External ultrascan at six weeks?

[SoddingSoda]

ultrasound - cannot edit title.

In hindsight I should have not bothered with a private scan at 6w, but I was eager to see that all was going well with this pregnancy especially as I’m not having many symptoms this time around.

I got a last minute appointment in a clinic in my DH home town yesterday. As I went to lie down I mentioned that I thought it would be an internal examination. They said they’d do an external one first.

The spent the majority of the scan talking me through a cyst that they found on my right ovary then very breezily said for me to book in for another scan in a couple of weeks as I’m only 5-6 weeks and my gestational sac is empty. I asked if there was a possibility of it not being empty but not being able to view the yolk/pole etc and I was told it was completely empty because it was probably too soon.

The offered to book me in for a free rescan in two weeks (as per their policy) but DH home town is hours away. There’s no appointments available around here either.

I know I should have had an internal examination but he did have a good poke around the gestational sac and I didn’t see anything in there either. Google seems to be split that either it’s likely to be a miscarriage or that it was just too soon to tell/foetus was just hiding.

Said it yourself, you shouldn’t have bothered.

Way too early.

Way too early, I'm fortunate and come under private consultant care and even they won't scan me before 7 weeks (I suffer from reoccurring miscarriages so am monitored pretty closely!)

At least something was there, that's a positive start

It is too early yes.

It's just way too early - but I had scans less than a week apart at 11 and a bit weeks and 12 weeks and the difference then was staggering but early than that it's been internal.

Please be comforted by the fact that they couldn't see anything is exactly how it should look at this stage.

Same thing happened to me. I panicked and thought it was all over. Went back a few weeks later and everything was looking perfect. Please don't worry yourself, I'm sure its just too soon and the next time you go in you will see that everything is ok. ❤️

They shouldn't have even scanned you, especially not externally. What sort of "clinic" is it? I made the mistake of going for an early scan at a Window To The Womb and it was a terrible decision. They are not set up to manage anything other than standard. I would strongly advise anybody against it.

Same thing happened to me..I'm 30 weeks now so all was well in my case. It's correct they try external first. Atleast at my NHS epu scan he did!

Sorry to jump on the post. I'm going for a scan at one of window to the womb branches. I've currently been bleeding and looking for abit of reassurance as EPU can't do it soon enough. Why did ypu have a bad experience?

@Winnie1311 I couldn't see your comment and run either..I also had an early scan at window to the womb. They are awful and I'll never ever return or recommend. First pregnancy and I was so excited..was scanned there and told yes we see yolk sac and gestational sac but there's no fetal pole so you'll atleast start bleeding tomorrow and miscarry as this won't be viable. I was distraught and expecting the worse. I in fact didn't bleed so I called epu and explained the situation and they got me in straight away and scanned me. While I was there the Sonographer asked to see if we had a photo from the wttw scan and I did and showed him. He pointed out the fetal pole and said there is one - yes small but it's there. Caused me all of that stress for nothing. He then scanned me and it was clear as day. Most are unqualified if not all, they don't know how to handle such situations and it's absolutely horrific having to walk out in tears infront of all the heavily pregnant women waiting around with smiles on there face. No compassion or any 'it may just be to early' from a person in the place. Even the receptionist didn't know what to say she scurried off as we were leaving the scan room. The nhs sonographer said they are taking the pure piss out of nervous expecting mothers for money and he'd never ever recommend them for an early scan at the bare minimum. I went to ultrasound direct recently for my 4D scan and the sonographer was also working in my local hospital and is also a midwife there so she worked private and nhs. There all qualified too. Her growth scan was on point as I had my nhs one 2 days later and the measurements were nearly aligned. Again I'm not sure about early scans at all anywhere private but atleast that was a better experience!! I'm sure window to the womb won't even scan you if your bleeding if I remember correctly..

Sorry that this experience has been so horrible for you OP. I agree with PP the window to the womb are awful. I went for a scan at 9+6 and they were so disorganised it was awful. Ultrasound direct on the other hand, were absolutely brilliant (at 14ish weeks). If I were ever to have another I would not go back to WTTW.

I honestly think scans so early should be banned unless conducted by the EPU for medical reasons. It's just a money maker taking advantage of anxious women.

That's totally normal at 5 to 6 weeks to see either nothing at all, or an empty gestational sac regardless or abdominal or transvaginal.

In 2 weeks time you'll be able to see if everything has developed as it should and if the pregnancy is viable. Hopefully there will be an embryo and heartbeat then. Good luck.