6 week scan

[SausageDogMum95]

Hello everyone 😊

first pregnancy and finding all the forums and people here so helpful!

I’ve booked a vitality scan at Window to the Womb on 12th May - based off LMP I should be in my 6th week of pregnancy. Possibly first day of 6th week. I have a 24 day cycle so I find the NHS calculator and the Window to the Womb calculator are a bit at odds - feel Window to the Womb dates based on 28 day cycle. I also have a further scan booked when I will be 8 weeks. Mainly as it’s my first pregnancy and want to see progress before the NHS scans.

Has anyone here had a 6 week scan and would anyone be willing to share their experience? 😊 thank you!

Hello! Congratulations on your pregnancy that’s lovely news.

I’ve had a number of 5, 6 and 7 week scans (only current one successful). They’ve varied a lot and taught me a few things about managing my expectations (so it’s great you’re thinking about it). In my experience, they might try an external (belly) scan but as it’s early it could be transvaginal (internal).

Hopefully 6 weeks is early enough to see a little implanted sac and possibly a heartbeat. But I would just urge caution that you don’t always and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, just varies on the pregnancy. 6 weeks is one of those annoying inbetween stages where you can be left feeling like you had some news but it’s not always definitive (like a heartbeat for example). But very good chance you will see one! My current one had a heartbeat at 5 weeks 6 days so I’ll keep everything crossed for you. I’m basically saying try not to worry about anything you can’t quite see yet as it’s very early but equally very good chance you will see a heartbeat, too!

Sending you the best of luck.

They will always date using an average 28 day cycle. My cycles were also pretty short - 25 days on average.

I chose to only have a scan when I was 8 weeks and I ended up measuring 8+6.

A scan at 6 weeks can bring more stress than anything, as a difference of a couple of days will determine whether you even see a fetal pole or heartbeat.

If you can, hold off until 8 weeks as there will be more to see by then.

I would be hesitant to book a 6 weeks scan, especially the beginning of week 6. Dates are extremely rarely bang on, so a scan that early has the potential to show not much at all especially if out by a few days. In my experience, they've caused nothing but stress and worry. I wish I'd never had them and wouldn't in future. 8-9 weeks is much better if you have it in you to wait😊

Try not to book too many scans in advance, not to be a negative Nancy but take it one scan at a time, nothing is guaranteed and these clinics love to take money from you.
6 weeks you should see a sac and fetal pole, possibly a heartbeat but as pp said, it can vary a lot especially if cycles are not regular.

I would honestly advise cancelling the earlier scan and waiting until 8 weeks or so

Congratulations!:)

As others have mentioned please be really careful with private scans - there's been news coverage over the last few years about poor practice at private ultrasound clinics.

Sonography isn't regulated the way other medical professions are and you can't be sure how qualified the sonographer is to interpret what they're seeing.

6 weeks is also really early - I had a viability scan at 9 weeks this pregnancy but it was at a clinic which also operates as a fertility clinic with experienced and fully qualified sonographers.

All the best to you with your pregnancy :)x