Couldn’t get any measurements at dating scan

[yogpot]

Hi. I’m going a bit cross eyed trying to Google this, and I don’t really have anyone to ask in real life (everyone who I did ask has never had this) so hopefully you lovely ladies could help.

I had my 12 week scan last week and the baby just wasn’t playing ball. I’ve heard of people not getting the NT measurement, but the sonographer couldn’t get anything at all. I didn’t even get an EDD. She said, verbally (and it is on the note) that it was ‘about’ 12+2, which was perfectly in line with my dates and with a scan I had at 9 weeks which was supposed to be my 12 week but was too early because I have a very long cycle.

She was lovely, and tried for a good half hour, and was very kind about it. I’ve been booked back in on Wednesday to try and do the dating and the NT but I wondered if it’s normal to be unable to do any measurements at all? Trying not to worry too much as she did show me the brain and the spine and the heartbeat and I could see the little arms and legs waving around and she said she could see a good little nose and that visually the NT looked completely normal, so I’m sure I’m just being overanxious… the printed notes saying ‘not measured’ against everything makes my stomach drop a bit. Hopefully I just have a supremely awkward child coming my way!

Thanks for any and all comments, I don’t really have any friends who have kids!

Was it an abdominal scan? Did she also do an internal/vaginal scan? My scan at 12+2 was made tricky due to my retroverted uterus and baby "hiding", so she switched to the internal scan "wand" and we were able to see everything really well.

I got absolute nothing at my 12 week scan and the first sonography was bloody horrible.

I ultimately went for 3 different scans!!! spent a good 15 min wigging and jumping up and gyrating down all to no avail. No measurements. At all.

I got the same and was a bit nervy but all was fine.
They will give you the 16 week test for downs.

Good nose and lips is a good sign!!!

Took 3 scans to get the measurements, retroverted uterus and uncooperative baby. Luckily the sonographer had a quiet day, so my three scans were the same day 2hrs apart, all fine. Cost a fortune in car parking though!

@yogpot your scan is tomorrow, right? If they still have problems, ask for the ultrasound to be done internally, it can work out well! I actually prefer the internal scans, I hate how hard they push down on my tummy on the other ones! Couldn't help wondering if it was hurting the baby.....I know that's silly

These comments have all made me feel so much better - I was feeling like there was really something wrong as I’d really never heard of this happening!

My rescan is tomorrow, so hopefully it’s all fine, they can measure, and I can learn to freaking relax. Although I think I need to raise my anxiety with my midwife because I’m near panicking about finding I’ve had a MMC despite seeing a little bub with all the right appendages and a nice heartbeat/brain/spine/nose less than a week ago!

Thanks everyone for being kind enough to reply. I’ll try and cool my jets xx

They had me jumping, star jumps etc to get my baby to move for measurements etc.
It's very common for them to not play ball.
I'm sure everything will be fine.

I would advise talking to your MW about your anxiety, it was put on my notes and saved me a lot of stress in labour.

I had exactly the same. Baby had tucked herself in a crevice and was not moving for anything! She was doing internal anyway as she couldn't get a good enough look abdominally. I had to jump round the room, go for a 30min walk, drink something sugary but nothing at all worked! I had to go back at 16 weeks and even then she only cooperated for them to do the bare minimum to get a due date! Only real issue was I couldn't have the NT test and had to have the quad one which only tests for Down syndrome (which I really couldn't care about) not Edwards and the other one that I can't remember!

I didn’t have the exact same experience as you because mine got done in the end, but mine started off the same. I had to go for a walk in the middle (and have a transvaginal ultrasound, which was no more effective) then get into some very awkward positions.
I did ask her if I would have to come back another day if we really couldn’t do it and she said ‘No, we need to do it today’ quite grimly. I was there for nearly 2 hours in total, I’m surprised they didn’t ask me to come back another day

Hope everything goes OK tomorrow!

Thanks everyone 😊 baby was awkward again today but the sonographer eventually got everything she needed abdominally. I have a very high uterus so I’m really hard to scan vaginally (it’s on my notes as at an early scan the poor lady was up to her elbow with the wand!) so I’m glad they managed to do it all abdominally. Baby is perfectly fine, measuring exactly where it should be, and I got the screening results on the spot - low chance for everything screened for.

Now I just need to get a grip on the anxiety because that’s clearly the real issue here and needs some work!

Thanks for your help, it really was nice having people respond. Made me feel a lot better/less lonely.

@yogpot this exact situation has just happened for me. Couldn't take any measurements, had to half empty bladder and baby still didn't want to uncurl. The unit was already running 30 minutes late (I was supposed to be one of the first appointments) as staff meeting overran. And the sonographer only tried for 10 mins before saying I need to come back in 2 weeks. I was on the cut off for the NT/Edwards/Plateau testing so now have to have quad test? They refused to do vaginal u/s as "we don't tend to do them unless something is seriously wrong" and I didn't get to hear the heartbeat though I was told there was one. Someone also walked into the room whilst I was mid scan "oops, wrong room" and left, no apology.

Hey, just wanted to tell you this also happened at my 12 week scan. They said I had a retroverted uterus so couldn’t get accurate measurements. I felt really lost leaving 12 week scan without even any pictures! And subsequently got myself worked up about the second attempt a week and a half later… but all was perfect next time ❤️ They just like to be incredibly accurate to the day, with dates.

@Dani7 Like you I have a retroverted uterus, which I mentioned when I went in as previous pregnancies it meant a transvaginal ultrasound was clearer, plus I've a fuller figure to its extra difficult when scanning via tummy. Dreading the rescan next week. We also had other issues where because our childcare was hit by covid, my other half wasn't allowed in as they wouldn't allow children in the building.