Early scans

[Whoisdis]

This is my first pregnancy but I don't think I can cope waiting for my first scan with the midwives between 8 and 12 weeks! 😬I've had my dating appointment through today when I will be 7w5d!
I'm looking at booking in for an early scan around 6w5d to give me some reassurance everything is as it should be and will feel more able to tell my mum our news then 😁

Has anyone had an early scan and recommend it, or anyone advise against?

I had an early scan with DD#2 at around 7 weeks and it was a great experience, was able to be done abdominally and really put me at ease.

Then I had one done this pregnancy (I’m currently 14 weeks) at about the same amount of weeks - 7ish and the sonographer was unable to see anything, she was convinced I must have been earlier than I expected and I ended up with an internal scan which did show baby in the right place and around the right size.

So if you could hold off, even just a week, you might have a better experience, also be prepared that you may need an internal scan to see much.

I had an early scan at 10+3 based on LMP, 10 weeks by EPU scan, measured 9+6. Very reassuring, lots seen.

That being said, I wouldn't recommend a private scan before 8 weeks for several reasons. Below 8 weeks the EPU will tell you they likely will need to do a transvaginal ultrasound as abdominal doesn't always get a good enough picture. Some ultrasound places are not equipped to do transvaginal. Also while you may think you're 6+5, it is really common to be 3-4 days out, not everyone ovulates on day 14. I knew I didn't so I didn't worry I measured behind.

6 weeks is the bottom end of when you can see anything, so if your dates are wrong you really risk not seeing anything and feeling more anxious while you try to sort out an NHS scan. Then if they can't see much because you're only just 6 weeks, you face an anxious 2 week wait for a second scan to see how it develops. If you go for 8 weeks you're much more likely to get reassurance rather than anxiety.

I had one at 10 weeks, could see everything really clearly, the baby actually looked like a baby it was a fantastic experience.

I'd hold off until about 10 weeks to ensure you get good images and it doesn't cause more anxiety if you can't see anything.

I had one at 6w & 8w. 6w had to be internal and just saw a blob with a flicker which was the heartbeat. 8w was abdominal and saw lots more. Worth waiting the extra couple of weeks in my opinion xx

I would definitely wait until about 8w, otherwise it can be inconclusive and more worrying - as in they can’t really see anything. First one showed empty sack, so it was useful for being able to manage the miscarriage and options. The next one showed a heartbeat at 6w, but then sadly not one a few weeks later. The next one the same thing happened. It was useful for me as I could manage the miscarriages early. The EPU then monitored me as soon as got pregnant the next time and had a scan every 2w from 6w until 12w. I couldn’t really believe it was real until I was about 28w and went on to have a healthy baby!! Last one same again but ended up as ectopic.

@BabyBabyBaby123 opps I meant booking appointment at 7w5d not dating 🤦‍♀️ I've not been sleeping great! But I understand your advice, I'm just hugely impatient and worried something might go wrong (no reason other than anxiety) but trying to tell myself even if something does happen I likely can't do anything about it anyway.
I thought the worry would be over when I got my 2 lines! Nope now different worries are at work.

@FlyingHighFlyingLow yeah I suppose, although I was tracking ovulation, so likely good chance on dates. I also ovulate later than predicted so if I wasn't tracking I would have put myself on later dates!

@TTCJJB this is true, I think I just need encouragement to wait a bit later. Haven't told anyone about the pregnancy yet and my husband is agreeing I should do whatever makes me feel better so needed to hear from other ladies I should wait. I would be a wreck waiting for another scan if nothing showed on first...

@Kablea I'm sorry for your experiences, so glad you had a healthy pregnancy 😁

Don't think I will tell family until after I get a scan and can show it, so now I need excuses to not drink when we go out to a show on my birthday 😬 should be 7weeks on the day 😅

I'm just going by many threads I've seen on this pregnancy board but loads of people come here filled with anxiety after their early scans raised questions even though things often turn out to be fine later on.

I was happy to wait for 12 week scans both times, everything feels more real after seeing your baby on the ultrasound so I'd prefer to have first trimester behind me.

I had an early scan at 7+6 - was so lovely. I came out of my scan on a high- which lasted around a day then I was back to being anxious and worried till my dating scan which was nearer 13 weeks 😂 but as it was an IVF pregnancy you have to have the early scan, it’s inc in the package 💙

I had one at 7w 4days (I was tracking ovulation so knew what my dates would be) First pregnancy and I had a lot of anxiety so I wanted reassurance.

I went to a private clinic and they did an internal ultrasound. We saw the baby (very much a blob/tadpole at that stage!) but we also has a heartbeat confirmed and everything was where it was supposed to be.

From my own research anything after 7 or even 8 weeks was better as you could see more which is why I waited until then.

It put my mind at ease for sure.

I would defo recommend having one but it's worth waiting until 8 weeks I would say, before that it's not really guaranteed that they'd find a heartbeat and you'd be able to see anything so they'd just want to see you again in a week anyway. I understand your impatience! Private scans are so much nicer than nhs generally so it's a lovely way to see your baby for the first time. Congratulations xx