early scans?

[Lavenderrose92]

Just wondering what’s the earliest people have had early scans and been able to see heartbeat?

Personally I wouldn’t advise one until 7 weeks or later. It’s possible to see a heartbeat at 6 weeks but it’s not definite and can cause stress. My IVF clinic scans at 7 weeks as they are confident by that point you can get a better idea of viability.

Had first one at 6 weeks on the nhs as I am high risk
I would do it as it can be very reassuring

Due to previous losses and Ectopic pregnancies I am always scanned at 6 weeks (based on LMP).

In the past I have seen:
Viable pregnancy but no heartbeat measuring 6w1d (heartbeat then seen at next scan at 7w).

Heartbeat measuring 6w 3d

Current pregnancy measured 5w 6d and saw heartbeat. (Now 23 weeks pregnant).

Early scans can be both reassuring and not for this reason. We have seen early heartbeats 4x that then ended in loss a few weeks later. Nothing on those scans wouid have indicated anything could be wrong as it's just too early.

I had one at what I thought was 6+5 because I was bleeding. Actually measured 5+6 and there was a heartbeat. This was an abdominal ultrasound. All was fine, she’s now about to turn 6yo.

5+6 on my baby who is now 7 months

I had a scan to check for ectopic and there was a heartbeat at 6+3. I wouldn't have gone for a scan otherwise; you could have a heartbeat at 6+3, and have a loss the next day.

The first 12 weeks is hard!

My EPU won't scan before 7 weeks as their general rule. This is because a lot of women don't get their dates 100% as they don't know the exact date they ovulate, so to get a better scan/be more likely to get a heartbeat, 7 weeks is a better option than 6.

However if you have signs of an ectopic, bleeding etc then they would scan you before.

thanks all. previous ectopic which erupted at 7 weeks, lost my tube so have a nhs one booked for 7 plus 3 days but was debating to do a private one at 6 weeks just to see.
Thank you for response!

I’m going through the same, the nhs is just too late for me, the tube had already ruptured at 7 weeks! I had one at 5w1d to check placement, saw a sac and a yolk, then another at 6w2d and saw the heartbeat

yeah my epu won’t scan me until 7 weeks so it’s a worry! hope your pregnancy is going well x

I had a private scan at 6+5 and was dated 5 and 5 but there was a hearbeat.
I'm 37 and wanted to know if it was in the right place. Didn't stop any anxiety apart from when I got twinges I knew it wasn't an ectopic.
In fact because they bought my dates earlier than 6 weeks I've been more anxious that it might be a mm... I work in healthcare so we see it all too often unfortunately.
So they can reassure 1 aspect but then cause anxiety elsewhere!

5+6 on my daughter at EPU x