6-week pregnancy ultrasound: Everything you need to know

A 6-week pregnancy ultrasound is essential to accurately determine if you are pregnant and if any abnormalities are present.

Usually, until the 6th week of pregnancy, the pregnant mother can find out that she is pregnant. The embryo is now very small, about 0.6 cm in size and only a bean.

However, starting from the 6th week of pregnancy, pregnant mothers can see the first picture of an embryo in the abdomen through ultrasonic waves.

So the first pregnancy ultrasound will have something special, pregnant mothers need to prepare for the 6-week pregnancy ultrasound ? Please join aFamilyToday Health to learn more about fetal ultrasound in the 6th week of pregnancy through this article!

1. Reasons for needing pregnancy ultrasound at 6 weeks

6-week fetal ultrasound is very important in monitoring fetal development . Doctors need to perform an ultrasound of 6 weeks of age to:

Confirm fetal presence: An ultrasound is a simple way to confirm the results of a home pregnancy test with a test strip . If you notice an embryo, your doctor can confirm with certainty that you are pregnant.

Locate the embryo: Through an ultrasound of the embryo, the doctor can determine the exact location of the embryo, thereby eliminating the risk of ectopic pregnancy , a condition that could endanger the mother's life if it is not promptly discovered.

Determine the number of embryos: By ultrasound, the doctor can determine the number of embryos in the mother's body, thereby considering whether you are pregnant with multiple pregnancies or not.

Search for the yolk sac: The yolk sac is an embryonic structure that provides nutrients to the developing embryo during the first few weeks of pregnancy. In the first 2 months, the yolk sac is also responsible for blood-forming and angiogenesis. The yolk sac is usually attached to the embryo. Therefore, if the ultrasound does not find the sac or the bag is larger than normal, the fetus may stop developing.

Determining the time of conception: Many women have irregular menstrual cycles, making it difficult for doctors to estimate the time of conception, so it is difficult to determine a specific due date. An ultrasound scan during the first 3 months of pregnancy makes it easier to determine the date of conception. In general, the earlier the ultrasound is performed, the more accurate the ability to estimate the time of conception is.

Monitoring the risk of miscarriage of pregnant women: Ultrasound can help doctors detect abnormalities in pregnancy in early stages, such as small or irregular pregnancy bags, dissection of the pregnancy sac ... The doctor gave more pregnancy pills.

Monitor the results of infertility / in vitro fertilization before conception is successful.

Discover the underlying reason for any unusual pain, if any.

Examination of the mother's pelvic organs , for example: uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts ...

Provides a more specific picture of your baby's growth.

2. How often is a 6-week pregnancy ultrasound?

Mothers pregnant are definitely eagerly awaiting this ultrasound session. In the early stages of pregnancy, the fetus is quite small and lies deep in the mother's uterus, making it difficult to observe with a normal abdominal ultrasound .

Instead, doctors will use a vaginal ultrasound method. A probe is inserted into the vagina. This probe will emit ultrasonic waves and then capture the image on the external screen. A transvaginal ultrasound can provide a clearer picture of the baby during this period.

3. What to prepare for the first pregnancy ultrasound?

Usually, the ultrasound doesn't require too much preparation. However, if you have an ultrasound of your abdomen, your doctor will probably ask you to drink plenty of water before the procedure. This makes it easier to observe the image of the fetus.

You should drink 4-5 glasses of water 1 hour before the scan. If you have a vaginal ultrasound, you will be asked to urinate clean to empty your bladder before the ultrasound.

4. How long does an ultrasound session usually last?

The ultrasound does not take long. The entire process usually ends in a matter of minutes, rarely lasting more than half an hour.

5. Ultrasound of the fetal heart at 6 weeks of pregnancy

During an ultrasound, in addition to pictures of the fetus, you can also monitor the fetal heart rate on the screen. Normally, at the 6th week of pregnancy , the fetus has formed a fetal heart and the doctor can monitor the baby's heart rate through ultrasound. At 6 weeks, the average fetal heart rate fluctuates 110 to 180 beats per minute.

However, each fetus has a different development. So sometimes the heart rate of some babies is weak and difficult to determine by ultrasound. The doctor will conduct additional heart rate monitoring in the following weeks of pregnancy. Pregnant mothers also do not worry too much if you still have not seen your child's heart rate at 6 weeks.

You may be interested in:  7 frequently asked questions about 6 weeks pregnant without a fetal heart

6. 6-week pregnancy ultrasound: Things you need to remember

By the 6th week of pregnancy, the baby just stays still in your womb but can sometimes move slightly. If the ultrasound shows that the baby's condition is stable, you can be assured.

However, this is an easy period for miscarriage to occur , so pregnant mothers still need to be very careful. Regularly monitor your health status, if you see unusual signs occurring during pregnancy , see an obstetrician immediately.

Pregnancy is a very sacred process and the first time seeing a baby's picture through ultrasound will probably be an unforgettable memory for many pregnant mothers.

The 6th week of pregnancy is the earliest time to have a pregnancy ultrasound. A 6-week pregnancy ultrasound not only helps doctors observe the baby's condition, but also helps monitor the mother's condition.

aFamilyToday Health hopes that this article has brought a lot of useful information to pregnant mothers about 6-week fetal ultrasound and information surrounding this ultrasound session.

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