan IFYWIM.

I know things can go wrong between that time and 12 weeks, but there are no guarantees after 12 weeks either.

Laura1037 if you want the scan because of any particular symptoms eg spotting, then you can go to an NHS early pregnancy unit.. Most are walk-in and you don't need a referral from your doctor or anything. That's what I did with my current pregnancy as I had some brown spotting and was worried because of a previous miscarriage.

Had I had no symptoms, I would have gone for a private scan knowing what I know now about how reassuring I found the NHS early scan. Knowing there was a heartbeat would have been well worth the money to me, rather than waiting several more weeks for the 12 week scan.

I would recomend a 7 week scan, we were given one because we had fertility problems i think the ivf dr didnt actually think it was possible that i was pregnant naturally the dr wanted to check the pregnancy was in the right place.

It was amazing, I was sobbing and sobbing it was so emotional, for me i had lost faith in my body and I didn't beleive i was actually pregnant till i saw the little flashing hb on the screan.

That very first scan was by far the best scan i had, it was amazing :)

Also we had a scan at 10 weeks to check the baby had grown as we were flying to the UK and i wanted to tell my family the baby news, the difference in just 3 weeks was amazing, the baby had grown from a flashing blob to a real looking baby with legs and arms and a nose and everything!

my tip is if you do go for a 7 week scan have your camera phone at the ready to record a little video of the hb, you cant really see much in a still photo.

this was my 7 week scan (they said i was 6+3 but i wasnt)

then this was my scan just over 3 weeks later

if you have the money go for it! id opt for an early scan over nearly anything :)

I'd really recommend it - always have one at 8 weeks. If something had gone wrong I'd hate to wait and only find out at the big 12 week scan. For a single pregnancy once they see a HB you have the reassurance you are definitely in good shape :)

I have two very different experiences of early scans which I'll share with you one awful (for more than one reason) and the second wonderful...

For my first pregnancy I paid for a private scan at around 8 weeks. I discovered it was a twin pregnancy, one egg was not viable (it wasn't attached), and no heartbeat was detected on the other. I was very upset, but told by the private scan people that I would have to phone my doctor the next day explain the situation, and he would then have to book me in for a further scan to confirm suspicions (they generally double check in case dates are wrong). I dutifully phoned my doctor, who told me that it was far too early to detect a heartbeat anyway, and that as I'd had no bleeding he wouldn't refer me and that I'd have to wait till the 12 week scan like everyone else, and then complained that I'd even gone for the private scan!! I had to wait for just over 4 weeks 'pretending' to be pregnant, and even worse it was right over Christmas and new year! My worst fears were confirmed and the hospital were appalled I'd been made to wait.

Roll forwards 10 (long) months I fell pregnant again and had some slight bleeding. I was sent for an early scan on the NHS, it was fine, and it was an amazing and emotional experience. I now have a 1 year old daughter

I honestly couldn't say if I'd ever pay for one again after that experience..

re early scans. My NHS radiographer told me that in her professional experience the MMC she picked up at the 12 week scan had mostly died within weeks 8 to 11. Have a scan by all means but it can only reassure you for so long . Plenty of women have had scans during week 8 and seen all is well only to have something then go wrong.