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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

does anyone know how early a scan can pick up a heartbeat?

22 replies

kissmummy · 31/01/2009 17:44

and when did your pregnancy symptoms really start?
One of the posters on this site has spoken of having a scan at six weeks, where they found a heartbeat. I didn't think that was possible? Does anyone know what a realistic time would be to go for a scan? I would like to have an early scan following two previous miscarriages but don't want to go too early and then find i have to go again for them to be sure there is/isn't a heartbeat.
should i leave it till eight weeks or is seven realistic? i know there are no guarantees anyway but if things are going wrong i'd prefer to know sooner rather than later...also i am stupidly over analysing every little pregnancy symptom (i can't seem to stop doing this, though i know it's pointless) or lack of symptoms and am wondering when morning sickness typically starts?

OP posts:

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scrooged · 31/01/2009 17:46

around 7 weeks but it can be a bit longer for some babies. They normally request a rescan in a couple of weeks if they can't pick one up at 7, it is sometimes due to the dates being wrong.
I didn't get alot of symptoms with ds, it can be normal for some.

eandh · 31/01/2009 17:46

I had a scan at 6+6 with dd2 and saw a heartbeat (and had had 2 mc after dd1 so was anxious to see heartbeat plus I had been bleeding)

I had private scans done with both dd's there is a fab clinic near us that only charge £50 and then if you have a 4d scan done later they refund the £50 of the 4d scan fee

nappyaddict · 31/01/2009 17:46

They told me that they can usually find a heartbeat at 6 weeks which was when i had my first scan.

TotalChaos · 31/01/2009 17:47

between 6 and 8 weeks. I would wait till 8 weeks.

Geepers · 31/01/2009 17:47

I have had a scan at 5 weeks 6 days and it detected the heartbeats of two babies.

TotalChaos · 31/01/2009 17:47

btw I had an NHS scan at 6/6.5 weeks, and was told I was lucky to have seen a heartbeat so early.

eNABlemetobebetter · 31/01/2009 17:48

I had a scan at 6 +3 and there was a heartbeat.

eandh · 31/01/2009 17:48

oh and I never had pg symptons with dd2 (no sickness,sore boobs, metallic taste, dislike of smells in fact I wish I did have as was worryin teh whole time) had slight sore boobs with dd1 but only really from 4-7 weeks

vikt · 31/01/2009 17:49

Not long after I found out I was pregnant, did huge bleed... Figured all over, but doc sent me for a scan. The nurse had the screen turned away from us, and then siad 'Oh!' Turned the screen towards us, and there was this little light beeping away. 7 weeks and very much with us. Happy happy happy. Little heart now 3yr old DS.

brettgirl2 · 31/01/2009 18:38

I had a scan which detected heartbeat at 5+4. However, I think it depends on a lot of things and the sonographer seemed almost quite proud - if you are looking for reassurance I would leave it till you are about 7 1/2 weeks. I had another one at this stage and you could see a lot more (plus I could see the HB clearly, whereas at 5+4 although she could see it it wasn't clear to me!)

mamakoukla · 31/01/2009 18:41

We had an early scan at 5 wk 5 days and were lucky to have picked up the heart fluttering away. Were told that the heart can be detected as early as six weeks but it depends on instrumentation/sonographer/etc.

Good luck and a big hug xxx

auntyspan · 31/01/2009 19:18

I had a "reassurance scan" at 8 weeks after a previous miscarriage, they wouldn't scan me any earlier incase I'd got my dates wrong, although the sonographer said you can see at heartbeat at 6 weeks.

Do you have an EPU - they may have policy that they stick to rather than you making the decision?

mooseloose · 31/01/2009 19:24

I'm sure mine was 6 weeks, cos i knew i had had a miscarriage the month before, and then I didn't come on again the next month! So it was to check and see what was going on!

TrinityRhino · 31/01/2009 19:27

I had a dating scan and they said the baby was 5 +4 and therefore they couldn't hear the heartbeat yet
I thought I was further alon and panicked but they assured me that all was fine
they told me to come back in one week and I heard the heartbeat at 6 +4

eidsvold · 31/01/2009 21:24

I was around 7 weeks when I was sent for a scan to check all was well and we could see the heartbeat very clearly then.

spicemonster · 31/01/2009 21:29

I would wait till 8 weeks if you can bear it. And morning sickness is not necessarily a great sign of anything - I know people who've had perfectly healthy children and no ms at all. I know how hard it is, I've been there but the scan I had at 6 weeks was a bit uncertain so I had another at 8 weeks. In a lot of ways, I would have rather not have had the 6 week scan as that was worse than no scan at all.

SheWillBeLoved · 31/01/2009 21:31

6+1 for me, early scan after a bleed and previous miscarriage.

stillenacht · 31/01/2009 21:33

i conceived on 21st November 1998 and had threatened miscarriage and early scan (internal)on 24th December 1998 and the heartbeat was visible as a flashing blob but i stopped bleeding and then bled again from 11-14 weeks (pg was all ok in the end and DS1 is now 9)

Original poster

kissmummy · 31/01/2009 21:34

am going to wait till 8 weeks as i think it would be worse to go at 7 weeks and get an uncertain result and then have to pay all over again to be sure what's going on. (they don't do early scans in my part of London - have to go private and it's not cheap: £125 which doesn't feel so bad if you get a happy outcome but is not much fun if there's no bean, as happened to me last time....

OP posts:

poppysweetie · 01/02/2009 16:54

I think 8 weeks is realistic

Hangingbellyofbabylon · 01/02/2009 16:58

I think if you have to pay and so only have one shot at it, better to wait to 7 or 8 weeks. Will it be an internal scan? heartbeats can be picked up much earleir that way. We saw mine at 5+6 but with previous pregnancies not until 6+5 ish. Good luck.

firstontheway · 01/02/2009 22:08

If you are in London, don't pay privately, go to a free walk in EPU, I believe there's one in Tooting (St George's hospital) and possibly a couple of other hospitals too but i can't remember the names (maybe St Thomas?, I'm sure someone else can help that lives in London.

Good luck x

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