Early scan dating 2 weeks behind

[Flopsy88]

Hi, I’m so anxious about this and wondered if anyone had a similar experience :(
Went for a private scan at 7+4 and measured 5+4 with a strong heartbeat. I spoke to the GP who agreed this didn’t sound right and referred me to the EPU who found exactly the same, 2 weeks behind with strong heartbeat. They spent a long time looking really carefully (transvaginal ultrasound) and were very reassuring. They said everything looks fine and they don’t think I need any more scans before 12 weeks to monitor growth (although if they’re correct my 12 weeks scan will now be far too early!). I can’t understand why they’re not concerned. I accept I could have ovulated late etc. but if their measurements are correct I would have conceived after getting a BFP!

Hi, sorry you’re going through this. I had this with my first mc - baby was measuring 5+4 and had a HB but I should’ve been almost 7 weeks. It was a private scan and the sonographer wasn’t worried at all. I miscarried 2 weeks later.

It can go either way and I have read lots of stories where everything is fine, sadly in my case it wasn’t. Have you had any bleeding? If you haven’t then I’d say that’s a good sign. Are your cycles regular as that can affect you r dates too? Xx

@Cafeaulait27 Thanks so much for your reply. I’m sorry that happened to you and I really hope you went on to have a successful pregnancy. I’ve had no bleeding and wouldn’t have been worried at all if I hadn’t gone for that first private scan (for reassurance-ha!). Now I’ve had an NHS scan too and the nurse and sonographer both told me everything was fine which was probably giving me false hope. I feel like I’m just waiting to miscarry which I’m guessing will take a few weeks as there’s still a heartbeat. I’d rather it had just happened with no warning (if that makes sense). My cycles are like clockwork and I was tracking ovulation so I know my dates aren’t wrong xx

I'm a sonographer. No one can say I you will or won't have a miscarriage. If there is a heartbeat that's a really good sign. There is no indication you will miscarry from what you've said so please don't sit around waiting for it to happen! This will only add to your stress. It's very very VERY common to measure a few days/weeks behind in early pregnancy. Realistically you're probably only a week behind what you calculated, 5 +4 is almost 6 weeks and you were expecting to be around 7 and a bit. We are talking millimetres in measurements here and it is really hard to get it 100% accurate. You're LMP date also comes into play here. Your weeks are counted from the first day your last period started. That isn't when you ovulated. Ovulation varies widely. Your doctor and EPAU should have given you more reassurance and guidance on this.
When did you get your BFP and when was your LMP?

Hi, I had this with 2 of my 3 pregnancies. Dates were moved back by 2 weeks each time (so scan dates were out) and even then they were born after my revised due date! I hadn't realised but had very long cycles.

Thank you @calmearth You have reassured me a little. LMP was 13th Jan and faint BFP on 6th Feb. CRL is 2.5mm which just seems far too tiny for it to be ok but the EPU were so reassuring! I guess all I can do is listen to them. I've got my first midwife appointment this week so I'm hoping she'll advise that they scan me again in 2 weeks to check for growth x

When I had my 1st scan I thought I was 6 weeks but I was dated 4 weeks. I was sure if my dates so was just waiting to miscarry. I'm now 34 weeks so its not always a bad news. Good luck.

I've not had quite this experience, but DD was born very small. When we saw the pediatrician she suggested DD was probably a bit prem (she was supposedly born at 38 weeks, suggestion was she was more like 35 to 36 weeks.) Which would mean that they got the dating scan wrong but apparently that happens. But more importantly for you, it means I got a BFP very, very soon after she was conceived - is it possible this could be the case for you? I know you said you'd have had the BFP before conception, but might it have been just after (and presumably there's some margin of error in the dating they do as well)?

It’s really hard for them to get it right that early. On top of that, like PP said you could have ovulated later (you can ovulate up to 36 hours after a positive ovulation test) and also implantation can vary the time as this can take up to 12 days.

I went for a 6 week scan at the EPU and they said I was a bit before 6 weeks (with a heartbeat) and when I came to my 12 week scan I measured at 12+2. I was behind and then I was ahead. I think sometimes there can be growth spurts and it’s just so hard to put a definite on something so tiny.

Really hoping for a good outcome for you x

@Flopsy88 currently going through the same! I also got my first positive on feb 6th and LMP was jan 11th, didn’t track ovulation either.

Had a scan at 5+4, empty sac which was 3mm, went back at 6+4 also empty sac again, but 7mm. Then went back at 7+4 and it was showing a yolk and was 9mm. I’m currently on my 2 week wait for another scan, but everyday I just become less positive about me having a good outcome from this.

Sending you so much love x

You might be right @110APiccadilly It was a First Response BFP so I guess I could have implanted 48hrs before that. If their measurements were a week out it could be possible. I really hope so!

I'm so sorry @MollySxx It's awful being limbo isn't it? I feel like I can't be happy about the pregnancy anymore but it's definitely too soon to be upset about a loss, I don't want to write it off yet even though I'm not feeling optimistic. I can't think about anything else at the moment!

I really hope you get good news at your next scan. Is it next week? Time goes so slowly when you're waiting xx

I literally wrote this post myself almost word for word back in December! I went for a private scan thinking I was 6 weeks+ and they told me I was measuring at 5 weeks, but unlike you there was no heartbeat to be seen and I was devastated. They also told me that I'd probably ovulated later than expected, but it didn't reassure me. I was so nervous at the beginning. I went for my 12 week scan at what would have been (with the new dates) 13 weeks 4 days and I actually measured bang on 15 weeks! My only guess is maybe there was a growth spurt at some point? Or measurements just weren't precise enough in the beginning? I'm now 20 weeks and got my next scan Friday, and I'm abit nervous they'll move the dates back again! Hang in there, it's such a scary time but I wouldn't say you have any reason to 'expect' to miscarry, sending love

@Flopsy88 I agree with you. I very much have days where I’m positive and have a good outlook and I’m thinking it’ll be okay. Then I have days that I doubt it and I just don’t feel as positive and prepare myself for another miscarriage.

I’m not bleeding or showing any signs I’ll miscarry and this is as far as I’ve got in any other pregnancies as I would of miscarried by now. It’s just really hard to know.

My scan is the 19th, so hopefully get some answers then🤞🏼

Another person who had this, went for a scan at 7 weeks to be told baby was 5+6 with a strong heartbeat. I kept insisting that it wasn’t possible (we’d only had sex once that month due to being away for work) but the sonographer was insistent. It really threw me and i was determined something was wrong with my baby. At 12 week scan baby was bang on my dates and was born healthily at 39+4. I’ve heard enough stories like this to think that these early private scans should be banned and I certainly will never have one again.

@TitusPulloi couldn’t agree more! I wish I never agreed with my doctor and went for the early scan. Because it’s caused nothing but stress and worry. If I didn’t have it, i might be able to relax and enjoy myself because I’ve got no cranking or bleeding. Nothing to indicate miscarriage. But in living in my nerves waiting for the next scan now to give answers. When/if I do this again I won’t be getting an early scan before 9 weeks

Because of previous losses (one of which showed a HB but baby measuring behind) I’ve decided this time to not bother with an early scan as it can either cause more worry or false hope. I’m now 9 weeks and will be waiting until my 12 week scan. I haven’t bled yet so hoping that’s a good sign. It’s weird not really knowing if everything is ok in there but I’m just trying to trust my body this time xx

Just thought I should update incase anyone sees this in the future. I know how annoying it is when you're looking for answers on old threads and there's no outcome.
I started bleeding heavily today with painful cramping so it looks like my dates weren't wrong after all. I don't regret the early scan now because it's given me a week to prepare for the worst. If I'd been blissfully ignorant then it would have been much more upsetting today. It would have been better if all the professionals I'd seen hadn't given me false hope though!

I really hope you have a better outcome @MollySxx Good luck for your scan on Friday, I'll be thinking of you xx

@Cafeaulait27 I really hope your 12 week scan is an lovely experience and you can relax a bit and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy xx

@Flopsy88

Just thought I should update incase anyone sees this in the future. I know how annoying it is when you're looking for answers on old threads and there's no outcome. I started bleeding heavily today with painful cramping so it looks like my dates weren't wrong after all. I don't regret the early scan now because it's given me a week to prepare for the worst. If I'd been blissfully ignorant then it would have been much more upsetting today. It would have been better if all the professionals I'd seen hadn't given me false hope though!

I really hope you have a better outcome @MollySxx Good luck for your scan on Friday, I'll be thinking of you xx

@Cafeaulait27 I really hope your 12 week scan is an lovely experience and you can relax a bit and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy xx

Oh my, I'm so sorry🥺

I'm so sorry.

Hi! Hoping to get a reply as I know this thread is old! I went for a private early scan at 8 weeks LMP, there was only a sack visible and they said it was measuring 5w6d. I'm really worried that it's going to be a miscarriage because I'm pretty sure on my dates - my cycle does vary and I only had 3 cycles following stopping the pill before getting a BFP. My BFP was 3.5weeks ago on day 33 - I've been temp tracking so pretty sure day 20 is the latest I could have ovulated. It doesn't seem possible I can only be 6 weeks because we last did the did on day 17. Appreciate any experience on this, it's my first pregnancy and I'm so scared it's going to be MMC.

To update for anyone that reads this in future - the same thing happened to me. After a concerning early scan, I had brown discharge that after a few days turned bright red with painful cramps - confirmed miscarriage at the hospital yesterday. The baby never ready managed to get started and everything stopped growing around 5/6 weeks but i didn't start to miscarry until 9.5 weeks. Sending huge love to anyone in the same position xxx

Hi @Rosebud2022 I'm so sorry, I didn't see your earlier message. And I'm so so sorry you're going through this, it's awful. I hope you're doing ok and have plenty of support. Just to give you some hope, we conceived again 2 months after my miscarriage and now have a 6 month old baby boy.
Please take care of yourself ❤️ Sending lots of love xx

Hi @Flopsy88
Thanks so much for your reply, that's wonderful news!! Congratulations on your precious new addition, it definitely gives me hope that maybe next time might be different and happy for us too xxxx

Went for early scan and should of been 6w5days but today be 7 weeks now that's counting from last day of period. The guy said it's more like I'm 5 weeks?
I tested positive on ovulation strip 5th June. I didn't see heartbeat on scan so dunno if this is because its super early. But everything is there and he had no concerns. Anyone help at all?