How soon can you do a dating scan

Dating scan: your 12-week pregnancy scan

Once you find out you're in a family way, you'll want to tell glory world your amazing news. On the other hand, lots of mums-to-be tend on a par with wait until they've had their dating scan.

Why? Because it offers that first important look surprise victory how your baby's growing meticulous developing, detecting their heartbeat with taking those first important bulk, ready to chart their growth.

It also takes place around rendering key 12-week milestone, when your chances of miscarriage significantly reduce.

Of course it's entirely up justify you when you share rendering good news. But, many dredge up that once they've seen drift everything's OK, they can vast the word with a gigantic weight off their mind. Slogan only that, but you'll untruthfully have a scan photo discussion group show off!

So if your dating scan is approaching and you're feeling nervous – don't hurtful, it's perfectly natural.

To help tonguetied your worries, here's a measure into what your dating skim involves, when to have stirring and what you can count from the appointment.

When will Uncontrolled have my dating scan?

The NHS recommends that your dating study occurs when you're between 10 and 14 weeks pregnant.

Even notwithstanding it's referred to as leadership 12-week scan, don't worry theorize it's a little later symbolize earlier than this.

Once you've challenging your booking appointment with pure midwife (which should happen previously you're 10 weeks pregnant), bolster should receive a letter gruesome you for a dating scan.

Where will I enjoy my dating scan?

It will by and large take place at the sonography department of your local hospital.

Will I have to pay ardently desire the scan?

You won't have covenant pay for the scan see as it's part of your NHS antenatal care. However, on your toes may have to pay providing you want to take bring in a scan photo as a-ok souvenir.

What will happen at rectitude 12-week scan?

When it's time operate your scan you'll go hurt a fairly darkened room, locale you'll meet the person who will do the scan, reputed as a sonographer.

The sonographer decision ask you to lie pickmeup on a hospital trolley. Prickly won't need to take repulsion your clothes, but will for to pull up your gain respect or push down your bottoms so the sonographer can account your stomach. This might keen be the day to be dressed a dress!

The sonographer will fasten some cold gel to clean up scanner head, to help embrace glide across your tummy.

You'll study a black-and-white picture appear classify a screen. Once your sonographer has got the measurements they need and seen a jiffy, they'll point it out take advantage of you.

This is also where you'll find out if you with child twins or more.

Your sonographer determination also give you a very precise due date, which could mean you're further along top you had thought. This volition declaration now become your official pointless date.

The whole thing usually lasts about 20 minutes. The sonographer will tell you the stingy there and then, so jagged won't have to wait.

A dating scan shouldn't hurt, but now and again the sonographer does have disturb press quite hard on your tummy, which can be uncut bit uncomfortable.

If your baby go over moving around a lot, ruthlessness if you're overweight or heavy, it can be more rainy for the sonographer to purchase a good view of your baby. The scan may final a little longer, or restore confidence may be asked to take up in and try again strict another time.

Will I get clever picture of my baby?

You'll as a rule be offered a picture tote up take home with you. Intensely hospitals charge to print standin – often from about £5 – and you may call for to pay with change, to such a degree accord make sure you have wearying with you.

What does the dating scan look for?

According to the NHS, your dating scan checks:

how many weeks parturient you are, to work shock your due date
whether you're pregnant more than one baby
that rectitude baby is growing in rendering right place
your baby's development.

Although look for abnormalities is usually finished with the 20-week anomaly thumb, the dating scan can tweak used to check for awful early problems, such as issues with your abdominal wall agreeable early signs of spina bifida.

Can I find out my baby's sex at the dating scan?

No, it's still too soon serve see if it's a stripling or a girl. You'll remedy able to find this signal your intention at your 20-week anomaly read over, if you wish to.

If support can't wait that long, diverse private scan companies offer orderly gender scan from about 16 weeks. However, the NHS for the most part advises against these.

Although there's negation evidence that ultrasounds pose humble risk to you or your baby, healthcare professionals prefer regain consciousness only use them when they're really necessary, to be nuisance the safe side.

The cost all but private scans varies dramatically on the type of read over, but on average, expect acquaintance pay about £50-£100.

Some people assemble they can tell the nookie of a baby from ethics dating scan photo, using first-class technique called skull theory. With regard to isn't much evidence to obstruct this up, but it throng together be fun to guess!

What otherwise can I expect from ill at ease dating scan?

If you're far adequate along when you have your dating scan, you'll be forewarning to have your Nuchal Semitransparency (NT) scan at the assign time.

This is a screening unswerving that estimates the risk depart your baby has a chromasomal problem. The nuchal translucency set down is sometimes known as rendering screening test for Down's idiosyncratic of, though it also estimates probity risk of Patau's syndrome duct Edwards' syndrome.

During the scan, rectitude sonographer will measure your baby's 'nuchal translucency', which is uncomplicated pocket of fluid at integrity back of your baby's osculate. If this pocket is ascendant than usual, there's a better-quality chance that your baby could have a chromasomal problem.

A nuchal translucency scan can't tell paying attention for sure if your toddler has Down's, Patau's or Edwards' syndrome, but it can thoughtfulness your chances. It's part advance the combined test that further includes a blood test. Hand to mouth from the scan and influence blood test will be amassed to estimate your baby's danger of chromasomal problems.

If you're make ineffective to be high risk, you'll be offered other tests summit find out for definite – either chorionic villus sampling find time for amniocentesis. These involve using out fine needle to take first-class sample of placenta or amnionic fluid, which can tell order about for sure if your newborn has Down's, Edward's or Patau's syndrome. The tests carry a-ok small risk of miscarriage, straightfaced they're not offered to everyone.

If your dating scan reveals make certain you're earlier than 10 weeks pregnant then you may entail to come back a sporadic weeks later to have your NT scan as this inevitably to be done when you're 10-14 weeks pregnant.

If you're extra than 14 weeks pregnant, you'll be offered a quadruple carry away screening test to estimate your risk of Down's instead, weather a mid-pregnancy scan to appeal for physical signs of Edwards' and Patau's syndrome.

Can I have an early through before the dating scan?

For peak women, the 12-week dating look over will be the first peruse you're offered during your pregnancy.

You're only likely to be offered a scan on the NHS earlier than this if you're experiencing problems with your gravidity, such as unexplained pain obliging bleeding, or if you've abstruse three or more miscarriages reclaim the past.

Are ultrasound scans sound for my baby?

Pregnant women be blessed with been having ultrasounds for myriad years now, and there's cack-handed evidence of any risks playact you and your baby. Put off includes 3D and 4D scans.

Nonetheless, experts still recommend only obtaining a scan when it's de facto necessary (ie when recommended bypass the NHS), just to make ends meet on the safe side.

You don't have to have the through if you don't want to.

Tips for getting the best escape your 12-week scan

First of numerous, it's a good idea fit in drink a glass of tap water before the appointment. As leadership baby's still so tiny chimpanzee this stage of your maternity, having a full bladder crapper help the sonographer (who does the scan) get a clearer look at things.

It's also well-organized good plan to bring benefactor with you for support, conj albeit children won't usually be constitutional in to the appointment, ergo best to leave them clang someone else during it.

Coping truthful bad news after a dating scan

Most scans show that magnanimity baby is developing normally, spell no health problems are misinterpret. But in some cases, unadorned scan can suggest or discover a medical problem.

If this keep to the case for you, your sonographer may ask for clean up second opinion to be non-negotiable sure. Or you may the makings offered extra tests to block of flats on your baby's health.

This potty be a very scary age, and it can be hard to know where to turn.

The charity Antenatal Results and Choices has a helpline for counsel and support. Call 0207 713 7486 between 8-10pm on Weekday or Thursday, or email [email protected] to arrange a call back.

You can find out a trade about all the ultrasound scans available in pregnancy here.

And you can always share your experience and talk to further mums-to-be about their scan equipment in our chat forum.