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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

early preg scan assessment, should I be worried about this outcome?

12 replies

CakeandFineWine · 22/07/2009 19:15

Hi all

So I had an early pregnancy scan at 4 weeks (2 1/2 weeks ago) due to suspected ectopic pregnancy.
They couldn't see a pregnancy, not unusual at that stage so rescanned today.
They're was a sac in the right place so ectopic ruled out! HURRAH!

BUT
They then said I was 5 weeks!? (So I'm only a week further in 2 1/2 weeks?!)
When I questioned this we both seemed confused was she talking about conception and me last period?! Didn't come away with that answered.

SO
I thought that would be it until my standard dating scan as this was purely to rule out ectopic.
But they want be back in 12 days to confirm that there is a baby there? WHY?!?!
Surely a heartbeat etc would show at this stage anyway?

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Deemented · 22/07/2009 19:17

A heartbeat is usually seen by 7 weeks, so it wouldn't be unusual for it not to be seen at five weeks.

swineofthetimes · 22/07/2009 19:18

Congrats on your pregnancy

I don't think the heartbeat shows until about 6 weeks, if that helps?

Original poster

CakeandFineWine · 22/07/2009 19:21

mmmm, so that would mean dates don't match? Although I would only be 7 weeks today?

So is it normal to do another scan then or wouldn't they wait til 12 week scan.

Oh and she asked me about symptoms, do you feel sick etc!? (I don't really but didn't much with the last!, But I'm knackered and spotty!)

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swineofthetimes · 22/07/2009 19:23

Did you get a report from the EPU? If you didn't - your GP should - so maybe you can give them a call to put your mind at rest?

Original poster

CakeandFineWine · 22/07/2009 19:25

Ok I'll do that thanks swine! Guess they need a couple of days to receive it though?

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rainbowdays · 22/07/2009 23:11

Early scans are notoriously unreliable with measuring dates. Still I am not surprised they are calling you back as there is a question over growth in the 2.5weeks and not corresponding to LMP dates. (in the scan situation they look at size and measurements assume conception + 2 weeks, to correspond to LMP, thus if the baby is smaller than lmp dates should say, they would just assume you ovulated later in your cycle and so still want to check for growth with a repeat scan)

It is normal in many hospitals to scan until a heartbeat is seen, many hospitals want you to wait until 8 weeks, but not always.

So I am not surprised they are calling you back in 12 days, and the outcome could go either way.

My experience is: I had a scan at 7 weeks and measured less than 5, but went back in a couple of weeks and was told all was well and that even my dating from my lmp was correct, so the first scan had been mis-measured. But with another time I went and was told I was 6w1d when I was 6w4days and went back a week later to find I was losing the baby and was then measuring 4weeks. So I have had both experiences of a positive and a negative outcome of a repeat early scan. But have to say that with the scan at 6w1d it even said on the scan printout that there was an error margin of +/- 3 weeks!!!! that is how unreliable early scans are.

So sorry you are having the limbo waiting for the next 12 days, but I will be hoping for a positive outcome for you then.

Caitni · 23/07/2009 10:35

Congrats on your pregnancy but sorry you're in limbo with this ambiguous scan.

I just wanted to add to what Rainbowdays said that my 7 week scan printout said it was plus or minus 4 days. My scan dated me at 7+1 when I was in fact 7 weeks exactly (I had IVF so know my dates are definitely right).

The main reason these scans are so unreliable is that so much depends on the skill of the sonographer. It's routine to call you back two weeks later if there's any query about growth or if it was too early to detect the heartbeat.

I really hope that you get good news when you go back in 12 days.

heavenstobetsy · 23/07/2009 10:46

I too had an early scan which measured up as nearly two weeks behind what I thought - by the time I got to the 12 week scan I was measuring exactly where I thought i should be from my dates again.

I asked the sonographer and she said early scans are very hard to date accurately since the measurements are so small the margin for error is huge

Congratulations by the way!

rebeccacad · 23/07/2009 11:45

Don't worry! I had a scan when I wasn't sure of the dates and they couldn't see anything apart from thickening of uterus lining (no sac, nothing). They compared hcg levels over 2 days and as it doubled they let me go off on holiday for 3 weeks. I was terrified the whole time that I was imagining the symptoms.

Yesterday I had another scan and they found everything including a heartbeat and dated me at 7weeks and 1 days - meaning I was only 4 weeks before. They said it's common not to see anything up to 6 weeks, some people are harder to scan than others.

As for accuracy of dates sometimes we ovulate late or early or just get plain confused - I'm sure they are out by nearly a week even with this latest scan!

Have they taken blood and measured your hcg levels? If not, that might reassure you until your next scan.

Hard as it is, try not to be too stressed (I found deep breathing whenever I started to get worked up helped).

Manhattan · 23/07/2009 13:53

Hi, i went for an early scan on monday because 3 years ago i had an Ectopic pregnancy. Going by my dates i thought i would be 7 weeks pregnant but the doctor said that the sac was too small to be 7 weeks. They then sent me for blood tests and yesterday said that the blood levels had not doubled and gone up a little bit and then she mentioned it maybe another ectopic pregnancy. But i thought an ectopic was in the tube and not in the womb. She then did another scan and saw a type of dark 'blob' on the screen. The doctor then said the sac looks like it has grown a little since monday. I am now due to go back on friday for another blood test and scan. Can anyone help and tell me what maybe going on as i do not understand! Help!

xfingerscrossedx · 23/07/2009 22:07

Hi, I too have suffered an ectopic pregnancy in the past and had two early scans, one at 5.5 and one at 7.5, slight discrepancies between dates at both scans and also at 12 week scan today... it can all depend on when you ovulated. I have a 33 day cycle, so ovulate later (apparently... so clueless). Saw a yoke sac at 5.5 and tiny smudge with a heartbeat at 7.5.

Cake and Fine Wine- maybe they just want to check for heartbeat to make sure all ok at this stage.

Manhattan - perhaps dates are slightly out. Ectopics can be places other than tubes, but never heard of one in the womb (as I'm pretty sure this is a good thing). I think at this stage they just want to make sure you're ok to avoid any complications and to reassure you.

The waiting is horrific, my heart goes out to you both. I really hope everything works out well for you xxx

Original poster

CakeandFineWine · 25/07/2009 21:11

Hey all,
Thanks for all your words of wisdom it is somewhat reassuring!

I had a blood test at 4ish weeks repeated after 48 hours and HcG level nearly tripled!

However when I looked at dates I think I am only 6ish weeks as my cycle isn't regular and can be anything from 31-35days so allowing for the longest I would have only just been 6 weeks at scan!

I'm going to try very hard to focus on anything but positive thoughts until 3rd Aug!

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