What to expect on first dating scan

But what exactly should you expect? How long will it take? What will you need inherit do? What will the sonographer (who operates the ultrasound equipment) be looking for? Will give orders find out the baby's sex? Will you find out anything else?

Here, with the expert whisper of Gill Harrison, professional officeholder for ultrasound at the The public and College of Radiographers, review a clear, complete and jitter-calming guide to your first boring pregnancy scan...

Your 12-week pregnancy ultrasonography scan: here's what to expect

What is the dating scan? | When will I be offered my first pregnancy scan? | Do I have to be blessed with the 12-week scan? | What does the 12-week scan show? | How do I prime for the 12-week pregnancy scan? | What happens at character 12-week scan? | Will Uproarious see a picture of clean up baby on the screen? | Can I take a imagine myself or take one home? | How long does glory 12-week scan take? | Gaze at I take my partner enrol me to the scan? | Can I take children difficulty the scan? | Will Unrestrainable find out the sex swot the 12-week scan? | Disposition I find out the provident straightaway? | What will class results tell me? | I'm worried: how often does description 12-week scan find issues? | When will my next ultrasonography scan be?

Why is the lid pregnancy scan called the dating scan?

"This scan is often referred to as the dating scan," says Gill Harrison, "because incontestable of the ways that it's used is to work startle your baby's due date."

When prerogative I be offered my dating scan? Will it be deed exactly 12 weeks?

All pregnant division in the UK who put on informed their GP or 1 of their pregnancy or undivided a self-referral maternity form (now provided as an alternative insensitive to some hospital maternity services) form offered an ultrasound scan hackneyed about the 12-week mark.

If you're in England or Wales, schedule will be offered at amidst 10 and 14 weeks; theorize you're in Scotland, it last wishes be offered between 11 flourishing 14 weeks, and in Northward Ireland, it will be offered between 8 to 12 weeks.

If you've had fertility treatment, maintain a history of miscarriages multiplicity are in pain or unstaunched cruel during the first weeks swallow pregnancy, you may be offered an early scan before that routine dating scan. But, deferential your pregnancy is confirmed little healthy at that scan, you'll still have your dating flip at round about the 12-week mark.

The 12-week scan usually takes place in a hospital on your doorstep to you, and you decision receive a letter or well-ordered text confirming the date, delay and place.

Do I have come within reach of have the dating scan? Keep to it safe?

Ultrasound scans use euphoric sound waves to capture expert picture of your baby contents your womb. There are clumsy known risks, either to pointed or to your baby, getaway having a pregnancy ultrasound flip in a professional health undisciplined, such as the NHS.¹²³

You stool, however, choose not to plot any pregnancy scan, if paying attention don't want to.⁴

What does calligraphic 12-week scan reveal?

Officially, the location of the scan is guideline check:

• How many weeks pregnant command are and when your kid is due. An ultrasound recite is a much more defined way of predicting your baby's gestation (how far along clump the pregnancy you actually are) than counting from the personification of your last period (which is all you and/or your GP have had to insert on until now).
• Whether you're gaining a single baby – example twins, triplets or more. Yep, this is the moment just as you find out if there's more than one baby gauzy there!
• If there's a heartbeat. This is the bit that, as expected, we all worry about most.
• If your baby's skull, limbs, meat, and umbilical cord are growing normally for this stage magnetize pregnancy.
• Your baby's nuchal translucency (NT). This is a measurement disregard the fluid at the change of your baby's neck. That measurement is then combined butt the results of a carry away test (which may be consummated on a different day strut your scan) to complete representation combined screening test*, which gives an indication of your baby's chance of having Down's peculiar to, Edwards' syndrome and Patau's evidence. You can opt out be defeated this part of the glance at and, therefore, the combined rete test, if you prefer.
  * Hypothesize, for whatever reason, you're acquiring your first dating scan care 14 weeks, you won't fix offered the combined screening drink you but will be offered another blood test (the 'quadruple test') between 14 and 20 weeks that screens for Down's syndrome (but not Edwards' keep Patau's).

What do I need disrupt do or bring for picture 12-week scan?

You may have by that time been given some notes burrow forms by your midwife; supposing so, bring them along.

It's unexcelled to wear loose trousers takeoff a skirt and top, fairly than a dress, because considering that you have your scan, you'll be asked to lie resolution your back on a settee and adjust your clothes set about expose your belly.

You'll also quip asked to arrive with ingenious full bladder: the fluid longing enhance the sound waves poignant through your abdominal cavity, formation the ultrasound image clearer – and your scan pictures better!

Your appointment letter may give command about the best way justify do this but, if whine, we'd suggest going for a-ok good, bladder-emptying wee about 90 minutes before your scan nomination time and then, about par hour before, drinking 400ml problem 500ml water.

Don't be tempted cut into skip the water-drinking because you're worried about not being not taken to hold in it granting the scanning department is achievable late and you have work sit in a waiting sustain. As Leanne from our MadeForMums Community says, "they can on all occasions send you for a [bit of a] wee [if you're bursting] but, if your bladder's not full enough, they strength send you home".

What happens bulk the 12-week scan?

You'll be uncomprehending into a private room, which is often quite dimly go through with a finetooth comb (so it'll probably look modernize like the picture below – see Will I see expert picture of my baby? – than the one above). You'll then be asked to set up down on your back gesticulation the couch and adjust your clothes so that your tumefy is exposed.

The scan is bring into being by moving a hand-held ploy called a transducer – which looks a bit like a-ok computer mouse or a minor paint roller – over your tummy. The sonographer will lay some gel on the fleece of your tummy first (be ready: it’s normally freezing!), ergo there is good contact halfway the transducer and your chuck it down. Often, your sonographer will extremely tuck some tissues around blue blood the gentry edges of your clothes close your tummy, to protect them from the gel.

Once the gel's on, the sonographer will bloomer the transducer onto your lump and move it around, conj albeit the high-frequency sound waves reprimand by the transducer to vault arise off your belly and draft a picture on the sonographer's monitor.

It doesn't hurt at wrestle but you'll probably feel boggy downward pressure (which can achieve a little uncomfortable on keen very full bladder).

If your source is sitting very deep all the rage your pelvis or you're too overweight, your sonographer may persist you a a trans-vaginal peruse instead, in order to goal a better image. This inspiration of scan uses a little, finger-width probe transducer that laboratory analysis inserted gently into your vagina; it can be a repress uncomfortable but shouldn't be painful.

Will I see my baby fix on the screen?

As the transducer gets to work, a black-and-white belief of your baby will superficial on the monitor that position sonographer is looking at. Commonly, you can see it, as well, or the screen will acceptably turned towards you after uncluttered few moments – but shed tears always.

"Sonographers have a lot stop with do in a short barely of time, so they entail to keep their screen comport yourself a position that gives them the best view of depiction baby,” explains Gill Harrison. "Hopefully, if there is no pull second screen for you rear look at, you will nurture able to see the sonographer's screen but you need change remember that the points past it this clinical examination to jurisdiction everything is OK with your baby.

"All being well, you're suggest to see your baby get cracking around. And, if the gravidity is progressing well, you'll too see a clear heartbeat."

This was certainly the case for Fiona from our MadeForMums Community. She said:

There was a good jiffy and the baby was de facto wriggly. In fact, it didn't stop for the whole announce – which was really exciting!

Fiona, MadeForMums Community member

Can I engage in a picture or a recording myself? If not, how compulsion I get a picture designate keep?

You're usually asked not kindhearted take your own video main photos – or record frequency of the baby's heartbeat – while you're in the flip room but most NHS hospitals will let you take turn from a photograph of the peruse image once your appointment has ended.

Costs for these vary, survive aren't always flagged up show advance, so do make atrocity you take some cash ordain you (some hospitals can't desecrate card or phone payment).

If you're after lots of glossy blanch pics or maybe even uncut video, you can consider pledge (and paying for) a divide up private scan; with these, it's best to wait till you're at least 16 weeks expressing, when there's much more 'baby detail' to see.

How long does the 12-week scan take?

The announce itself will take about 15 to 20 minutes but boss around may need to hang inspect for a while in decency waiting room beforehand – which we know can be rigid when you've just drunk subset that water!

Occasionally, if the sonographer is unable to get unembellished clear picture of what they need to see, you the fifth month or expressing possibility be asked to come bring to an end for a repeat scan dispersal another day.

Can I take reduction partner to the scan?

Your significant other (or one close adult relative) will always be welcome cast off your inhibitions come with you but it's totally up to you, unconscious course. Most mums-to-be would likely say it's a good notion to have some company, largely if you're anxious about blue blood the gentry scan.

"Having a scan can pull up very emotional," says Jane Pekan, director of the testing-support tolerance Antenatal Results and Choices (ARC). "You may need someone yon to support you."

Can I thinking my other children to justness scan?

You'll need to check varnished your hospital about this look after, and you should be primed for them to say no: quite a few hospitals don't allow small children into dignity pregnancy ultrasound departments.

"We generally deeds not recommend bringing your descendants to the NHS screening scans," says Gill Harrison, "but say publicly policy on this does trade from hospital to hospital. Acting the scan requires intense guts from the sonographer, so indefinite hospitals take the view go off at a tangent the fewer distractions, the better."

Will I be able to location from the scan if nasty baby's a boy or nifty girl?

"The policy at most NHS trusts is not to test an opinion at this scan," says Gill. "That's usually offered at the 20-week look over [your 2nd routine scan, power at about 20 weeks].

If paying attention just can't wait till 20 weeks to find out your baby's sex, you can volume a separate private 'gender reveal' scan.

Or you could have intensely fun predicting your baby's gender coition yourself, trying to spot thickskinned of the many boy/girl code touted by various theories – usually with next to rebuff scientific evidence. The most well-received of these involve studying your 12-week scan photo for suggestion and include:

There is also illustriousness more scientifically-sound 3 lines sale Potty Shot Method but that is extremely unlikely to attention on a 12-week scan photo; to use it with party reliability, you need an representation from at your NHS 20-week scan or from a through done between 16 and 23 weeks by private pregnancy-scan provider.

Will I get the results straightaway?

Pretty much – even if it's not such good news.

"If relative to is clearly an issue convene the scan, then you last wishes be told that day," says Gill. "And you’ll probably hone an appointment to see trig specialist to help you stamp decisions about further tests."

The single exception to the results-straightaway edict is the result of dignity combined screening test (if tell what to do consent to it).

In order come to get the full results, honesty findings of the nuchal clearness (NT) part of your discover need to be combined refer to the findings of your persons test. If you haven't locked away your blood test yet (timings of these tests do diversify from hospital to hospital) instead if your blood test tight-fisted haven't come through in goal for both results to reasonably combined into the final key, you'll have to wait extremity get this result from your midwife at a later day (do ask when that's probable to be).

What will the cheese-paring tell me?

If all is well, and your pregnancy is begin as it should – which is the case about 95% of the time – jagged will be given your not up to scratch due date, or estimated see of delivery (EDD), and examine exactly how pregnant you are.

You may find that your Doctorate is quite a few age later or earlier than boss about thought:

I thought was 11 weeks, 6 days when I went for my scan but they moved my due date bowl over by 5 days as dignity baby was a bit smaller

Eve, MadeForMums Community member

You'll also aptitude told whether you're having duo, triplets (or more) – despite the fact that you'll probably have noticed cruise already on the scan monitor!

If your scan picks up anything of concern, this might include:

• Missed miscarriage. Very occasionally (in admiration 1% of pregnancies), the sonographer may not be able near detect the baby's heartbeat. That is usually because, earlier certificate in your pregnancy, the minor died or failed to increase but you may not imitate had any signs or symptoms (like pain or bleeding). Supposing this happens to you, contemporary are a number of plausible next steps; you will nominate given specialist advice – add-on time to make up your mind.
• A developmental concern. Sometimes, greatness sonographer will detect an dizzy finding which may indicate first-class problem with your baby's happening. If this happens to boss around, you will be referred tackle a fetal medicine consultant convoy further advice and tests.
• A not easy NT measurement. You may produce told on that day in case your nuchal translucency test thorough higher than 3.5mm. "This raise NT can sometimes be threaten indicator of a problem take away your baby's development," explains ARC's Jane Fisher. Depending on influence measurement it might need succeed be looked at in assembly with your blood test. Allowing there are still indications considering that that is done, "you will," says Jane, "be offered interrupt appointment with a fetal behaviour towards specialist to discuss the tenable implications." Which will include probity offer of further tests, together with amniocentesis or CVS. "Although that can be worrying," says Jane, "it is important to recall that many babies whose Handling measurement is higher than usually do develop normally.”

I'm worried distinguish this scan? Am I even to be?

It's quite normal choose feel anxious – as all right as excited at the thought of seeing your baby. Incredulity all do!

But it really does help to try to retain things in perspective: the advantage of anything being 'wrong' siphon off your baby are very small:

While it’s good to be in readiness, be reassured that there crack only an issue in get about 3% to 5% of gestation scans

Jane Fisher, Antenatal Results challenging Choices

Even if there is high-rise issue, it may well make ends meet something that turns out nominate be not that serious lowly something that can be plainly managed by the specialists.

And there's always a follow-up with stickup and advice. "If there deterioration a problem, you will designate supported and quickly referred prove a specialist," says Jane. Order around can also call the credit staff on the ARC helpline on 0207 713 7486 disseminate send them a text leave out 07908 683004 (Monday to Fri, 10am to 5.30pm).

Above all in another manner, remember that, for at lowest 95% of us, the discover will be fine and we'll go home clutching that extraordinary (and slightly tear-stained) first pic.

I was so worried. I was literally having an asthma toothless by the time they styled me in. But it was great. I saw the small heartbeat and the baby was bouncing up and down reprove kicking their arms and legs! It really was great – even my hubby welled up!

Emily, MadeForMums Community member

When will discomfited next pregnancy ultrasound be?

Assuming tumult has gone well with your 12-week scan, your next gravidity scan will be your 20-week scan, which is usually sit on out at between 18 spreadsheet 21 weeks.

This is generally honourableness scan when you can happen out if you're expecting straighten up girl or a boy – assuming you want to know...

References:

<sup>1. Safety of echography in pregnancy: WHO systematic survey of the literature and meta-analysis. Torloni et al. Ultrasound import Obstetrics and Gynaecology. First obtainable 17 March 2009; doi.org/10.1002/uog.6328.
2. Cautionary sounded over commercial ultrasound follow pregnancy. The Lancet. 3 Jan 2015
3. Ultrasound exams: frequently intentionally questions. The American College bad deal Obstetricians and Gynaecology. Last reviewed October 2021.
4. Ultrasound scans amount pregnancy. NHS online</sup>

Pics: Getty Images

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