Early scan, wrong dates.

[LynzyG]

So, basically I found out I was pregnant 4 weeks ago. It was 3 days before AF was due. So according to my dates I should be around 8 weeks pregnant. Booked for a private scan, which I went to yesterday. Received the worst customer service ever. Was literally in the room for about 2 minutes, when we came out the people who went before us were still putting their coats on to leave!
Anyway, the sonographer told me I’m not 8 weeks I’m 6. But if I had a positive pregnancy test 4 weeks ago, isn’t this impossible? It would mean I got a positive test the day I conceived? It’s confused me a lot to be honest. She has advised me to change the date of my 12 week scan, but I don’t know what to do. Scan pic attached. Anyone else got any experience of this? Xoxo

Stick to your normal scan, private scanners 9/10 are not even remotely medically trained.

I was told I wasn't pregnant when I went for a private scan.. I have a 2 year old that proves them wrong.

The scan from my experience (I do first scans in a fertility clinic from time to time) looks about 7 weeks but obviously I can't tell just from that.

I do but I'm afraid it wasn't good news. At my last early scan I had similar 6w oversee of 8, no heartbeat. I miscarried. Did they see a heartbeat? I would be getting onto the epu I think. Hope you get good news xx

Did they measure the size of your little bean? Possibly their measurements were wrong, but I would stick to your 12 week scan date either way - nhs go off last menstrual period.

I agree you can’t be 6 weeks pregnant if you had a positive test 4 weeks ago!

Thanks dippingmytoesin. That’s what I was hoping.
Phryne, yes there was a heartbeat, and she said everything seemed normal. The baby was in the right place and there was a heartbeat. She said the pregnancy was viable.
I’m thinking because I was only scanned for about 30-60seconds she may have made a mistake.
The scan pic looks pretty clear to me compared to other 6 week scans Iv seen. Not sure whether she may mean the baby is 6 weeks old, which would still make me 8 weeks pregnant.
A girl I know went the same place a few weeks ago, she was convinced she was 7 weeks on her dating and the sonographer said she was only 5?

Thanks Mctufty! That was my thinking. NHS will always be more accurate

The chances of you being 6 weeks with a heartbeat are slim - not impossible but it's normally about 7 weeks a heartbeat is detectable.

I had a heartbeat of 120 at 6+1 - it is perfectly possible. To be honest OP the fact there is a heartbeat is the main thing. It’s gutting if you’re not as far along as you think but pregnancy is viable and that’s the most important thing

Not a medical professional whatsoever, but the baby looks more like a baby than I've seen on other 6 week scans, if that makes sense? Less like a bean and more like a human. I'd stick to your original dates.

Mctufty I said it's possible but it's unusual.

I was told by my clinic you “should” be able to see a heartbeat at 6 weeks, and in the majority of healthy pregnancies you can do, although failure to do so isn't necessarily a problem. Maybe they were wrong and it is unusual. Not really the point of the thread though - I agree OP unlikely to be only 6 weeks based on her HPT date if nothing else.

Have you complained about your experience there? Was the scan performed by a sonogropher?
Sorry to hear you have had a bad experience, it is highly reassuring that you have seen the heartbeat tho.
I must add I have had a scan at 6 weeks and the heartbeat was seen so it’s definatley possible.
I would ask for a rescan in a week or two to see if the dates are matching up to what you should be if you are worried. Hope all goes well for you!

Dipping
I don't think it is unusual at all
It is pretty standard with IVF pregnancies to do a first scan at 6 weeks, and they would expect to see and/or hear a heartbeat. They did with all 3 of mine, and it very usual on the IVF boards here for people to have the same.

OP, I presume the sonographer measured the embryo on the screen?

Did they only do this measurement once?
The difference between 6 and 8 weeks is a matter of millimeters, so it is easy to get this wrong, especially if part of the embryo is hidden behind the sac
But they should have taken the measurement a couple of times to double check.

If it really is measuring 6 weeks, that could mean it is growing slowly, but equally, it could just be they didn't get a good measurement.

I personally wouldn't rearrange the 12 week scan, because if you are correct with your dates, you'll be 14+ weeks when they scan you and that could affect the accuracy of your nuchal and bloods test

Sparechange
The clinic I work for wait until 7-7.5 weeks it used to be 6 but it seemed to cause a lot of stress (for obvious reasons) when no heartbeat was detected although by 6 + 4 you can normally guarantee a heartbeat if viable transvaginally

Looks like more of a baby than my 6w scan! Congratulations on your pregnancy OP. Hope everything continues healthily for you both.

Can you call and clarify whether they meant that the foetus is 6 weeks old, meaning that you are 8 weeks from your last period, as it sounds like this could be the cause of the confusion

I would be amazed looking at that scan if you were only 6 weeks, you can actually see a baby! At 6 weeks it's just a blob on the screen, but yours is more than that! I would draft an email with all your concerns, and I would also ask for a refund! Good luck OP x

Wait until you get your date at your 12 week scan. The reason they do it then is because they can best tell gestation. Working it out from dates of periods only really works if you are very regular (and remember when your period is). Mine were always adjusted at the 12 week scan.

That picture you have attached is definitely not a 6 week baby, that's what 8 weeks looks like

It's hard to know what to make of that. I did have a private scan when I should have been 8 weeks and baby measured only 5. There was no heartbeat though and unfortunately it turned out to be a missed miscarriage.

I would say your scan pic looks on par for 6 weeks. It doesn't look like mine have at 8 weeks. But if she only did an abdominal scan, then it's possible some detail was lost. When I had a private scan with my current pregnancy, it was very quick, only abdominal. She got measurements (I measured spot on for my dates though) and she saw a heartbeat and then we were right back out. But in your case, I would have expected since you didn't measure to the dates you thought you did that she would have taken a bit more care and offered you an internal for a better check. Mine did when I had the mmc and baby looked too small for what I told her I was.