Early pregnancy scan dated me 1w+4 days earlier than I should be . Only gestational sac present.

[ThisDearCoralCat]

Hi , I had an early pregnancy abdominal ultrasound done recently. I was told I was only 6w when I thought I was 7+4. My period this cycle however , started and lasted 3 days and then started for another 2 days 4 days later ….. so I am wondering if it’s possible I just have my dates wrong as I may have ovulated and implanted later due to longer period length …..only the gestational sack was present and I have been asked to wait another 10-14 days and have another scan, obviously assuming the worst…. Any similar stories or success stories of a similar situation? 🤞🏼

I started a similar thread a couple of months ago. Pretty much everyone piled on saying how early scans should be banned/I was silly going for going for an early scan.

I think I went for my scan at 6 and something weeks. They measured me a week behind. I was fairly confident that I couldn’t have been or that would have meant I wouldn’t have tested positive when I did.

I went for a scan with the NHS at 9 weeks which showed exactly the same. A sac but no foetus inside. I was diagnosed with a silent miscarriage.

But, don’t take this as gospel that this will happen to you as there’s lots of good stories out there. I just hated that I felt like a fool for posting on here for worrying about my private scan.

good luck op

I had exactly the same situation last summer. Was very upset and we completely wrote the pregnancy off whilst waiting 2 weeks to be scanned again.

next scan showed a lovely heartbeat and measurements caught up by 12 weeks. Currently 38 weeks!

good luck!

It really depends on how certain you are of your dates and if you were physically tracking ovulation etc as LMP is not always an accurate way to work out gestation.

I have long and irregular cycles. At my first scan, LMP said I should be 8+2 but I actually only measured 6+1. By my 12 week dating scan, i had caught up slightly but was still 10 days behind LMP date and I've stayed there ever since.

I'm now 33 weeks pregnant.

What are your cycles usually like? Mine are regular and I ovulate quite early, and I knew I tested positive quite early too, so I was disheartened when my embryo was measuring 12 days behind. Sure enough, 4 weeks later I miscarried (just 3 days before i was due to have my dating scan). Scan was private so I'd only get another one if I paid for it, which I didn't want to do.
I hope this isn't the case for you, but it did help me to be prepared that I might lose the pregnancy, wasn't so much of a shock when it eventually happened, and why I'd do an early scan again. Much rather find out sooner than later!

As a PP said it depends on how sure you are of your dates. Also from what I understand abdominal scans aren’t as accurate as vaginal scans in the early days.
You will likely read stories going both ways. Unfortunately all you can do is wait and see.
In my personal experience, twice I hadn’t early scans showing earlier than expected. Both times I knew my dates. Both times the follow up scan revealed no growth so both were missed miscarriages.
But there are plenty of stories online where people have caught up with dates or been wrong about dates.

@Bloodybrambles I don’t agree with the people that say early scans should be banned. In my case I’m so so glad both times I was prepared for the losses and didn’t make it all the way until 12 weeks carrying an unviable embryo. I think the people saying they should be banned should realise that everyone is different. Some people may be happy to get excited and wait for the 12 week scan not knowing. I preferred to just know so I could deal with any issues. And like I said in my case I’m really glad I did it and found out early.

Sorry to those that have experienced losses.

I am definitely not against early scans and had several myself in both pregnancies but I do think it should be 8 weeks and over unless for a medical reason like suspected ectopic.
That would give a larger margin of error with dating plus the odds of MC drop significantly once you've seen a healthy heartbeat at 8 weeks or over.

These private scans at 5-7 weeks are preying on vulnerable mums to be and cause more anxiety than reassurance (imo), as dates can be out, no heartbeat, sometimes not even a fetal pole/yolk sac yet and you're in the highest risk time for MC so even if you do see a HB, something could happen days later. There's threads on here everyday from very worried expectant mums.

My EPU offers reassurance scans from 6 weeks if you've had a recorded miscarriage previously. They told me to book in at 6 weeks if I got pregnant again. There are measurements and growth metrics that can be tracked from 6 weeks so it's not all a money making racket. I think 7 weeks is the ideal time if you've got regular cycles as not seeing a fetal pole by then is most often bad news and no yolk sac is definitely unaembryonic pregnancy. It's different with irregular cycles as there isn't an accurate dating baseline. Frustratingly with the NHS, no matter if a scan at 7 or 8 or 9 weeks, they like doing a rescan in a week or 2, to confirm any miscarriage so you're waiting anxiously no matter what.

In many countries a first scan is done at 6 weeks too. It feels daft to me that the most important period of fetal development (first trimester) has just one 12 week scan and women are expected to just assume the best, or wait till they start miscarrying at home (often with no pain killers). Early scans can help women prepare or at least get treatment, sanitary towels, manage work/home and get pain medication rather than being caught off guard.

My response was specifically regarding private scans between 5 and 7 weeks. EPU offering a scan because of a medical reason (including prev miscarriages) is not the same.

As I said, I think the private companies offering early scans should only be able to do so from 8 weeks onwards. Just my personal opinion as someone who has had early scans in 2 pregnancies (and lived abroad where they're offered as a matter of course).

The early scans abroad are done to rule out ectopic and it's made very clear that there may not be anything to see at <6 weeks. I don't think the private scan companies in the UK make that nearly as clear. They just take your money and tell you to contact your EPU or pay for another scan.

My first scan this pregnancy I was 8+2 going from LMP but I measured 15 days behind - my anxiety would have been through the roof if I'd been scanned any earlier (I'm now 33+3, I just have long cycles)

It’s incorrect to say that the NHS always ask you to come back. I had a scan at 8 weeks which showed no heartbeat and as the embryo was 14mm there definitely should have been. I’m told anything over 7mm with no Hb is non-viable. I think for that reason, the earliest I’d go is at 8 weeks. I appreciate it’s a very personal decision though. OP, I hope you get good news in a few weeks.

Thanks for all your responses!! I did an early scan with my daughter at 6+4 and we could see everything including the heartbeat so didn’t even consider any other outcomes this time!!Definitely a massive shock given the extreme fatigue , sore boobs etc I had consistently felt prior to the scan …. I will definitely wait until 8 weeks next time after reading all the stories on here about embryos appearing later …. Lesson learned ! The only positive from doing the early scan is of course I don’t think all is well for any longer as I would be absolutely devastated to turn up to the 12 week scan and only find out then .
Affer the scan on Saturday I have since started to miscarry … in one way I am glad it’s naturally happening but trust me it is not easy while looking after a toddler full time with no family near ! It’s been 2 days of bleeding and cramping ,my scan is booked with EPU tomorrow, praying at this stage they will just tell me all is out and I don’t have to have any further treatment ……
that will be one positive! I also think if I just started bleeding like this it would have been more of a shock had I not known about the possible missed miscarriage from the early scan ….. trying to stay positive after this experience and hoping for the best next time 🤞🏼 will update after the scan incase it helps someone else in similar position! 💜