Measuring behind

aleegee85

has anyone ever measured really behind on ultrasound and had everything be ok?

I found out I was pregnant on September 23rd. So I should have been at least 3-4 weeks. 

Today i I had an ultrasound. The tech said I was measure 6 weeks 1 day with a heartbeat of 111. She didn't understand why I was upset and said with irregular cycles everything was lining up. Except it doesn't line up to me. 

Does this make any logical sense to anyone? I have to wait 3 weeks for a repeat. I'm going insane. 

 

    

Assiram42

@JAGinMI, is like a mathematical baby calculating genius, maybe she can help sort this out?

Elyse1384

Did you get a beta around 9/23?  If it was VERY low, that might put you more in the 3w range which would still have you measuring small, but I don't think it is that bad.  Ultimately I'm not a doctor or tech though, so I would say give them a call if you're worried.  I also recommend asking this question in the ultrasound thread.  A lot of ladies there can pinpoint their exact week (eg IF treatment) and could probably share what measurement range they're seeing at this point.  It is very early so I would say don't worry yet if your doctor isn't worried.  Some babies are just smaller than others and being a week or two off once you are further along isn't uncommon.  I've seen women be off by a couple of weeks via ultrasound and go on to delivery healthy, happy babies. 

ETA:  When I said "put you more in the 3w range" I meant that in relation to the 9/23 test date.  For arguments sake you could have taken a test at 10dpo and had a BFP so without a beta showing a looooowww number it is difficult to get a general idea.  Once HCG takes off it can really take off and can't be used as measurement for dating. 

Also there is another poster with twins in a very similar situation to you!  Paging @samyv!  I say if you are that concerned, also get a second opinion

Assiram42

Ok, this totally escaped me, but I just had a dating u/s yesterday and I thought I was around 6+1, my LMP put me at 8 weeks, she measured me at 6+5 and when I said that was closer to where I thought I was, but a little further along, she said that u/s aren't 100%, that even a millimeter measurement could throw the date off by days.  There's a level of human error involved in u/s.

wifeinraleigh28

I just want to second what @Assiram42 said. I'm a FTM so I have no prior experience, but at my ultrasound on Tuesday it seemed VERY much up to my RE's ability to perfectly draw the measurement on the screen, and he was even having difficulty getting the ultrasound in the optimal position to even do so. It seems like a very subjective way to measure a fetus that could easily be incorrectly calculated.

Could you request a sooner appointment due to your concerns?

twinmomxx2

According to my LMP I should have been 8w2d at my appointment. When I went to first u/s my twins measured at 6w6d. Everything looked good according to the doctor and my irregular cycles. I also saw the heartbeats of my babies. My doctor is giving me another ultrasound this coming Monday but mainly because they couldn't tell if the babies were sharing a sac or not. I would ask for sooner appointment but try not stress about it. 

bornmommy

First of all, deep breath.  @Assiram42 made a really good point about human error in ultrasounds (and this continues throughout your pregnancy also, like for "weight checks" and such that tend to be very inaccurate)

I don't want to give you false hope but here is my story with ultrasounds being stupid.  I have tracked my BBT for years.  I was 5 cycles (8 months) into tracking when I got my first BPF with #1.  I knew when my O date was and therefore knew that my baby was okay - in theory.  I started bleeding quite early and was given an early dating ultrasound at what they measured as 6 weeks and 4 days based on my LPM and what I measured at 5 weeks and 6days based off my O date.  Baby (fetal pole) measured at 5 weeks 1day no HB yet --- there shouldn't have been anyway.  They then told me I was miscarrying, since they were firm on the 6 week 4 day baby, and started talking about next steps.  I demanded a follow up sono and they agreed.  One week later, a 6 week 6 day baby was measured with a great HB.  Not only were they off on my ovulation (because, news flash, not all women have "perfect" cycles) but they also made quite the inaccurate measurement the first time.  

So - just breathe.  Stress won't help anything, even though I know its unavoidable.  Thinking of you!

JAGinMI

I'm no expert, this is just my $0.02. If you didn't have a positive test on 9/23, I wouldn't think much of it. But because you did, I agree that if you try to think of it logically, it's difficult to figure out how you could be 6+1 and for that to be OK. Even if you got a positive test when you were exactly 3w (which is fairly uncommon to be able to turn a positive that early, I think), you would now be 6+5 today. That doesn't make the measurement all that concerning. However, more likely, you were closer to being 4w when you got a positive, in which case you should be 7+5 today, which makes the u/s measurement seem much more concerning. I would call your OB and talk it through like that and just make sure that they truly are not concerned and don't want you to come in sooner than 3 weeks from now to get a second opinion on the measurement. And maybe to also do beta draws. Or, if they still think there is no need to look again, they can explain to you why you shouldn't be concerned.

aleegee85

Thank you everyone. I want to not worry but the last post is bang on with my logic. Does anyone know if accuracy changes if it's trans vaginal? This was an abdominal ultrasound. I asked her if transvag would be better and she said since she measured a heartbeat it doesn't matter. 

NamelessAria

It isn't unheard of at all to get a positive pregnancy test at 8DPO. I moderate a subreddit where people post their pregnancy tests for second opinions, or post their positive for awwws, and I see a lot of positive tests at 8DPO. If you got your positive at 8DPO you'd be 6w6d now. I've seen several ladies say their doctor told them that ultrasound dating can vary by up to 5 days because it's just really hard to get exact measurements when baby is so tiny. So with 5 days of variation that could account for the difference between 6w1d and 6w6d.

Hopefully everything looks better on your next ultrasound and you get some reassurance that baby is doing well. Fingers crossed for you.

bornmommy

@aleegee85 TV (or "the dildo cam" as I refer to them) are typically just better pictures - which I guess could be more accurate (?)  If you can see something on the abdominal one, the likelihood of needing a TV is low so the tech probably chose not to do it.  Do you have a follow up?

mirdamae03

That is very early to have an abdominal us. I would not be surprised if the measurement was off due to that alone.

JessyKV

I agree with the other ladies but wanted to ask if you have a tilted uterus? I have a tilted uterus and have been told that it could make me measure on the small side.  I would definitely follow up and ask for an earlier ultrasound and it be done vaginally.  Waiting 3 weeks sounds hard! 

leksiL

*lurking*

this happened to me, baby was measuring 10 days small at 7w. It was completely illogical - for their measurement to be correct I would have had to have my BFP at 2 dpo. Anyway everything turned out fine, at the next ultrasound she was caught up and she is still on track for my original due date. 

Hugs- try not to stress! 

lifeislove87

I second what other posters have said , If you have a tilted uterus your measurements could be off, especially without a transvagjal ultrasound. You might have also never heard that you have a tilted uterus

JAGinMI

aleegee85 said:

Thank you everyone. I want to not worry but the last post is bang on with my logic. Does anyone know if accuracy changes if it's trans vaginal? This was an abdominal ultrasound. I asked her if transvag would be better and she said since she measured a heartbeat it doesn't matter. 

My post was not to be scary and confirm your fears, but more to tell you I totally get where your head is at because mine would be there, too, and you are not crazy for being a little thrown off. I truly hope that it's just a measurement issue along with you getting a super early BFP!!