Abnormality on 8 week scan

[123dawn]

I have just had a private reassurance scan at 8 weeks which showed growth and heartbeat was fine, but the sonographer was very concerned about a large area of fluid on baby's head. I have to go back in 2 weeks to see if anything has changed. I am obviously very concerned and wondered if anyone else had experienced anything similar and what the outcome was?

Unfortunately these reassurance scans often seem to do the exact opposite and because they're earlier than standard scans you can't use their measurements. The baby is too young to compare to existing data on nuchal folds thickness so it's impossible to analyse what she saw. It could be that the fluid is a bit thick but that needs to be taken in conjunction with a lot of other things and may be nothing at all. Unfortunately you'll just have to wait until your proper NHS dating scan and bloods which is horrible and stressful (and why I'm not convinced early scans should be allowed). Hth sorry

Was your scan on a high-street with a sonographer only? If you can't / won't wait for the 12 week NHS scan, then perhaps try to get seen at your local Early Pregnancy Unit. I had an early scan at mine because of spotting (baby was fine). If you can't get in there, at least try to get a second scan somewhere like the Fetal Medicine Unit in London (also had a scan there because of another scare similar to yours, which ended up fine too and I cannot recommend them highly enough). where your scan will be done and analysed by expert doctors who can actually advise you, which a sonographer cannot do.

There your scan will be done and analysed by expert doctors who can actually advise you, which a sonographer cannot do.

Good luck, what you are going through is really hard.

Thank you for the replies which are much appreciated. The sonographer was very kind, and requested a second opinion from her colleague who confirmed that she too thought the area (called a hypoechoic area on her notes) was abnormal.

She was very clear that 8 weeks is too early to diagnose any possible problem and that returning at 10 weeks would be best (they wouldn't charge for a second scan). Both sonographers said they also work in the local NHS EPU and said that no further investigation would be offered on the NHS before the 12 week scan, so no point in me going directly to the EPU.

I am 41 and have had two miscarriages in the last year, so this was a pretty much final attempt at a last child (I have other children). I'm in two minds - obviously I would so love everything to turn out fine, but if it is not, I do hope that my body recognises that and miscarries naturally, rather than any difficult decisions needing to be made further along.

Thank you again for replying. It's a worrying time.