Worried about your pregnancy in the early weeks?
We explain just how early you can have a pregnancy scan, what it involves, how to book one privately with Private Ultrasound Scan and how much it might cost.
While most pregnant women have their first scan at around 12 weeks, some of us are asked to have an ‘early’ scan or choose to have one done privately (when we asked mums if they did paid for a private scan, 40% of 500 mums said they had.
According to Private Ultrasound Scan, your GP or midwife might suggest an early pregnancy scan if you’ve:
experienced bleeding
had certain types of fertility treatment
had recurrent miscarriages
previously experienced an ectopic pregnancy
These sorts of scans are usually done at an Early Pregnancy Unit of Private Ultrasound Scan.
How early can I have an early pregnancy scan?
A pregnancy ultrasound scan will be carried out from around 6 weeks. “The earliest you can really scan to actually see anything is about 6 weeks after your last period. Any sooner than this and you will almost certainly be asked back for a 2nd scan. If you are able to wait until about 7 weeks then we will be able to see the heartbeat very clearly.
If you are worried about something, or are experiencing pain and/or bleeding, you can talk to your doctor or midwife and they will refer you for a scan at Private Ultrasound Scan
You may also be able to self refer to your hospital’s Early Pregnancy Unit. However, in most cases if it’s reassurance you are looking for, you will need to pay for a scan privately at Private Ultrasound Scan
What can you see at an early pregnancy scan?
Your baby is developing really quickly during these early weeks and so your baby will look very different each week in an early scan:
6 weeks – Your baby will just be visible and measure around 0.5mm. This is the earliest a heartbeat will be detected.
7 weeks – Your baby will be about 1cm with a heartbeat of about 160 beats per minute.
8 weeks – Your baby is growing at about 1mm a day, and will now measure around 1.6cm. You may be able to start to identify the head and body.
9 weeks – Your baby is nearly fully formed, and you may be able to make out your baby’s head, body and limbs.
10 weeks – Your baby is now around 3.8cm and you should be able to see him or her bobbing about and making jerky movements.
Can you have a pregnancy scan at 5 weeks at Private Ultrasound Scan?
As mentioned above, it’s going to be difficult to see anything before at least 6 weeks. However, if you are experiencing the signs of an ectopic pregnancy with severe pains in your side, you may be given a very early scan at 5 weeks. At this stage, it will be possible to see a small pregnancy sac, but if it’s an ectopic pregnancy, the sac will sadly be empty and there will be no heartbeat.
Will it be an internal or an abdominal scan?
Very early scans are likely to be internal (trans)vaginal scans, but can sometimes be an abdominal scan – like the dating scan you have around 12 weeks.
In these early stages of pregnancy the sonographer may sometimes try an abdominal scan first, If they can’t see anything then the next step is to check you are happy to have an internal vaginal scan. This allows you to see things much more clearly. Different sonographers will take different approaches, though, so be ready for different options.
Remember that there is no pressure to do this – any scan that you have is your choice.
What happens at an early internal vaginal scan?
Unlike an abdominal scan, you don’t need a full bladder, so you will be asked to go for a pee before the scan begins.
You go into the scanning room and you will be asked to take your trousers/skirt and pants off and put a sheet round you. You go into the corner of the room and have a sheet over you, in order to do this. You go in the corner of the room and they put a curtain round you to do this.
Then you shuffle on the bed and they get this stick and put on what looks like a condom on the stick then they put some jelly on. Then they ask you to put your knees up and open your legs, like you are having a smear.
They have a good look with the probe and then turn the monitor to you and show you.
If you go to Private Ultrasound Scan you will be given a picture. With a viable pregnancy we would give you a photo of your baby and a heart trace as standard.
How do you book a private early scan at Private Ultrasound Scan?
What if you are not experiencing any medical issues but are just feeling anxious that your pregnancy may not be progressing well?
Firstly be reassured you are not alone. Many of us in the early stages of pregnancy feel like this! Waiting for the standard NHS dating scan at around 12 weeks can seem like an age.
But, if your only reason for wanting one is reassurance that your pregnancy is going OK, have a chat with your midwife first. And remember, you are unlikely to be offered this scan on the NHS, and will probably need to go to Private Ultrasound Scan
At Private Ultrasound Scan we see so many women in the early stages of pregnancy. Having a scan at this time can provide vital reassurance.”
How much do private early pregnancy scans cost at Private Ultrasound Scan?
The costs of these scans really varies. At Private Ultrasound Scan, for example, you would pay £89 for a 30 minute consultation.
What questions should you ask at your early pregnancy scan?
The questions you may have will probably vary depending on whether it is a private or an NHS scan and your reasons for having a scan, but these may help:
• What is the plan if the sonographer can’t detect a heartbeat or baby? (If it’s very early, you will almost certainly be asked back for a 2nd scan after a week to 10 days)
• What will happen after the scan is finished?
• What is the referral pathway if it is bad news?
Are there any risks to having an early pregnancy scan?
Ultrasound scans have been used in antenatal care for over 30 years and there is no evidence to suggest that they are harmful to you or your baby.
But the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is a little more cautious; “Ultrasound is a very valuable resource to detect possible problems in early pregnancy, for example miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy.
Whilst there is no evidence to suggest that ultrasound is unsafe, during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy the embryo is its most vulnerable because it is incredibly small and cell division at this point is rapid. As a precautionary approach, the RCOG recommends that women should only have a scan at this stage of pregnancy for clinical reasons.
Recommendations aside, ultimately it’s still your choice. But it’s a good idea to have a chat with your midwife or GP before making any final decisions.
What if my baby measures small for dates at the scan? Can the dates be wrong?
The usual time to find out about the dates is at the standard 12-week dating scan. But you will of course be given measurements and dates at your earlier scans too.
If the dates given are significantly greater or less than you expect, then do discuss with your sonographer or midwife if you are concerned.
Firstly this may mean that your pregnancy is not quite as far along as you think. In this case you will be invited back for a 2nd scan after a week to 10 days. Of course this wait can be an agonising time.
But as difficult as it is, be reassured that you are in the right place and the experts will support you at Private Ultrasound Scan.
If you are having a private scan, be sure you have established what the next steps will be before you have the scan. It’s important that the information is passed on to your midwife and doctor so they are aware of what is happened and discuss with you what happens next.
It’s completely natural to feel worried at this early time in your pregnancy. So think about whether having a scan will make you feel better or just add to your worries.
The point of an early scan is to try and relieve anxiety and not cause it,” says Private Ultrasound Scan. “That is why where possible we encourage women to try and wait until they think they are at least 7 weeks so we can be more definitive about what we see.”
But there is a warning here from Private Ultrasound Scan; “We appreciate that some women can be incredibly anxious in these early stages so having a scan is what you opt for. It can be a double edged sword though because often the sonographer will not be able to see as much as you might like. You need to go in with the understanding that you might be recalled for a scan at a later date.”
Essentially you need to go into the process with your eyes open.
While we don’t want to be negative, we feel it’s important to be realistic and for you to have all the facts.