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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Advice on early 6 week scan

49 replies

Jadek96 · 10/10/2018 11:06

Hi everyone I’m just looking for some advice. I’m 5 weeks and 1 day pregnant day. Calculating from my last period. But obviously I know this is a rough guesstimate as I may not of conceived right then. I’m wanting to book a 6 week scan next Friday as I’ll be 6 weeks and 3 days from my last period. Has anyone had any experience with these before?

OP posts:

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MrsCrumbtious · 10/10/2018 19:18

I had one at 6+5 as my anxiety was through the roof and it was the only thing that helped calm my nerves! If you want to book one go for it

CherryPavlova · 10/10/2018 19:24

Private babyscans are for a keepsake pictand not reassurance - that is outtheir legal remit. No private keepsake providers should be offering transvaginal scans, advice on the normality or otherwise of the mother/baby/pregnancy. Staff are not trained for this unless it forms part of a wider maternity service.

I’m afraid they drive rather than cure anxiety as often they’ll say they can’t see a heartbeat when abdominal scans are used at such an early stage. The mother assumes a miscarriage or false pregnancy test when it’s just too early.

They are unlikely to pick up ectopic pregnancy either (and neither should they) but most woman wouldn’t realise this and there is a risk of ignoring early symptoms because they’d had a scan.

Lauren83 · 10/10/2018 19:29

I had scans weekly starting from 5 weeks and it helped me loads, could see yolk sac and fetal pole from 5 weeks and heartbeat from 6

Caprisunorange · 10/10/2018 19:47

I don’t quite understand that Cherry - what sort of clinics do you mean? I am going to a private hospital, I could pay them for a MRI whilst I’m there if I so wish. Why wouldn’t they be able to provide medical reassurance? They’re sonographers

Lauren83 · 10/10/2018 19:52

I used a 'social scanning' place for gender scan at 15 weeks and used a private scanning place for full sonographer report including all checks and measurements. Not all private scanning places are purely social scans

SpadesOfGlory · 10/10/2018 20:00

The sonographers I've come across are all qualified to write medical reports and they also send the findings to my GP...the two scans I've had have been far more in depth than my NHS scans and they've taken more measurements as well, so I'm not sure why cherry said what she said..?

CherryPavlova · 10/10/2018 20:00

Is the private hospital actually doing the scan or is it a company that just basically takes photos using hospital premises. The difference in qualifications of sonographers is significant, as is support available.

Most (but not all) standalone clinics are photographic studios, in reality. Nobody should be offering anything else without appropriate midwifery or obstetrician support.

Lauren83 · 10/10/2018 20:07

My private scans were done at a stand alone private clinic not attached to an NHS unit, all TV and by Judith Pilling DCR(R) DMU MHSc. I think she would be quite offended to know people thought she was just taking pics for mementos

PoshPenny · 10/10/2018 20:08

I had early scans due to a previous ectopic pregnancy, they wanted to check they had made it to the uterus. There wasn't much to see at 6 weeks, basically a "bean" with a flashing thing, which was the heart beating. It was enough though just to see it was a viable pregnancy. It had to be transvaginal to see anything, not my idea of fun I must say.

minniecat2406 · 10/10/2018 20:09

Hold off a bit longer if you can. I waited to 8 and got to see a really strong heartbeat, which isn't always possible at 6 x

Thelaststand · 10/10/2018 20:11

cherry is right.

The commercial ‘baby bond’ keep sake places where you can buy a heart beat bear, gender cannon or keyring really are just for entertainment use only. They are under strict guidelines from the CQC who monitor them that they are not allowed to give any medical advice - only refer them to midwife or EPU - unless there is a qualified sonographer taking the scan.

2ducks2ducklings · 10/10/2018 20:30

I had one due to previous losses. I was just under 7 weeks and they managed to see the heart beat which I found really reassuring. The problem was, I wanted to go every week up until my 12 week scan and then up until I could feel movements. My husband hated the whole experience though. He said he felt the whole business preyed on the worries and fears of vulnerable women. I agree to a point in that I found the people who worked there to be a bit over the top and forced. I'm not sure, had there been bad news, I would have wanted them to give it to me.
But as I said, at that early stage, it gave me an evening of reassurance until the stress and worry caught up with me again.

Caprisunorange · 10/10/2018 20:31

I’m surprised there are places that do key rings and framed photos of 6 week old fetus’. I can totally understand at a 4D scan or later scan.
Yes its a private hospital, I have used them for other things and all qualified sonoographers.

I don’t really see the big deal about a transvaginal scan- I’ve had a number for other reasons and they’re no big deal

Original poster

Jadek96 · 10/10/2018 20:35

Thankyou! Yeah I’m going to book it when I’m 8 weeks, after losing my baby before I’m just so on edge constantly worrying it’s awful. I can’t wait! But I will! X

OP posts:

Celebelly · 10/10/2018 20:37

I'd definitely wait unless you are super sure of your dates. I knew exactly when I ovulated so I knew my dates to the day, and my six-week scan confirmed that (had it early as I was going abroad on holiday and wanted to make sure all was OK), but if I hadn't been tracking, I would have been a week off going by LMP and there would have been no heartbeat at what I thought was six weeks. That would have led to a really anxious week or so.

Celebelly · 10/10/2018 20:41

Also it might not have to be transvaginal - my scan was at 6+3 and was abdominal (but there wasn't much to see other than a flickering blob!). I did have to sign a form to consent to a transvaginal if needed, but it wasn't in my case as everything was visible with an abdominal, but best to be prepared in case.

Also the place we went to uses qualified sonographers, and I presumed they were perhaps NHS sonographers working a second job for some extra money (as the times tended to be in evenings and weekends). They offer full anatomy scans, etc. so I think it just depends on the clinic itself.

Notquiteagandt · 11/10/2018 17:35

I got diagnosed with a pregnancy of unknown location as I was only 4 weeks she didnt show up on scans and didnt until 6 weeks when was just a little tiny egg sac with a yolk. I then got scanned again due to bleeding at 8w4d and I had a vanishing twin. A twin pregnancy in which id lost one twin. This twin didnt even show up on my scan at 6 weeks.

The 8 week scan I saw what look more recognisable as a fetus kicking away and flicker of a heart beat.

The two weeks between before I saw a heart beat was nerve wracking. If I hadnt of bled I would have had to of waited until my 12w scan.

Currently 21w3d with a little girl sat here watching her kick away.

Id reccomend waiting until 8 weeks if you can

MsHopey · 11/10/2018 18:01

I had an early scan at 7 weeks 1day because of some bleeding.
It was internal to see the baby better, there was a little kidney bean and the yolk sac next to it, and a heart best was visible.
I went because I was anxious because of the bleeding and seeing the heartbeat definitely reassured me more than actually seeing the kidney bean.

Caprisunorange · 11/10/2018 19:28

Just wanted to update that I had a scan today at 6+2 and it was fine, heartbeat and could see the teeny fetus and sac. I feel so much more relaxed now

Caprisunorange · 11/10/2018 19:29

Oh and it wasn’t trans vaginal either

Loopytiles · 12/10/2018 12:38

That’s great news!

carly2803 · 12/10/2018 13:02

I had a scan with this one at 6 week - dildo cam.... as i had a bleed early on.. i saw his little heart beating

kpeanut94 · 12/10/2018 22:04

I had a 6 week scan last week, not much to see but it's reassuring seeing a heartbeat at this stage!

carlyb · 14/10/2018 21:07

Hi, I'm new here, I'm 7 weeks, with my first after a previous MMC this time last year. I am thinking about having an early scan, my MC happened at 8+4 weeks and found out at dating scan. Has the early scan really levelled out nerves and apprehension for people? Also for those of you in the UK who did your early scans? Someone mentioned to me that the EPCU do them if you've had MMC before.
Thanks Carly x

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