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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Teeny, tiny embryo only 2.1mm in Week 6

28 replies

Kanuck · 21/12/2008 11:30

Hi
I had an early scan yesterday (mid Week 6) as part of my IVF 'package' and embryo is extremely small at only 2.1mm. Some reassuring news (?) is that we could vividly see a heart beating. In any case, I am quite concerned as an embryo in its sixth week should be 4mm+. Will do another scan next week.

Dating is not in question as fertilisation / conception is clear with IVF.

Has anybody had any similar experiences?

Would love to hear from you!

OP posts:
brettgirl2 · 21/12/2008 11:45

Not sure what you meant by "week 6". If you are still actually 5+ something then seeing a heartbeat is really lucky. I have a picture of my 'baby' at 5+4 and was not given exact measurements but it is not 4mm! They can't date accurately until later than that - if the heart is beating well then I feel that you may have been provided with more info than is useful!

Original poster
Kanuck · 21/12/2008 12:12

I should have clarified (as I start to learn the pregnancy lingo) - I scanned 5+5 and yes, was told it was a bit early to be seeing a heartbeat. However the doc did say that the embryo size was smaller than would be expected for Week 6 and I should scan this coming week to see if there has been growth. I guess I'll be brave and do that 2 days before xmas.

OP posts:
belgo · 21/12/2008 12:18

I've never been in suite the same position as you but just wanted to say seeing a heart beat is a very good sign, especially this early. The scan measurements are notoriously inaccurate and hopefully all is fine for your baby.

Coldtits · 21/12/2008 12:19

the embryo could have been lying on it's side, meaning the scanner was measuring the width of it's arse, surely?

belgo · 21/12/2008 12:20

quite not suite!

brettgirl2 · 21/12/2008 13:13

I've measured my scan picture and at 5+4 (confirmed cos I'm 24 weeks today) mine was 3mm. There are two things that make me think you may have been worried unnecessarily - firstly they didn't even bother to measure mine at all OR secondly date my pregnancy based on the scan (I didn't have a clue what my dates were within a couple of weeks). My pregnancy was dated at the next scan because I was still bleeding (!) at 7+4.
If these measurements were reliable then they would have dated mine based on the size (She just said I was less than 6 weeks and that was it!)

Have a read around - there are loads of people who have had scans even at 6+ and they have been able to see nothing and it's turned out fine. I normally keep my mouth shut in those situations because I had a very different experience!

laumiere · 21/12/2008 15:25

I had a natural conception and DS was even smaller than that at 6w. (They'd originnally put conception at 9w). He's now a cheeky 2.5 year old so there is hope!

(I was being scanned in case DS was ectopic)

Rozebud · 21/12/2008 17:49

Hi all,

Can I ask - were these early scans abdominal or vaginal that you had? I am (I think) 6+4 and go for addominal scan tomorrow morning. Its my first and I am so nervous they won't see anything or get any heartbeat.

This is a dating scan as I have irregular periods - my last period was September, and my doctor wants to be sure I conceived in November as I am 99% I did.

Do you think if they don't see anything they will give me a vaginal? Can I insist on this? Don't want it to ruin my holiday!

Rozebud · 21/12/2008 17:51

Kanuck - I meant to say, I will let you know what they say about sizes, if anything useful comes up.

KitCat26 · 22/12/2008 11:40

Kanuck & Rozebud-

I dont know if this helps but I had an early scan two weeks ago due to light bleeding. First they tried an abdominal which showed up a tiny dot with a heartbeat. The nurse thinks I was about 5 1/2 - 6wks at the time, and that the embryo was 2 or 3mm. She said that babies growth tends to fluctuate and one week it may have a real growth spurt- she didnt seem too concerned about it anyhow.

After that she said she would like to do a vaginal scan, which is meant to show everything up a bit better. For some reason it didn't really unless I held my breath, but she said that was unusual. All appeared ok though.

Thats all I can offer I'm afraid as it is all new to me too Good luck!

sparklingreactions · 22/12/2008 11:54

anyone know how accurate 8 week scans are?

cece · 22/12/2008 11:55

At this early stage I think they nearly always do a vaginal scan.

I had a scan at 8 weeks with the consultant who measured the baby and he said it was 6 days behind my dates. At the 12 week scan it was spot on for my dates. That is why they don't ususally go on dates measured before 12 weeks, they are less accurate apparently.

sparklingreactions · 22/12/2008 11:57

i heard they were more accurate im so confused i had a scan at 8 weeks 13+2 and 20+2 they all tied in and i had a period a week before the scan showed i did i was just wondering if an 8 week scan could be 3 weeks wrong an a 13 week scan 4 weeks wrong?

cmotdibbler · 22/12/2008 11:59

The measurement tolerance on the ultrasound scanner is +/- 2mm, which is why early dating is notoriously inaccurate as this range makes a huge difference.

I had scans with DS every other week from 6 weeks, and my dates wobbled round a lot

sparklingreactions · 22/12/2008 12:01

if the other 2 dates where accurate would you trust them? i think my dates could be up to a month out and dont want 2 go a month over!!

sparklingreactions · 22/12/2008 12:04

although i didhave a period an subtactin the 2 weeks the add for gestational age the scan was only 2 days out 2 where i could have concieved that month what do yall think im confused lol

sparklingreactions · 22/12/2008 12:08

sorry 4 bugging but anyone who can help i would be so grateful xxx

cmotdibbler · 22/12/2008 12:12

My friend had a period when she was def pg - it's one of those strange things.

You need to go with the scan dates

cece · 22/12/2008 12:14

If you google ultra sound dating, see if you can find the charts that list the measurements of femur length, abdominal circumference and biparietal diameter. You should have a record of these measurements in your handheld notes. It should give you a clearer idea of what dates you were measuring. I have just looked mine up and the charts had measurements for the 50th 5th and 95th growth centile for each week. Can't do a link as it was to a word documents os don't think it would work.

sparklingreactions · 22/12/2008 12:16

i cheked the measurements and they are looking correct as to the ages they gave me
i was just wondering if the dates they gave me could have been a month out?

brettgirl2 · 22/12/2008 18:29

There's no way that your measurements could be a month out.. My first two scans were internal and the second dated me accurately to the day at 7+4.

sparklingreactions · 22/12/2008 18:31

mine wrent internal are these as accurate the first scan at 8 weeks was because they thought i was ectopic and my womb didnt 'feel big enough' to be 8 weeks so they did a scan turns out i was 8 weeks!

chandellina · 22/12/2008 18:40

Kanuck - I had a scan about a year ago at 6 weeks 1 day and the baby was only 1.7mm, with a heartbeat. I'd had two previous miscarriages so I was a nervous wreck.

I'm happy to report that baby is now nearly five months old!

best wishes.

brettgirl2 · 22/12/2008 18:47

There is a massive difference between 8 weeks and 11 - at 8 it is like a tiny little bean with funny stumpy little arms and legs at 11 weeks it's practically a fully formed (but mini) baby.

sparklingreactions · 22/12/2008 18:53

yeah it kinda looked liek a bean with a head on my first scan lol i think im just being abit paranoid really im due in 12 weeks starting 2 panick!! lol

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