Shall I go for a private scan before the 12 week scan?

[xalexandra]

I'm currently 7 weeks pregnant and in two minds about going for a private scan. I found out I was pregnant last December but had a MMC at 6 weeks - found this out after going to a private scan at 6 and a half weeks. Feel like I'm a bit put off private scans. I have pregnancy symptoms (which I didn't last December) so shall I just wait till 12 weeks? Or after someone that's experienced a MC before is it worth going to a private scan now?

Hi, for me it helped. Had a healthy pregnancy and then two losses. My first loss was a mmc found at a 9 weeks scan. No adverse symptoms but I felt something wasn't right. Next loss at 8 weeks with bleeding before.

For my last pregnancy. I found once I got to the 8/9 week mark - my anxiety was through the roof and I was convinced I was going to lose the baby. I did go for a scan at that stage and it was during covid so had to go alone.

I did return to the same clinic as I had found out I had lost a baby before. It's a fertility clinic so maybe a bit different to a 'window to the womb' place. You fill out a little form about why you are there etc.

The lady who scanned me was great. So no small chat, quiet for about 10 seconds before showing me a heartbeat. Without trying to trigger you - you may have had scans where they had to keep trying etc before hope gives up - but I found and even with my nhs 12 week scan etc. The person who does scan can see from your notes that you have lost a baby - I find they tend to be very sensitive and normally confirm all is with things like heartbeat quite quickly.

So for me - it helped me get to 12 weeks.

I had a scan at 8 weeks and 10 weeks I'm now 12 weeks and have my nhs scan tomorrow I'm still a little anxious about it but I do feel a bit more reassured as seen healthy baby twice already, I would suggest if you can afford it to maybe have one at 8 weeks and 10 weeks? Otherwise you may feel reassured after the 8 week scan then it might wear off and you may feel anxious again and 4 weeks is a long time to wait when you feel like that, if you cannot afford 2 then I agree 8 weeks is a good time to get one 🙂

I would and did. I had a MMC at about 6-7 weeks and my doctor referred me to the EPU at about 8 weeks for an early scan for reassurance. It was fantastic to see the heartbeat and the nurse took me to a room afterwards to explain the risks and likelihood % of it being viable. They were amazing.

They did initially refuse to see me but my Dr explained how worked up I was getting due to my previous PG and they then agreed.

I hope everything goes really well for you.

Hi, just to say I had 3 MC then my last pregnancy I felt nervous and couldn't wait for the 12 week scan. I had a private one at 9 weeks and can honestly say it was reassuring. Everyone is different but that's my case. All the best 😊

I went for one at 11 weeks, my NHS scan was booked for when I was 14 weeks. I found it really reassuring which I needed. Everyone is different, focus on what is best for you and what you feel you need.

Hi, has anybody had a private 6 week scan? If so can it pick the heartbeat up? Xx

I had a few early scans, not by choice, because it was IVF and I also had a lot of bleeding. I found it reassuring seeing the baby and heartbeat, especially as a first pregnancy after a MMC and it was also my last embryo. I think less scans generally is better, but I can't imagine not having at least one scan before 12 weeks so I know there is a heartbeat, or not. I still had scan anxiety before the 12 week scan, but started to relax a bit from there. I also had an extra scan at 16 weeks, to bridge the gap between 12 and 20. I say: do it if it will give you some peace of mind, but don't go overboard. X

I did, my pregnancy is IVF so there was no doubt on dates. I had the scan at 6+1, they'd initially wanted it a few days later hut I was so anxious due to spotting they brought it forward and luckily they were able to see a heartbeat then. In a previous pregnancy I had a scan at 6+2 which was also able to see a heartbeat, although I know this isn't always the case, esp if the dates are a bit out. Lots of people recommend waiting till 7 weeks for this reason which makes sense, I couldn't wait any longer though!

I had 2 MMCs so on this pregnancy my EPU offered me scans at 6.5 weeks and 8.5 weeks and we did a private scan at 10.5 weeks before the official 12.5 week NHS scan. From the second trimester I will stick with NHS scans. I found it much easier to enjoy pregnancy with scans every 2 weeks in the first trimester so I could confirm it was growing as it should. Also my private scan at 10.5 weeks with ultrasound direct was sooo much clearer than nhs and the ultrasound tech was less rushed so talked me through everything. I got videos of baby wriggling around that I treasure forever. I won’t get that with nhs scans - that alone was worth it for me.

With my last MMC I had a 6.5 week scan with my EPU as it’s a standard offering to anyone who’s had a miscarriage. It was uncertain news so my private scan at 7.5 weeks confirmed the non viability much sooner than the 2 week NHS wait. Which was good as i then miscarried some days later and was prepared. Would have been much worse for me to keep hope and then undergo the awful miscarriage at home out of the blue. Or worse to go into my 12 week scan and be told baby passed 5 weeks ago. So I’m a proponent of at least 2 early scans before 12 weeks if you’ve had a MMC (7 weeks and 10 weeks depending how 7 weeks goes) as you can normally tell if baby is measuring too behind and guard your heart.

Oh It’s a zombie someone resurrected!

Maybe wait until near 8 weeks. Think its something like 98 per cent chance of pregnancy continuing if a heartbeat is detected at 8 weeks. I had an early pregnancy scan because I had severe nausea, so firstly it felt like a reward and helped me connect it with the pregnancy and also because if the pregnancy wasn't viable but for some reason my body wasn't inducing miscarriage naturally, I wanted to be able to do this with medicine because every day in the first trimester was a living hell for me.

I am sadly now on my second MMC but positive that I have fallen pregnant first time, both times.

Last time I had a private scan at 6.5 weeks with no heartbeat, this time I had a private scan at 7 weeks with a heartbeat but I had one at 9w today and it stopped at 7w5d

if It had been ok I would’ve felt very reassured, the miscarriage risk drops significantly at 9 weeks (which is is meant to after the heartbeat but here we are)

hopefully next time I can go through the EPU and have extra support

so anyway — do it 😊

So sorry to hear this. ❤️

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Zombie thread from 2022 that hadn’t been active since - someone just posted on it today with another question instead of starting their own thread