Early scan a week behind dates?

[minkfondant]

Quick overview: I'm 43, I have 2 DCs age 6 and 4 and had 2 MCs between the two. I'm currently 7w+3 pregnant according to dates.

I had an early scan last week at 6w+2 by dates, and the scan put me at 5w+4, with a gestational sac and yolk sac, but no visible embryo.

Came back today for a follow up and saw a 'diamond ring' scan, with a little flashing heartbeat. The consultant said "around 6 weeks" but wasn't more specific. She didn't seem bothered that my own cycle dates didn't line up, because of the heartbeat.

The thing is, I'm 100% sure of my conception date and LMP. And I got a (super faint) BFP 12 days after the upduffing incident, so conception can't have happened a week later than expected, can it?

Dr Google tells me this happens a lot when people genuinely aren't sure of their dates, but what happens when you hardly ever DTD that month definitely know your dates and the scan looks behind? It's not a great sign, is it? Especially at my age.

Has this happened to anyone else? Positive and negative stories all welcome.

Congrats :)

I had this the other way round. I knew my dates exactly as was using an app to record it. At my dating scan I was a week further on than I thought which meant I conceived the day after my period finished! Cycles are not always clockwork.

The sperm might not have gotten there for a few days but a week does sound like a stretch! Perhaps the baby is too small to tell? Maybe you will get a firmer dating at the 12 week scan when they can measure the baby properly?

Early scans are not very accurate for dating. Mine put me a week behind my dates but I was spot on by 12.

One of the main reasons that they schedule a scan for 12 weeks is to date it. Before this, it's incredibly difficult to date a pregnancy accurately, hence why they don't do it unless there's a potential problem or you book one privately. It's most likely just that at this early stage, it's not very accurate and that will also explain why the midwife was vague - because the date IS vague at this point. You'll know more at your 12 week scan. Try not to stress it now, this doesn't mean anything is wrong. Best of luck x

Congratulations! Try not to worry OP- I had an early scan at what I was sure by dates was 7+2 and they recorded it as 6+2, it's stayed a few days behind even after my dating scan at 12 weeks. I'm now nearly 32 weeks and all is well! At the early stage a fraction of a mm difference in the measurement can throw the date by days xx

Oh thank you everyone - I'm very relieved to hear it's possible for it to turn out fine. I was being scanned because of spotting, so was already in pessimism mode. Will try to calm the eff down until the next round of prodding. Thank you all xx