Why so many early ultrasounds?

052806 · July 2014

Barring medical issues, past or present, or the need to date a pregnancy... why does it seem like so many people are having extremely early ultrasounds? It could just be my impression but it looks like a lot of people are getting unnecessarily freaked out because they are seeing a picture of... nothing not much. Was there a shift toward more ultrasounds, or was I just oblivious the first 2 times around?

mangomimosa · July 2014

Many OBs just do them to confirm dates, location, & viability. Mine waits until 8-9 weeks to avoid the issues you're talking about -- but some are u/s happy & do them earlier just because they've been trained that way. An early u/s is technically not necessary at all (ETA) in low risk pregnancy (except for pain/ bleeding/unknown LMP) but it does reimburse well, usu makes patients happy, and gives the doc more known variables about the pregnancy.

shellgirl252 · July 2014

I've had early ultrasounds in the past due to bleeding early in pregnancy. Also if you have recurrent miscarriages they often give early scans as well.

urani · July 2014

052806 said:

Barring medical issues, past or present, or the need to date a pregnancy... why does it seem like so many people are having extremely early ultrasounds? It could just be my impression but it looks like a lot of people are getting unnecessarily freaked out because they are seeing a picture of... nothing not much. Was there a shift toward more ultrasounds, or was I just oblivious the first 2 times around?

I feel like you kind of answered your own question. How do you know that the women posting about their early ultrasounds don't fall into those categories (for the most part anyway)?

Maybe a poll would be better suited for this question..?

kevinslove · July 2014

I had one because of severe cramping and bleeding.

LBeez13 · July 2014

My OB just likes to do ultrasounds so he will do one every appointment usually until the end when I am going weekly. It's kind of nice to have the option or if I'm in a hurry I can just tell him I don't want to see baby today and we can skip. I know this isn't common since most places charge if you want extra ultrasounds.

FrecklesInside · July 2014

This board has a lot of PgAL women. A lot. There are many early u/s because these women have a history of loss and with a history of loss, OBs/midwives usually want to see a patient sooner rather than later.

Of course, there are a few with no history of loss or struggles with infertility who are going in super early, and yes, I think that is silly, but I think those cases are fewer than you think.

Most practices wait until 8-10 weeks because, yes, that is when you can see and hear MUCH more. Many practices wait until 20 weeks. But some will see you at 6 and a lot of people don't realize that that is a really early time to go in (and an unnecessary one) if you haven't had a history of loss or infertility.

052806 · July 2014

urani said:

052806 said:

Barring medical issues, past or present, or the need to date a pregnancy... why does it seem like so many people are having extremely early ultrasounds? It could just be my impression but it looks like a lot of people are getting unnecessarily freaked out because they are seeing a picture of... nothing not much. Was there a shift toward more ultrasounds, or was I just oblivious the first 2 times around?

I feel like you kind of answered your own question. How do you know that the women posting about their early ultrasounds don't fall into those categories (for the most part anyway)?

Maybe a poll would be better suited for this question..?

Hmm.. maybe.

LtColumbo · July 2014

I have my first appointment at 6w5d. This is my first pregnancy and I have no history of loss. When I called, this is when they told me my appointment would be scheduled. Should I have asked why so early?

[Deleted User] · July 2014

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052806 · July 2014

Don't get me wrong... it is great that you guys get to see the babes so much. Perhaps I just don't have all of the information.

janda426 · July 2014

It's still irrationally annoying to me that your SN is all numbers and no avatar lol

urani · July 2014

janda426 said:

It's still irrationally annoying to me that your SN is all numbers and no avatar lol

It amuses me. I keep thinking of the robot gif's.

fi46re129 · July 2014

My first was 6 wk/5d. I thought I wouldn't been seen till 8 but when I called to make our appointment they insisted on seeing me during week 6. Not sure why, they only did the ultrasound and urine. On Tuesday I go back at 8wk/2d and they said there's a ultrasound and blood work. I'm just going with their flow and happy my husband can see his first so early. Edit: spelling

cesquer · July 2014

Some of us get weekly ultrasounds from week 5 to 10 because we are ivf patients. I did a frozen embryo transfer, and they watch you very, very carefully to monitor baby and hormones. At 10 weeks, you sort of graduate to a regular obgyn and the ultrasounds slow down to a regular pace.

Unknown · July 2014

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Lark425 · July 2014

I was going to go to a multi-practicioner OB and they routinely do ultrasounds starting at 8weeks, but I just switched care to a midwife at a birth center and she will wait until 20 weeks. I figured it must just be personal preference.

ngolimento · July 2014

I think you are erroneously assuming there are no medical issues in the majority of these u/s visits. I went in at six weeks because of bleeding and uterine pain. You'd better believe that your butt would have been wanting an early u/s too in my shoes.

I'm going in at 7 weeks 3 days too, but this time to see if my baby is even alive.

litt1er4 · July 2014

My OB office scheduled most people at 8wks by LMP, but I knew I ovulated later, so I ended up being seen at 6wk5d, my OB is seeing me again at 9wk2d for a follow up u/s because of my loss history.

PuppyLove84 · July 2014

My office schedules the first u/s between 8 and 10 weeks. I went in early for severe cramping and had one to make sure it wasn't an ectopic pregnancy. I was thrilled to see my little bean, but would have preferred not to have had the cramping and vomiting that brought me in that early!

kelly5806 · July 2014

My OB usually sees ppl at 8-10 weeks but is seeing me tomorrow at 6w3d to confirm pregnancy location due to my past ectopic.

wendyld · July 2014

Add me to the list of people rubbed the wrong way by this post, but I ended up in the ER at 6 weeks for my first pregnancy, and my second was a missed miscarriage.

I also think perhaps that you are assuming everyone here is only 5w, when really some of us are closer to 9w, which isn't even all that early for an OB appointment/ultrasound.

JennyP0222 · July 2014

Ya, I do not see a problem with it. I did have a loss so am on a 6 wk and 8 wk u/s schedule with my OB office from here on out. But regardless of that, if you have any confidence whatsoever in your cycle and conception time frame, a 6 or 7 week u/s is not too early to see something. And it confirms that there is a baby with a heartbeat in there. If you O late than you might be at risk of not seeing something but you will see something by that time if you O when you think you did.

crunchymamaof2 · July 2014

This pregnancy I was seen so early because I was on the mini pill and hadn't had a ppaf. The follow up from that, and another this week most likely are to be sure baby continues to grow and is viable.

My previous pregnancy I was seeing an RE for cycle/hormone related issues but I was still treated like a normal fertility patient. 6 and 8 week ultrasound then I 'graduated.' I also had an early loss prior to that.

And with our first I had a general dating ultrasound even though I knew my dates. But then I had some major cramping and some spotting so I had yet another ultrasound.

Some doctors routinely offer early ultrasounds. Some don't. But I don't understand the need to question why others have them. I couldn't handle the 1st trimester without an early scan. If it's too early then we simply follow up later on.

crunchymamaof2 · July 2014

Plus, dates can be off, typically these early ultrasounds should be done 7-9 weeks. But if you don't know your dates or your doctor wants to just check things it may not be realized that nothing will be seen. I'd rather be alerted to a problem earlier rather than later.

052806 · July 2014

Did not mean to rub anyone the wrong way... as you said, maybe I just don't have all the info.

MrsLaurenandDan · July 2014

Have you seen the number of ladies posting on the PgAL check in? There is a LOT of prior loss here.

052806 · July 2014

MrsLaurenandDan said:

Have you seen the number of ladies posting on the PgAL check in? There is a LOT of prior loss here.

You are right. I think I just took for granted that a lot of ladies had that info in their siggies. I obviously made an incorrect assumption about the early ultrasounds/

poohniki · July 2014

I have a lot of issues- so I'm going for two ultrasounds during week 6. But then again, I also go to two different specialists just to have a baby.

Everyone's path is a little different.

iliketurtles17 · July 2014

I'm all for early ultrasounds. I too have suffered from a loss. My OB doesn't schedule the first appt until 10 weeks. Well, I went in at 10 weeks last time to fine a non viable pregnancy that had ended at 8 weeks and I had no idea. Progressive ultrasounds is really comforting to those who may or may not be prone to miscarriages.

Why do you care, is my question? Where did you think this question was actually going to go?

thejucheidea · July 2014

I had a pretty early ultrasound because I'm so wildly anxious that my gynecologist wanted me to see that everything was okay.

queenb+ · July 2014

I was confused by (and a jealous of) all the early U/S posts. I'm 9 weeks and won't have mine until 12.5 weeks for NT scan... If I'd opted out, I would only have 1 U/S at 20 weeks.

The more I explore the board I understand the reasoning behind the extra appointments, etc. others have. This is my first pregnancy and as much as I'd love some sort of confirmation there's a baby in there, I'm glad my doctor doesn't feel it's necessary for me.

jpavenski · July 2014

I was kind of wondering the same thing. To me it seems odd that there is no standard for all OBs on this stuff. Last time I don't think I had an apt until like 8 weeks & we didn't have an ultrasound until like 20 weeks I believe. This time I'm going in at 10 weeks & hopeing to get some more info since I've had cramping that had been making me nervous.

jpavenski · July 2014

And I think she was just curious not saying she cared if some people had them. I can't believe how people jump on people on some of these posts.

Unknown · July 2014

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janda426 · July 2014

jpavenski said:
And I think she was just curious not saying she cared if some people had them. I can't believe how people jump on people on some of these posts.

And I can't believe that I can barely read a single thread anymore without someone nitpicking reasons to be butthurt. If you don't like it here, feel free to move along. Seriously. This is not the only pregnancy message board on the internet.

chaysefaith · July 2014

I had one ultrasound with each of my girls at 20 weeks (more with my younger as pregnancy progressed for medical reasons).

I had 6 ultrasounds with my son, 1 dating and 5 because I was bleeding. He died at 19.3 weeks.

I have an appointment scheduled this time for 7w2d because of my loss. This is for a dating ultrasound but scheduled earlier than my doctor usually does because of my loss.

While it's exciting to get to see the baby so early and a relief to have confirmation that everything is going ok, I'd rather be blissfully ignorant and unaware of how fragile the situation is. I would love to go back to my 1 ultrasound at 20 weeks.

FrecklesInside · July 2014

jpavenski said:

And I think she was just curious not saying she cared if some people had them. I can't believe how people jump on people on some of these posts.

052806 · July 2014

I def don't feel picked on at all. I asked a question and people answered. It seemed that there were a lot of early ultrasounds and people rightfully nervous about results- and I was just wondering if this was policy at some doctors. It seems that most people who answered had a medical reason to have them done a bit early. i made an assumption, asked a question and realized my assumption was wrong, that's all- prob should have worded a bit better. Thanks for taking the time to answer

Mrs.LD813 · July 2014

I have my 1st u/s tomorrow at 6w, but I am high risk (very low progesterone, PCOS, and endometriosis). I will have several early ultrasounds to monitor.

My 1st u/s with my 1st child was several weeks later.

ngolimento · July 2014

052806 said:

I def don't feel picked on at all. I asked a question and people answered. It seemed that there were a lot of early ultrasounds and people rightfully nervous about results- and I was just wondering if this was policy at some doctors. It seems that most people who answered had a medical reason to have them done a bit early. i made an assumption, asked a question and realized my assumption was wrong, that's all- prob should have worded a bit better. Thanks for taking the time to answer

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