First time older mum, 6 week scan question

[Ari202]

Hi, I’m 38 and this is my 1st pregnancy.
I’ve tried to book and appointment with the midwife but they aren’t booking anyone before 10 weeks and I really don’t want to wait that long.
I’ve booked a private ‘reassurance’ scan for next Friday where we estimate I’ll be around 6 weeks pregnant and just wondered if anyone else had had one that early and how did it go? Could you see a heartbeat?
I think I’m in disbelief and won’t actually believe I’m pregnant until I see something on a screen

That's normal to wait that long round here. I had a scan at 5 weeks for severe pain and I saw a blob lol

Tnh I really wouldn’t go at 6 weeks unless medical indicated, you might not see much at all, in theory you should potentially see a heartbeat but if your dates are a few days out you may just see a sac if that. There are so many threads on here by women who go to 6 week scans that cause nothing but anxiety as they can’t see what they expected. 8 weeks would be much better and would avoid you needing a vaginal scan🙂

I had one at 8 weeks and he looked like a little wasp but was unmistakably the start of a baby :)

I second what @JumperooSue says. I've actively avoided a scan that early even though I had a bleed as I've had multiple inconclusive scans that early

Congratulations!
At 6 weeks you may get heartbeat, you may not. Can you push a couple of weeks later? You will likely see more. If you are starting to have symptoms might that ease your mind a bit? That said, some people don't get symptoms that early either.

Your booking appt won't 'confirm' anything - it's just lots of Qs about you, DH and medical history. You will have a blood and urine test sent off. Normal to have between 8 and 11 ish weeks I believe.

Totally agree with pp - wait a couple of weeks and you will see so much more. It's such an anxious time anyway and to come away with doubts due to it being early can cause so much unnecessary anxiety! If you wait you also avoid the vaginal wand which is a definite benefit! Congratulations!!

Literally could go either way. At my ivf clinic they wouldn’t do scan before 7 weeks due to it being so early and hard to see before then

I’m 38 and after 4 miscarriages I was scanned by EPU at 5+4 where we thankfully did see a heartbeat, but this forum is full of posts where women are left with more uncertainty than before if their dates are out slightly.

I’m now 19 weeks pregnant and went onto have at least 10 further private scans 😂🙈

I wouldn’t go at six weeks.

I had a scan at the EPU at six weeks yesterday and it’s thrown me into a blind panic, because they can’t offer much reassurance at that stage. They saw sacs, but everything is so small, and the sonographer said they can’t confirm it’s a viable pregnancy that early... which has been going round my head ever since.

I was going to book a private scan for eight weeks, I really wish that had been my first scan... I was so much calmer before.

I was warned - the EPU said they initially wouldn’t scan at six weeks as it didn’t provide reassurance - but they changed their minds to check my cervix.

It's normal not to be booked in until 10 weeks.

It's a strange time when you are pregnant for the first time as you don't get any real reassurance until that first scan. We are all the same boat with that, it will cause anxiety and disbelief whatever age. I think a 6 week scan is a waste of time though, might as well wait until at least 8. Once you have the 12 week then there is the anxiety of waiting for any test results, followed by the anxiety of waiting for the 20 week anomaly scan where you find out if your baby it's healthy. Then another 20+ week slog waiting for the baby to arrive. That feeling doesn't go away after the baby is born either, it's one thing after another, seemingly forever! It's something we have to live with and get used to over time.

Just be gentle on yourself and take it one day at a time.

I’d wait, never see the point of early scans.

Scans so early when you are not having issues are unwise. Many are left more worried as dates don't match up with the scan measurements.
I've had early scans in 2 pregnancies. One at epau as it was a failed coil pregnancy. I was over 8wk by lmp, they found twins measuring 6 days behind dates but they caught up on growth by their dating scan. Other a private scan at 8+3, baby measured 7+4 with hb but I started spotting 4 days later then miscarried a week after the scan. Seeing a hb on a scan does mean chances of mc lower but they are still possible. Currently 24wk with another baby so not all doom and gloom.

I had one at 6+1 and I was really, really nervous beforehand because I knew I might not see a heartbeat.

I was able to see a heartbeat, thankfully.

As the posters above have said, it’s a huge gamble and if your dates are slightly out, you could leave feeling worse.

I definitely felt like I was between a rock and a hard place - couldn’t wait longer because I was so anxious, couldn’t face going in case there was no heartbeat. It’s really hard.

Honestly wouldn’t bother OP, my sister had one at 6 and got in a panic because they could barely see a thing. I had one at 9 weeks and could see a heartbeat/movement, it was lovely! So push it forwards a bit.

Your midwife won’t scan at 10 weeks I don’t think? Just do a booking in. My first non private scan was 12 weeks.

I had a scan at 5+4 as I have had a previous ectopic, so EPU want to see me as soon as I get pregnant to rule out an ectopic going forwards.
At 5+4. they ruled out ectopic and could see a gestational sac in the uterus, but they couldn't say the pregnancy was viable as there was no heartbeat or fetal pole. They said they weren't concerned as I was so early... but a day could make a huge difference in what development you could see... and aging the pregnancy is pretty much guesswork at that point.
They also said, they wouldn't see me again to confirm the heartbeat etc ahead of 12 weeks as even if there is a heartbeat at an early stage, there is sadly nothing to stop it from going wrong after that.

I should've said... I am now 21 weeks, so it was all fine!! :-)

Good luck - hang on in there!

I’ve had early scans on the NHS and privately. Ideally I would wait until 8 weeks because the risk of miscarriage after seeing a heart beat at 8 weeks is much lower. At my last early scan I had it at 6 weeks because I wanted if before Christmas - they found twins but they weren’t sure if they were both viable so I had to wait 2 weeks for a rescan anyway.

6 weeks is bordering a bit early. If there is t a heartbeat you’ll just panic. Like others said try waiting till 8 weeks. It will also be an internal scan so bear that in mind aswell.

Congratulations, I was so delighted and scared when I got ppg 1st Time I went for a million scans.

I'm currently just over 8 weeks and had an early scan at 6 weeks at the EPU due to pains and loss of symptoms.
I was advised straight away that sometimes you can't see a heartbeat that early but doesn't rule out a normal pregnancy.
I was lucky and could see a tiny heart beat but personally, I wouldn't book a private scan so early as if I had have been told there was no heart beat, I would have just been a mess.
I think as other people have said, 8 weeks seems like a safer bet.
Congratulations on your pregnancy!

I was 6 weeks 4 days at my private scan and it was right before Christmas. Was so unsure whether I should be going for it or not in case it ruined my Christmas if there was no heartbeat because it was so early. Luckily, there was ☺️ I had fully expected it to be an internal scan because that’s what I kept seeing on their website etc for early scans but when I went she tried the normal ultrasound and you could see a blob and a heartbeat. I had drank so much I was so bursting for the toilet I just wanted to get out of there so was relieved to see the heartbeat and was happy with that. She did offer to do the internal for a better picture but she said she was happy with what she could see so I just left it at that. I have had an internal scan since for a later scan due to the baby’s position and it wasn’t bad at all! Nowhere near as bad as a smear test, I couldn’t even feel it. Just wear something long to cover yourself!

You may not get the reassurance you want as early as 6 weeks. I’d echo some pp and wait until 8 weeks. I had my dd overseas under private healthcare. I was 40 and had first scan at 8 weeks (vaginal) and saw a heartbeat then and all went well

7 week scan and we saw and heard heartbeat but that was about it, it was otherwise kind of a blob (good for reassurance though!), 9 week scan we saw jerky arm movements as well as heartbeat and a much clearer baby shape. Both were ‘belly’ scans (not transvaginal-would not recommend but more likely to need if you go for a scan too early)

Only pregnancy at 38 via IVF, had a six week scan and could see the heartbeat! The most emotional of all the scans. He's now 21.