Educativo

When should I have my first ultrasound scan?

As soon as you see a positive pregnancy test, it's only natural to want to have an ultrasound. After all, you want to confirm that everything is fine and understand what is already happening inside your body.

This is one of the most common questions in the early weeks of pregnancy.

However, an ultrasound done too early cannot always show what you expect and, instead of reassuring you, can cause unnecessary anxiety.

Imagine your womb like a papaya cut in half. The area where the seeds are represents the endometrium, the inner lining of the womb where the gestational sac will implant and where your baby will grow over the coming months.

In the first few weeks, it is normal for only the gestational sac to be visible.

The embryo can usually start to be seen around 5 to 6 weeks of pregnancy.

The heartbeat usually becomes visible from 6 weeks, although this can vary by a few days from woman to woman.

Therefore, a very early scan does not necessarily mean there is a problem; often it just means it is still too early to see all of these structures.

Remember too that the most important scan to accurately date your pregnancy is the first-trimester scan

Carried out between 11 weeks and 13 weeks + 6 days.

It is at this stage that it is possible to determine gestational age more accurately and assess your baby's early development.

Every pregnancy has its own pace. If your healthcare professional recommends repeating the scan a few days later, this is often just part of routine pregnancy monitoring.