Early scans before 12 weeks a good idea

[Lhmm]

Hey

From the time you find out your pregnant up until that 12 week scan is a very long time

Is most of you waiting for nhs scam or you having a reassurance private one

I had an early scan because my hospital had a scanning backlog and weren't doing 12 week scans until 14 weeks, so I booked a private one for around 10 weeks. I felt it was worth it for me because my bloating and nausea had gone so I didn't look or feel particularly pregnant.

I wouldn’t bother. I had a missed miscarriage so when I became pregnant again, I decided to pay for two early scans at 6 and 8 weeks to reassure me. Saw a lovely strong heartbeat and was sure everything would be ok. Found out at the 12 week scan I’d had another missed miscarriage. Just a waste of £180 for me and offered false reassurance. I also wouldn’t want to receive bad news in a private scan place.

I didn't have an early scan for DD. I've had one for this pregnancy (I'm 8 weeks) because I was bleeding. Saw a heartbeat but I'm absolutely not reassured at all and much more anxious than I was with DD. Maybe it is due to the bleeding but I'm very aware that seeing that heartbeat doesnt mean it'll be there in 4 weeks time.

I have been offered fortnightly scans from 6 weeks but I have a history of miscarriage and ectopic so for me (if I ever get pregnant again - still trying 😢) it will be worth it - however I have previously miscarriages the day before my 12 week scan so I know that I will just have to take it day by day (second by second) x

A strong heartbeat at 9-10 weeks means mc goes down to around 3%. Also if something has gone wrong, you know on advance...

Really helped me but I'd go to a medical clinic with good reviews. London has loads. £100 is norm.

And for those who've had mc 12 week scan that's awful :( but I wonder how it would've shown at a 9 week scan?

There's no right or wrong as techncially things can go wrong at any stage up to and.(of course!) After birth

I had my 12 week scan at 11 weeks so not an early scan. All it did was reassure me that everything looked to be fine at that time. We all know things can go wrong at any point so to me no amount of extra scans can put my mind completely at ease.

It’s very personal and if you want to you should. I was sorely tempted because as you say the first trimester is such a long time, and nothing feels real when all you’ve got is the positive test. But I ultimately decided against it because I know a few people who were made more anxious by early scans, and there are so many stories on here of them making people more anxious. There’s just not all that much they can tell you!

But I’m sure that for lots of people they are reassuring.

I declined an early scan this time around. I had one the pregnancy before this one at 7+1 thanks to spotting and there was a lovely little heart beating away, I was told my chance of miscarrying had gone down to 3%. I started to spot again at 10-11 weeks so went back for another scan only to find that our baby had died at 9+3.

For us, all it offered was false hope and it absolutely crushed us. It had been my 3rd consecutive miscarriage.

@Iswallowtoothpaste I remember you, I was on your thread at the time - happened a few weeks after my mmc.

If I remember rightly you’re due a baby soon?

@Leleophants if I'd had a scan at 9 weeks it would have show it stopped growing at 5 weeks so would never have had a heartbeat.

@HalfBloodPrincess yes! I keep trying to find and update the thread every now and again - I really hope it will offer hope and help others in a similar position to feel more positive!

I’m 32 weeks today and it’s absolutely flying by!

I had to have an early NHS one to see if I was carrying twins as I was so ill and there's a very high chance of twins on both sides.
It's not twins, and thb it was so early it just looked like a potato on screen. Not really interesting at all.

I had early scans due to IVF and was told by the obstetrician that if the fetus was growing as expected between the scan at six and one at eight weeks then that was reassuring in terms of miscarriage risk. So While a single scan can offer some reassurance, serial scans might be required for it to be meaningful.

@iswallowtoothpaste I’m so pleased for you!
I’m 34 weeks tomorrow after having my mmc, you should definitely update - I know reading positive posts on here really helped with the anxiety during the first trimester

@HalfBloodPrincess wow! We’re not too far apart from each other! I’m actually amazed at how quickly this pregnancy has flown. How is yours going? I can imagine you’re much like me, just trying to enjoy the last few, uncomfortable weeks.

Yes, positive posts have really helped me too. I have updated it here and there, will have to find it and update again to keep everyone in the loop!

I've had a private scan, where I live your 12 week scan is more like a 14 week scan (I'm 13+1 and my scan is still another 5 days away) and I just couldn't wait any longer, I had to have the reassurance so I had a private scan at 11 weeks and it was worth every penny to see the baby and just have a little reassurance.
My widowed actually advised me of a few groupon deals and I got a scan for £30! I Just had to drive half an hour away which wasn't a problem x

Midwife not widowed sorry 🤦🏼‍♀️

I had an early scan with the NHS and was told that baby wasn't developing properly and to expect to miscarry. I now have a totally healthy 10 month old, but I'd just come off contraception and turns out my dates were just out by a few weeks. I think they are probably necessary if you are bleeding or other concerns, but what they're looking at is so, so tiny that it is easy to make mistakes.

I had eight week scans with both mine and found it very reassuring. With DC2 they also saw a cyst on my ovary that I had to go back and get checked. It disappeared by itself but was a bit of a worry. However on balance I am still very glad to have had the scans.