Health: Tiny Beginnings — What An Early Pregnancy Scan Can Tell You

Dr Mary McCaffrey of The Scotia Clinic on early pregnancy ultrasound appointments at the Clinic…

More and more, parents choose to have an ultrasound scan early in pregnancy. Early pregnancy scans can be performed from six weeks of pregnancy.

When we perform an early pregnancy scan we can:

• Confirm that a pregnancy is in the womb rather than an ectopic pregnancy.  Helping determine the expected delivery date and identifying a heartbeat.
• We can identify multiple pregnancies, such as twins or triplets, allowing for tailored antenatal care.
• For women with problems such as pain or vaginal bleeding a scan can help determine the cause and guide your doctor on how to manage the situation.

Unfortunately 1 in 4 pregnancies can end in a miscarriage. A scan can help identify this at an early stage and care can then be tailored for the couple.

Early pregnancy ultrasounds may be either an abdominal (tummy) scan or a transvaginal (internal) scan. There are no medical risks related to transvaginal scans and, in fact, can provide clearer images.

It is important to be aware that an early scan cannot detect all fetal abnormalities, and a normal scan does not guarantee that the pregnancy will remain uncomplicated.

There are other specialised tests such as (NIPT) to help with that concern.

Occasionally, findings may be uncertain, requiring a repeat scan after several days or additional investigations.

• At The Scotia Clinic all scans are carried out by a consultant,  Dr. Mary McCaffrey. The presence of a consultant allows immediate decisions regarding ongoing care for couples. For appointments call 066-7181100 or click here to go to the website.