Having a scan in the first few weeks of pregnancy can be thrilling. It's wonderful to see the little blob with a heartbeat that will become your baby.
Usually two scans are done during the first trimester. A dating and viability scan, between six and nine weeks and an early morphology scan or NT scan between 11 and 13 weeks.
Why do I need a dating and viability ultrasound scan?
Although you don't need a scan to confirm a pregnancy, having one in the early weeks will:
• Check if your baby is in the right position inside the uterus.
• Let you hear your baby's heartbeat, which is one of the signs that the pregnancy is viable. The heart usually starts beating at about six weeks.
• Find your accurate due date. If your menstrual cycle is irregular, an ultrasound scan can tell exactly how far into your pregnancy you are.
• Determine the reason for any spotting or bleeding you may have.
• Show how many babies you are carrying.
How is the ultrasound scan done in my first trimester?
There are two ways of doing a first trimester scan:
Transvaginal scan (TVS):
If your doctor wants you to have a scan earlier than 10 weeks of pregnancy, you will have a transvaginal scan. In these early weeks of pregnancy, your baby is too small and low in your abdomen to be picked up by an abdominal ultrasound scan.
A vaginal scan is done by introducing a probe into your vagina. It can pick up a better image of your baby.
Abdominal scan:
After 10 weeks and for the rest of your pregnancy, you will have an abdominal scan. However, if the doctor needs to check your cervix (mouth of uterus and birth canal), a transvaginal scan may be done as it is more accurate.
During an abdominal scan, the doctor will put some (usually very cold) gel on your tummy. She will then move a small hand-held probe or transducer over your skin to get views of your baby.