6 weeks but measuring 5 weeks 3 days

[Mrsblobby88]

I had my scan today and I could see the heart beat. First time I've got to this place after 5 ivf attempts. The songrapher told me not to worry but ofcourse I am- I have had 2 early miscarriages before so I don't think I will ever not feel anxious during pregnancy. Anyone else been in this position?

thanks

IVF pregnancy here too! My first clinic scan the first measurement they got was I think 5 days behind then when I relaxed and she got a different angle it was 2 days behind so booked me in for a rescan 2 weeks later and was still measuring a couple of days behind, I'm now 17 weeks and everything scan so far has been bang on the dates! I think the difference in days in measurements is literally tiny! Have they asked you to come back in for a rescan? It's the most nerve wrecking time ever and unfortunately the worry doesn't really go! Best of luck I hope little baby catches up! XX

Hey. Thanks for replying. No she didn't ask me to go back in, she was worried at all but I am. I don't think I'll stop worrying :( xx

I would book a private scan if I was you just for your own peace of mind, I know 2 weeks feels like forever away but I think it's a good amount of time for baby to catch up and you'll see a massive difference from your first scan. Please keep me posted. I'm having another scan on Saturday and it'll be my 6th scan but honestly I've needed them for my own sanity! Xx

I think I will be booking regular scans otherwise I'll drive myself nuts. Will keep you posted xx

Last week I had a scan at the hospital- I thought I was 6+5, they initially said 5+5 and they weren’t worried about that even. But actually I started to relax and they were able to get clearer pictures- it went up to 6+1 and then 6+3 by the end of the appointment. The sonographer and nurse were both reassuring me that it’s hard at this stage to get the measurements as it’s so tiny, and it’s normal to be a bit out. But I completely get the worry!

It's so hard tonget the right measurements at this stage. Imagine how tiny the baby is so a slight angle can cause a big variance.

Not an IVF baby but my now 2yr old was measuring behind by 6 days at my 6w scan. 4 days at my 12w scan etc. He caught up by my 20w scan and was born bang on 5pth ventilation on his due date.

The fact there was a heartbeat is great.

I have a very similar history (5th round of ivf brought us our first fetal pole and heartbeat, early nhs scans due to ectopic and MMC). At 5+5 there wasn’t yet a visible heartbeat on TV scan, and CRL was measuring behind. At 6+5 an abdominal scan showed only 1.4 mm of growth since previous scan, and behind by about a week, but clear hb. The next abdominal scan at 8+5 measured 4/5 days behind, but then she got me to empty my bladder halfway, scanned again, and I was only 2 days behind. Every scan since then has measured spot on for my ivf dates (20+5 today and babe was measuring well all over at 20 week scan). I think no matter the stories you collect you will be worrying, I think I found literally every historic story here and Reddit of measuring behind during that worrying time (I was bleeding too). But it is absolutely true that when they are teeny, it is incredibly easy to measure “wrong” but be right. Heartbeat is most important.

I’ll add, I’ve started having my cervix measured weekly with TV scans, and even something as big as that (compared to a teeny fetal pole) gets measured like 5 times in a row all with slightly different results, so that the result is an average of a few measurements.

Lastly, know your name from here so im sure you’re as aware as i am, that private scans aren’t necessarily as accurate as EPU ones, certainly one of mine the picture we got was very fuzzy at 12 weeks compared to the nhs one (baby wouldn’t cooperate at nhs one for NT measurement). In case that causes extra worry. I hope you’re as lucky with your EPU as I am, they gave me fortnightly scans until 12 weeks. Will be thinking of you.

Even with IVF you get some variation, don't you? Because you don't know when the embryo implanted and there can be a fair range between one that's hatching when it's transferred and implants right away, and one that carries on going for a bit. Aside from the fact it's so tiny and hard to scan accurately. I hope and trust it's all fine, and I'm sure if the sonographer isn't worried that is a good sign.

I was! I had an IVF pregnancy (and now baby) last year. I was also measuring behind at my first scan. I had my scan at 7 weeks and they said I was measuring 5 weeks but they weren’t worried. So I tried my hardest to relax until the 12 week NHS scan (I failed miserably at relaxing! 🫣)
they weren’t worried at the IVF clinic and said this was quite normal! So I only had the 12 week scan booked in after that.
I wish I booked a private scan though like around 9 / 10 weeks as I think that would have settled my nerves a bit more.
the NHS midwives changed my due date to a week earlier based on my last period (not really sure how it works because it was an IVF pregnancy so they knew exactly when it happened, but hey-ho) so for the 12 week scan I was measuring bang on. And then all the other scans after that I was measuring where i should have been. If the clinic wasn’t worried then that’s a very good sign!!

congratulations 🙌🏻 & I’m wishing you the very best for this pregnancy!!! Sending you lots of IVF mummy hugs 🫂 ✨

so I spoke to the midwife and she wants me back in for a rescan in a couple of weeks because a baby is showing more than 3 days behind what they would expect :(stressed.

thanks all ❤️

This is just standard protocol. I know it's easy for me to say but please try not to worry.

I was measuring about 4 or 5 days behind at my scan when I thought I was 6 + 2. I’m now 18 weeks and baby has consistently been measuring ahead… try not to worry about the early scans I know it’s hard after your long journey. But they aren’t always accurate as baby is so small.

(I also think if you saw heartbeat you are more than 5 weeks 3 days personally!!) Xxx

just for reassurance usually they say 5 weeks 5 is the earliest to see a heartbeat on scan so the fact they’ve told you there’s a heartbeat but you’re measuring 5 weeks 3 makes me automatically think you’re further than that

Congratulations!

Scans are great for a lot of things but I'm not convinced about their 'dating/measuring' feature. And, in fact, in the same pregnancy, some medicos swore up and down that my baby was a certain age but later others swore up and down that scans could not be used to measure accurately...

At my first dating scan, they told me my baby was at least a week younger than I expected. Because DH had been away at certain times, I knew exactly when we'd been successful. I tried to explain that it was impossible for baby to have been conceived when they said b/c DH was away but they were not willing to listen.

Thank you all so much. You really are making me calmer ❤️❤️ I will definitely keep you all posted xx

Just imagine how the tiniest bit measurement can throw it off by days at this early stage. It's so hard to get a measurement right at that stage.

The fact there was a heartbeat is fantastic news because if it truly was measuring 5ish weeks that likely wouldn't show.

Had another scan today at 7 weeks and baby measuring exactly 7 weeks ❤️❤️❤️

yeahhhhh!!! The relief I bet you’re feeling :) so nice to leave a scan appt with nothing concrete to worry about. Very happy for your update.

Ah lovely news @Mrsblobby88 💕