The importance of having an early reassurance scan in pregnancy
*Motherhood Diaries is working with MyBaby4D in Watford to raise awareness among pregnant couples about the importance of ultrasound scans during pregnancy to monitor the health and well-being of your baby. We were provided with the opportunity to review the early pregnancy scan for the article – all opinions are 100% my own*
Just before my second-trimester miscarriage, I had experienced spotting from week 6 to week 12 of my pregnancy, which was the first time I had experienced any bleeding. I booked a 7-week first pregnancy scan at my local hospital because I was worried about the spotting. However, I had to chase this appointment via my GP. When I got to my appointment, the hospital was so busy that the appointment itself seemed rushed and quite clinical.
I was also told that the bleeding was normal and that I shouldn’t worry, except to abstain from any physical exercise. Pregnancy can usually continue as usual, and the bleeding will eventually stop. But later, I found out that bleeding in early pregnancy is like sandpaper to your cervix. A potential UTI (although this was never confirmed) around week 16 of my pregnancy caused my waters to break prematurely, and I lost my baby.
This time around, I didn’t want to take any chances after I started spotting again at week 6. I learned about MyBaby4D online, a private ultrasound boutique in Watford that provides high-quality private pregnancy scans in a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere with a team of professionally qualified sonographers. I knew instantly that this was the right option to take.
MyBaby4D Early Reassurance Scan
I contacted the owner, Saad, and his wife, Dalson, who is also the chief sonographer at MyBaby4D, and they were so lovely and welcoming.
When I arrived at the clinic, I was immediately taken aback not just by the cleanliness but also by the homely and luxurious feeling of what a hospital should feel like—a spacious waiting area that felt very inviting, with cute little memorable baby gifts decorating the wall cabinets.
The scanning room was a large open space equipped with a flat-screen TV so couples could watch their baby in HD in front of them and a couch area for the partner to rest and enjoy the experience.
I was invited to undress from the waist down behind a screen and empty my bladder before we started, as I was only 6 weeks and 4 days, so a transvaginal scan had to be completed. (You would have an abdominal scan after 8 weeks and would need a full bladder, and a gender scan is from 16 weeks.) Hubby sat on the couch, and Dalson waited by the computer and bed.
As soon as I was ready, I laid down and Dalson got to work. I was asked about the date of my last period to ensure the dating scan measured up to when ovulation took place, plus or minus a few days. I was also asked about the spotting, i.e. how long it had gone on for and whether I was feeling any pain. I said that I had felt some cramping, but this had disappeared.
Dalson advised that there was a small haematoma of less than 1cm, which may have been caused by implantation. I was advised not to do any heavy lifting or physical exercise of any kind until the bleeding had stopped completely. The whole experience felt private, informal and relaxed, unlike my last early scan at the local NHS hospital. At the end of the appointment, I was invited to sit down while Saad printed our baby scans, which he emailed over too. I was grateful for the high-res imagery because it made sharing the scan pictures with my family so much easier.
Dalson and Saad from HeyBaby4D have kindly answered the top 10 most asked questions from Motherhood Diaries readers and social media followers about early reassurance scans. Thank you to those who sent in your questions and to Dalson and Saad for answering them!
1. What can an early reassurance scan tell me about my baby?
The purpose of an early reassurance scan is to determine whether the pregnancy is implanted in the correct place, and to check how many babies you are having.
Various measurements are taken depending on how far along in the pregnancy you are, and the scan will identify whether there is a visible heartbeat on the day of the scan or not. Some fetal poles may be too small to determine cardiac activity on the day of your scan, and you may be advised to have another scan in about two weeks to check if the pregnancy is viable.
The scan includes an assessment of the surrounding pelvic area around your uterus.
Referral advice will be given on the day of your scan, depending on the scan findings.
2. Why is an early reassurance scan important?
An early reassurance scan is essential for expectant mums/parents who are anxious and would like to find out if everything is ok.
3. Why can I not have a scan before six weeks?
A 6-week scan may not always provide the information you require, as the fetal pole may be too small for ultrasound to pick up.
At any stage of pregnancy, if you have had a positive pregnancy test and are having symptoms like bleeding or severe pain and/or shoulder tip pain, then you are advised to attend your nearest A&E Department.
4. When is the best time to have an early reassurance scan?
At most clinics, early reassurance scans can be performed at 6 weeks; however, if the patient is asymptomatic, 8 weeks is more suitable.
5. What will I expect to see and what will be measured in my early reassurance scan?
What you expect to see on the day of your scan will depend on how far along your pregnancy you are.
For example, a measurement of your baby’s length will give you an Estimated Due Date (EDD).
This question may also be linked to Question 1.
6. I have had some bleeding/spotting during pregnancy. Should I have an early reassurance scan?
If bleeding/spotting occurs during pregnancy, you should visit your nearest A&E.
Having an early reassurance scan is essential to determine why you are bleeding. However, it is not always possible to determine the cause of bleeding with ultrasound in pregnancy. It may provide some relief from maternal anxiety.
7. Why is it not compulsory to have an early reassurance scan before 12 weeks?
The NHS routinely only offers two scans: your Dating Scan and your Anomaly Scan.
Exceptions are made in circumstances where you are bleeding, if there is a suspected ectopic pregnancy, a threatened miscarriage or miscarriage.
Women with assisted conception or previous pregnancy history/complications may also be offered an early reassurance scan.
8. Can too many scans harm the baby?
There are no known risks in ultrasound. Evidence suggests that ultrasound performed during conception to 10 weeks’ gestation is safe, provided there is a clinical reason. The benefits of the scan outweigh any theoretical risks. (Kirk, 2017)
9. What can a private early reassurance scan offer me that an NHS scan can’t?
A private early reassurance scan will give you peace of mind when you are not able to get one on the NHS. Most pregnant women may be anxious and feel that waiting until the dating scan is too long.
Sadly, not all scans will have a positive outcome or a conclusive result.
A private scan is easily accessible and you can attend your appointment with your partner/or one person within your bubble (Terms and conditions are susceptible to change with current guidelines).
10. How do I book an early reassurance scan?
You can book your early reassurance scan via the MyBaby4D Watford website or call us on 01923 943 501 if you have any questions.
Are private early reassurance scans worth it?
If you have got your positive pregnancy test at four weeks, then that’s two months before you get to see your baby via an NHS scan (unless there are complications) – and that is a long time! If you have any doubts or you feel like something is not quite right, i.e. you have pain or you’re spotting, then don’t waste any time and book yourself in for a private early reassurance scan now.
For the experience you get, the cost is worth it because you book an appointment with the clinic and you’ll get a slot straight away. You are also treated as if you are the only ones in the room and I found this to be the most significant difference between NHS early pregnancy scans and private scans. It’s not to negate the NHS in any way – my mum works for the NHS – but because the NHS is so massively overrun and understaffed, medical staff have no choice but to treat us like numbers in a queue, which they need to get through quickly to see everyone in their allotted time, with waiting times sometimes spanning to over an hour. However, I have never had a bad experience at my local Watford Hospital or had to wait that long. The difference comes with the service you get and the extra bit of comfort in private settings.
When you book an anomaly early scan with the NHS, they have to fit you in. The baby scan is not scheduled into an automated system like the standard Week 12 and Week 20 scans, and if you have any complications, you may have to wait upwards of four weeks to be seen, which may be too late by then.
Through this magazine, I have found that many women are not armed with enough information before 8 weeks, when the NHS gets involved in the pregnancy care process. So MyBaby4D Watford has teamed up with a private midwife from Bushey called Hannah, who hosts antenatal classes to help women in the dark gain the knowledge they need to feel empowered and informed during pregnancy.
Saad and Dalson are invested in your pregnancy—it’s so nice to see how much they care about your mum and your unborn baby’s health and the pregnancy journey.
You get a lot for the price
Early pregnancy scan cost = £85*, which includes:
- 15-minute appointment
- Visualise baby’s heartbeat
- Dating your pregnancy
- Includes 2 colour printed scan photos 6×4
- Assessment of pelvic area/ovaries
- Full obstetric Report
- Internal scan available for accuracy
Peace of mind and a high standard of care = priceless
You also have the option to purchase extra download images and video, too, if you want the extras.
MyBaby4D are there to help
Saad told me that many women come from abroad, and MyBaby4D is their first port of call because they are not registered and don’t know how to start the process. Luckily, as both Saad and Dalson are health professionals and work in the NHS, they have that little bit extra to offer regarding information during the pregnancy journey compared to other private clinics.
Book your early reassurance scan with MyBaby4D here for just £85* now
Reference:
Early Pregnancy Ultrasound: A Practical Guide. (2017). In E. Kirk (Ed.), Early Pregnancy Ultrasound: A Practical Guide (pp. 1). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
*Price is correct at the time of publication and may vary in the future
