Many women look forward to an early ultrasound from the moment they have a positive pregnancy test. This is very understandable! Of course, the test really indicates that you are pregnant, but many women need more confirmation with an early ultrasound. You can schedule an early ultrasound from 7-8 weeks of pregnancy. During this ultrasound we will see if the baby is in the womb, if the heart is beating and we will measure the baby to see if the size matches the term.
Indication for early ultrasound
You can have an early ultrasound done because you like it yourself or because there is an indication. If there is a medical indication, the ultrasound will be reimbursed, you can read here which indications these are (dutch). (If there is no medical indication, you can still schedule the early ultrasound, which will cost approximately €40. We schedule the early ultrasound together with an introductory meeting with the midwife. During this conversation we will discuss what you can pay attention to in terms of nutrition and lifestyle we explain the practice’s working method and there is room to ask questions.
Schedule when early ultrasound
In theory, at 6 weeks of pregnancy, heart activity can also be seen with an early ultrasound. However, it is advisable to wait before scheduling your ultrasound. The baby is around 6 weeks only 5mm tall, so still very small. It is then often difficult to see heart action with the ultrasound machine, and if you see it, it can also be a slow beating heart. This is normal at that time, but can cause concern. In addition, there is always a chance that you may be a few days less pregnant than you thought. If you are 5 weeks pregnant, it is normal not to see any heart activity on the ultrasound. So you will not get the hoped-for confirmation at the early ultrasound. The last reason to wait a while is the risk of miscarriage. At 6 weeks, the risk of miscarriage is still 22%, so unfortunately there is still a chance that things will go wrong after an early ultrasound. We therefore advise you to wait until 8 weeks, after which there is only a 2% chance of a miscarriage.
How to schedule
As soon as you have a positive test, you can register at our midwifery practice. The assistant will then contact you within a few working days to schedule appointments. She will ask you if you want to schedule an early ultrasound and will make the appointment immediately. If you do not want an early ultrasound, the first appointment will be scheduled around 10-12 weeks.
To ask
Do you have any questions about the early ultrasound that you would like to discuss with the midwife? That is always possible. Then call our telephone consultation hour, which is every working day from 13:30-14:00. Call 030 231 13 76 and you will speak to a midwife immediately.
If you would like to register with us, please use our handy and simple registration form, you can register here: Registration form.
