How early is too early for a scan?

[Orlahoping]

I realise this is a decision no one can make for me. I'm 5w3d pregnant after an MMC in late Jan/early Feb.

I am having pregnancy monitoring privately this time. They want to do a first scan at 6 weeks but I really think I want to wait until 8 weeks. Their argument is that they want to check the pregnancy is in the right place before continuing preventative progesterone. I, however, feel traumatised by scans after seeing a dead baby at a 12 week scan. I also had an early one at 6 weeks and saw a heartbeat, which reassured me at the time but now I know that means nothing.

I feel like if I have a 6 week scan and it's inconclusive it will cause more stress. On the other hand, if it's already gone wrong I would want to know sooner rather than later. Last time the baby stopped developing at 8/9 weeks but I was almost 13 weeks by the time I found out. I don't want to go through that again, but I also don't want to cause unnecessary stress with a scan that is too early.

Is 7 weeks a reasonable compromise? Or would I still be likely to see very little?

first pregnancy I waited til 8 weeks, in fact my private scan place only sees you at 8 weeks, they say it’s in case you’re not as far as you think (which is common), and so you would know for sure either way on the heartbeat. 6 weeks you may or may not see heartbeat. But this pregnancy I did have a scan at about 6+4 because I had a bleeding, there was a heartbeat, but I really didn’t allow it to reassure me. Fortunately I’m 18 weeks now. Whatever you chose, it doesn’t change anything, but wishing you all the best.

My SIL had a private internal scan and they were between 6 and 7 weeks. They thought they were further though because her cycle is chaotic.

They saw the baby and the heartbeat, only just.

Cautious congratulations OP. I know how nerve wracking it is after losses.

There is no point at which you are techically out of the woods. I think after about 16 weeks it is no more likely that you miscarry at that point than you are to lose your baby at any other point in the rest of your pregnancy.

If you are absolutely certain about your ovulation date then 6 weeks on the dot is usually far enough along to see a heartbeat. I had one at 5+4 with my son where we saw the sac and the yolk sac but not much else, and I had one at 6 weeks on the dot with my daughter where we saw a heartbeat. I was certain about my ovulation date both times. I had private care and my doctor would book women in for a scan at 6 weeks as standard.

By 8 weeks you will see a lot more, and an embryo which is measuring about right for dates with a strong heartbeart by that point is a very good sign. Most early losses happen before 8 weeks.

I was told by a miscarriage specialist that if things are looking good at 10 weeks then you're getting as close to "out of the woods" as it is ever possible to get in pregnancy.

In your position I would either do 6 weeks and 8 weeks, or if you have to choose, wait until 8 weeks.

Hello.

I just had a scan at 7+1 (dates were definite because it was an IVF cycle) and I was able to see the baby and the heartbeat very clearly at that point. It was a transvaginal scan - not sure how clear it would be on abdominal; but that isn’t offered here until 10 weeks anyway.

If you want to wait until 8 weeks, I would insist. I have been for a scan at 7 weeks before, saw a heartbeat and was told all was fine, only to miscarry at 9 weeks. It seems the baby stopped growing not long after my scan. so I know what it’s like to feel that the scans aren’t very reassuring. The private clinic should respect your wishes.

with my son we didn’t have any private scans and thankfully all was well at the 12 week one. We both got sick with worry the night before the scan, it’s such a hard thing to go through.

Im currently pregnant now and have a private scan tomorrow at 6.5 weeks, as I’m on progesterone and they want to check all is ok as I’ve had some bleeding.

have you had any bleeding?

At the very least is 7 weeks. Earlier is not sure they have a heartbeat and that will just cause you extra stress.

I've only had one early at 5 weeks due to very slow riding HCG and they feared it was ectopic.

I recall they said 8 weeks to me, I thought I was and ended up having a vaginal scan which in hindsight I shouldn’t have. I for whatever reason was apparently only 6 weeks not 8. There was a fetal pole. I bled for days after I was so worried. All was ok but I did think I should have waited.

You pay. Your decision.

Thanks everyone, I think I will try my hardest to wait until 8 weeks. I am not 100% sure of my dates so there is a chance I am a bit behind where I think I am l. I feel like 6 weeks when there is a chance I could be a few days behind is just too much anxiety.

@Peonyyyy sorry for your loss and the worry about bleeding at the moment. I am on progesterone too and no bleeding so far. I think if I did start to bleed any I wouldn't be able to hold back from a scan but fingers crossed I won't. I hope all goes well at the scan tomorrow.

I agree that 8 is better than 6

Also can you have a follow up in 10 days to check all is progressing ok think this is key here. So really whatever you choose is largely irrelevant if all is progressing fine - but I think 8 weeks is better somehow

Good luck to you

I agree with other posters 8 weeks is probably a good time.

I just want to add, I completely understand your anxiety. My first pregnancy ended in a MMC that was only found out at the 12 week scan. By the measurements baby died at 10 weeks and I needed a D&C to remove it. It was honestly awful and took a long time to get over it, mostly from the shock because I'd never heard of a MMC before that. However, I've gone on to have two successful pregnancies and I'm now pregnant with my third so there are many success stories after this. You do whatever you need to help get you through the next few weeks. With both of my other pregnancies I had scans at 7/8 weeks, 10 weeks and then the normal 12 week one. I'm keeping everything crossed for you.

@readyforroundthree thank you for sharing your story. Yes, the anxiety is something else! MMCs are awful, especially at 12 week scans when you think you are about to be out of the woods so to speak...

Glad you had healthy pregnancies after. Really hoping that is me too!

@Orlahoping I would love to tell you the scans get easier but they don't 🤣 it traumatised me for life and it probably has you too but you will be ok.

Please take care of yourself, the mental side of it is really really tough, but remember you are more likely to have a successful pregnancy this time so hold onto that. Please come back and update the thread when you've had your 12 week scan.

@Orlahoping I unfortunately had 3 losses last year, the first of which was a MMC at 11+4 which had stopped developing at 7+5. Unexpectedly (we were waiting on a referral to fertility consultant) I fell pregnant again at the end of the year. EPU offered me an early scan at 7+2. I was measuring a week behind but had a heartbeat at 6+2. They then scanned me fortnightly until the 12wk scan. Before every scan I was so scared - unfortunately pregnancy after loss is just a whole other ball game and takes a lot mentally!! 26wks today though, so as some others on the thread - there is always hope!

I think 7wks is a good compromise - particularly if they want to scan before providing progesterone (although looks like you may have started that now anyway?) In terms of reassurance, seeing a heartbeat at 8wks carries more weight statistically, but the likelihood is that you will remain anxious regardless unfortunately! So trust your gut and go with what feels right and what you need at the time.

There is a lovely thread on here for pregnancy after loss if you'd like to chat with other Mums going through it. I think I'm one of the furthest along, others have only just had BFPs. However, see if it works for you. The nature of the thread does mean some anxious posts which might magnify things for you at times. All the best for your rainbow baby 🌈🙏🏼💕

So sorry for your loss Orlahoping. I also had an MMC in the Autumn, very similar to your, 12 week scan and embryo measuring 6 weeks. Unfortunately, I am yet to conceive again so far but when I do, I will likely book a scan for 8 weeks. No way will i be waiting 12 weeks to see a dead baby again! I empathise hugely with you on the fear relating to scans. It has been my main trigger for years since my MMC. Scan pictures, mentions of scans, anything to do with them basically.
I hope yours goes well whenever you decide to have it.

Yeah, I honestly can't imagine ever feeling ok about scans again. Which is partially why I want to limit them, but also don't want to have to wait too long to find out if something is wrong.

Fingers crossed I will be back with good news in a few weeks.

@SnookyPook thank you for your kind message. I think I remember you from some of the over 35 TTC threads I was on during the autumn.

So sorry for your losses, but so happy you are where you are now.

I am lurking on the pregnancy after loss thread already! But you're right - it is hard to balance support with not heightening my anxiety.

I hope the rest of your pregnancy runs very smoothly.

I had recurrent miscarriages, and then two healthy children.

During the first trimester of my last two pregnancies I had scans every two weeks, at 6 weeks, 8 weeks, 10 weeks and then the 12 week scan. It helped me a lot not having to wait too long.

With my son I never really relaxed until about 18 weeks when I started to feel him moving. With my daughter it was a lot easier.

Good luck to you.

Sorry for your loss too. Such an awful thing to go through. Fingers crossed for you in TTC, because that's not a fun ride either!

I honestly think I will close my eyes in the next scan I have until I am told it is safe to open them.

I completely understand, OP. I've been under the recurrent miscarriage clinic and just hated the whole rollercoaster of scans every two weeks, never knowing if an inconclusive one meant there was no hope - it was traumatic and by the end I just felt I'd rather not have known.

In fact with this pregnancy I simply didn't tell them I was pregnant until a scheduled meeting to touch in when I was exactly 8 weeks along. I just didn't want to be prodded any more. It felt far better to wait that long and have a clearer answer. Amazingly after so many unexplained losses and poor growth, this baby is fine and textbook, still beautifully on track at 12 and 15 week scans, and I'll be having my anatomy scan next week which I do actually feel optimistic about.

I get that they want to make sure the pregnancy is in the right place, but I also think it's reasonable to hang on until 7 weeks. 6 weeks, I always think, is pretty useless in terms of confirming the state of the foetus and causes more anxiety than it alleviates. Really hoping this all works out for you. Crossing my fingers tightly!

I’m so sorry you’ve been through this, pregnancy after loss is full of anxiety.

When you have scans will depend on what needs confirming. At 5 weeks you can see if a pregnancy is in the right location (which can rule out an ectopic and give you that early reassurance). I was pleased to have a five week scan as I did have a few one sided pains and was glad it wasn’t ectopic.

At 7 weeks, there should be a heartbeat and sac, so this is a reasonable time to have a scan. However, if you’re a few days out with dates then sometimes this doesn’t show until 8 weeks and it could indeed cause you extra stress at 7!

I suppose the decision all comes down to what helps you mentally. The pros of early scans are that you find out about a potential loss sooner and can move on quicker, the cons being that extra anxiety is inconclusive - although you have to remember that both these negative situations are highly unlikely, it’s so much more likely that you will go on to have a very healthy and normal pregnancy this time. Hope that helps x

Thank you. It is a bit of a slow process all round unfortunately.

Snookypook, so glad thing are going so well for you x

I have agreed with the clinic to have a scan at 7.5 weeks. Fingers crossed! I will update on the outcome.

Thanks for everyone's views and generosity in sharing your stories. It really helped. Pregnancy after loss really is such a head fuck..

I went for a scan today at 7W5D. Over the moon to be measuring a day ahead with a good heartbeat. Not sure how long the reassurance will last as my previous pregnancy ended after this point but it feels like a very positive milestone for today. Fingers crossed everything keeps progressing.

@Orlahoping aw fantastic news! 🥰 Definitely enjoy the wins along the way! This is fantastic news right now so enjoy it 💗🌈