Women who have a history of ectopic pregnancy or who experience symptoms such as bleeding or stomach pains soon after becoming pregnant may be invited to have a scan at an early pregnancy unit in their local hospital. These scans are not routinely available for pregnant women on the NHS unless there is a medical reason for one. We spoke to Rhonda Flemming, consultant gynaecologist and obstetrician at London Gynaecology , as well as to four mums who had glimpses before the three month mark, to find out what you need to know about the procedure. Flemming says it is possible to have a scan from as early as four weeks into your pregnancy and in some rare cases scans may be performed even earlier than this. Most private clinics do not offer scans before six weeks of pregnancy, unless there is a medical reason for needing one. Flemming adds that a scan in early pregnancy may be recommended for a variety of reasons. London Gynaecology also offers a number of care packages involving early pregnancy scans and consultations.

Early pregnancy scan: brief description

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We routinely offer all women blood tests in the early stages of pregnancy to check A pregnancy scan or ultrasound scan uses high-frequency sound waves to.

Direct contact with the midwives can result in earlier access to health information and screening that can help the health and wellbeing of both mum and baby. This can help to reduce potential complications by making sure mums get the advice they need to give their babies the best start in life. An answer phone service is in place where you can leave your details. Once we have your details we aim to contact you within 2 working days, at busy times this may take us a little longer.

Please be aware, when we call you back, the call will come from a withheld number. If your usual number won’t accept these calls please ensure you provide us with an alternative contact details. A healthcare professional will chat with you and provide you with important information for early pregnancy. Once we have spoken to you, you will be allocated a booking appointment with your midwife and sent an information pack in the post.

Your Pregnancy Journey

We provide a range of community services in Harrogate and the local area as well as across North Yorkshire and Leeds. At your initial booking appointment, you will be offered a range of important tests to screen for certain conditions that may affect your pregnancy. It is important for you to be aware that ultrasound scanning is a form of screening and is done to perform important checks on the health and development of your baby. The combined test involves a blood test and a nuchal translucency NT ultrasound scan in the first trimester of pregnancy, normally at 12 weeks.

For more information about screening, please speak to your community midwife or our screening co-ordinator on or

Most dating scans are done with a trans-abdominal transducer and a fullish bladder. If the pregnancy is very early the gestation sac and fetus will not be big.

We use cookies to collect information about how you use GOV. We use this information to make the website work as well as possible and improve government services. You can change your cookie settings at any time. Information about the first trimester ultrasound scan, also known as the pregnancy dating scan. If you use assistive technology such as a screen reader and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email publications phe. Please tell us what format you need.

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Pregnancy Appointments

Unless this is required urgently, a letter will be sent to you in the post with the date and time of your scan. Please allow about an hour for this appointment, as after your scan a midwife will need to talk to you about other appointments you may require, blood test results and screening tests. Your anomaly scan also known as your 20 week scan. At your 1st trimester scan, an appointment will be made for your anomaly scan.

During this scan, the sonographer will have a detailed look at your baby.

Ultrasound scans. Dating scan. An ultrasound scan will be performed on your first visit to the unit: This is usually when you are between 10 – 14 weeks pregnant.

A dating scan is an ultrasound examination which is performed in order to establish the gestational age of the pregnancy. Most dating scans are done with a trans-abdominal transducer and a fullish bladder. If the pregnancy is very early the gestation sac and fetus will not be big enough to see, so the transvaginal approach will give better pictures.

Dating scans are usually recommended if there is doubt about the validity of the last menstrual period. By 6 to 7 weeks gestation the fetus is clearly seen on trans-vaginal ultrasound and the heart beat can be seen at this early stage 90 to beats per minute under 6 to 7 weeks, then to beats per minute as the baby matures. Ultrasounds performed during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy are generally within 3 – 5 days of accuracy.

The most accurate time is between 8 and 11 weeks gestation. This is because the fetus is growing so quickly that there is a big difference in size from week to week. However, the accuracy of the ultrasound examination is always dependent on the skill of the sonographer and the quality of the equipment. The EDD from the early dating scan is used – if the last menstrual period is not known or is unreliable, or the dating scan differs from the last menstrual period dating by more than 5 days.

Ultrasound examinations from 12 to 22 weeks are regarded as being within 10 days of accuracy or up to 10 days earlier or 10 days later than the woman’s calculated due date. Ultrasounds performed after 22 weeks gestation cannot be used to estimate the due date of the baby because the size no longer reflects the age very well. Even average babies can differ by up to 2 to 3 “weeks of growth”;. These scans are only used to estimate the due date of your baby if this is all you have to go on.

Early Pregnancy Scan

Back to Your pregnancy and baby guide. Ultrasound scans use sound waves to build a picture of the baby in the womb. The scans are painless, have no known side effects on mothers or babies, and can be carried out at any stage of pregnancy. Talk to your midwife, GP or obstetrician about any concerns you have. For many women, ultrasound scans are the highlight of pregnancy.

It’s very exciting to “see” your baby in the womb, often moving their hands and legs.

the early scan helps us to work out the date when your baby is due. We might suggest a different date from that indicated by your last period. This is because not.

You will mainly be under the care of a midwifery team throughout your pregnancy. Most women should have a named midwife who will oversee your pregnancy care. You may also require the care of a Doctor if your pregnancy is deemed more complex or you have pre-existing health conditions. Your midwife will check your blood pressure, dip your urine and ask about your growing baby at each antenatal appointment. Your schedule of appointments will vary depending on your individual circumstances and this will be discussed with you with your midwife at the initial appointment.

You will usually be seen routinely every weeks, depending on your pregnancy needs. See more about pregnancy appointments here. The Health Visiting team will also be in contact with you towards the end of your pregnancy and once your baby is born to continue your community care. Most women see a midwife by 10 weeks of pregnancy.

It is quick and takes only about 20 minutes.

Antenatal Ultrasound

Throughout your pregnancy, you will be offered a number of screening tests to check the health of you and your baby. It is your choice whether you want to have the tests and your community midwife will be able to answer any questions or concerns you have before you make a decision. During your first appointment with the midwife, we will ask your permission to take a blood and urine sample for routine screening.

This is so that we can check your blood group and also test for a variety of conditions including:.

circumstances and this will be discussed with you with your midwife at the initial appointment. At Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust we follow the Perinatal Institute Gap and Grow 18 – 20+6 Weeks of Pregnancy – Anomaly Scan.

Skip to content. Skip to navigation. Women experiencing early pregnancy complications can be referred to either of our early pregnancy units within the Trust. Between Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital we see women for ultrasound scanning and arrange on-going care if they have a problem with the pregnancy. Our team of experienced specialist nurses, sonographers and doctors provide women with a one-stop service to include:.

We operate an appointment-only system, which means women should be referred by a healthcare professional such as their GP or a doctor in the emergency department. All referrals will be triaged by clinical staff and patients will be provided with specialist care. Please note that this may not involve an ultrasound scan, if it is not appropriate. We are increasing our virtual clinic capacity where appropriate. Where a patient has been incorrectly referred to our service, we will contact the referrer via return email.

We are also mindful that hospital contact with pregnant women should be only when absolutely necessary.

NHS EARLY PREGNANCY SCAN – THREATENED MISCARRIAGE