Early Pregnancy Ultrasound

This depends on the reason. Patients with bleeding should be seen urgently. However, if the reason for the scan is to do with the past history, e.g. previous miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy, with no worrisome signs in the current pregnancy, we aim to wait until 7 weeks. Anxiety may cause you to want to come in as early as possible, but it’s important to remember that there is a normal stage of early pregnancy where very little, or even nothing at all, can be seen. The information learned during a scan will be more reliable at slightly later stages and you will see a lot more.

Often, all the information is clear by ultrasound through your abdomen. If not, a transvaginal ultrasound will be offered. In that case a narrow, gel covered probe is gently introduced into the vagina after you have emptied your bladder. It goes no further inside you than the speculum does when you have a cervix screening test (Pap smear). Most patients experience no pain or only very mild discomfort. The vaginal ultrasound can be performed even when there is bleeding, and may be most important when this occurs.