Early Pregnancy Scan
(6 weeks 0 days - 10 weeks 6 days) Price €99
Early pregnancy can be a very exciting time and often couples want to see the baby as soon as possible. This scan is available to anyone who wants some reassurance, but particularly for those who are unsure of their dates, have had some bleeding, pelvic pains, concerns, or have felt that their early pregnancy symptoms have disappeared when they should be present.
- To confirm intrauterine pregnancy
- To determine fetal viability
- To provide accurate gestational dating
- To establish an accurate estimated due date
- To identify and measure fetal heart rate
- To determine chorionicity and amnionicity if a multiple pregnancy
- To examine for obvious uterine and ovarian pathology (please understand that visualisation of these structures is not always satisfactory in pregnancy)
When to have an Early Pregnancy Scan
The heart beat of the embryo can be seen from 6 weeks onwards, therefore, the Early Pregnancy Baby Scan can be performed from 6 weeks 0 days – 10 weeks 6 days from the first day of your last menstrual period (LMP).
If your menstrual cycle is longer than 28 days it is advisable to wait until you are at least till 7 weeks from your LMP to confirm the viability of the embryo as you may not be as far as your dates suggest.
How to prepare for an Early Pregnancy Scan
You are required to have an adequately full bladder for your early pregnancy scan. There is certainly no need to be uncomfortably full. We suggest that you go about your normal daily routine but just not empty the bladder half an hour before the scan.
There is a small chance that a transvaginal scan may need to be performed in order to get a clearer view. Some patients prefer this method of scanning as the resolution of the image is higher improving the accuracy of the measurements and the clarity of the pictures. Feel free to request this as there is no extra charge.
Ultrasound Baby Scan Video
Deborah explains the Early Pregnancy Scan
Take Home Package
- Ultrasound report for your doctor
- 2 glossy photograph printouts
- Disc with a few 2D pictures and a 2D video
What to expect from an Early Pregnancy Scan
During the ultrasound scan we assess the position and shape of the gestational sac. It is important to see the sac within the uterus as this excludes an ectopic pregnancy. We then look for the presence of the embryo or possibly multiple embryos. The heart rate is measured to determine viability.
A measurement is taken from the tip of the head to the little bottom, called the crown rump length (CRL). When performed correctly, this measurement is the most accurate way of dating a pregnancy. Many studies show that this form of dating is more accurate than the first day of the last period or measurements taken at detailed anomaly scan which is carried out at around 20 weeks. We also examine the uterus and ovaries for any pathology such as ovarian cysts or fibroids.
Duration of the Early Pregnancy Scan
The scan only takes a few minutes to gain all the necessary information but we schedule you in for 30 minutes to allow you enough time to ask all your questions and enjoy the experience.