Pregnancy Verification Ultrasounds

Let’s talk about our Pregnancy Verification Session. 🙂

The Pregnancy Verification Ultrasound starts at eight weeks gestation. Here’s why!

If you are like us, the first thing you want to see when you find out you are pregnant is your little baby and his or her heartbeat. You call your doctor and they typically want you to wait until you are between ten and twelve weeks before they have you come in for an appointment. Sometimes that wait can seem like forever! You may feel a combination of excitement, and maybe even a little nervousness wanting to see the baby and hear the heartbeat! You do some research and find out that Fetal Fotos does ultrasound sessions at eight weeks. But does it really matter if you are eight weeks, or can you come in earlier?!

It does matter. 🙂 Before eight weeks at the doctor’s office they use a vaginal probe to see the baby and the heartbeat. Here at Fetal Fotos, we only use an abdominal probe and in most cases eight weeks is the earliest we are able to see the baby and verify a heartbeat. By eight weeks the baby is measuring .63 inches long and is the size of a raspberry. In most cases by eight weeks we are able to clearly see your growing baby and their heartbeat. We want you to be able to come in as soon as you can but we also don’t want you to worry if we aren’t able to see the baby yet because you aren’t quite far enough along. There are many factors that go into being able to see the baby early on in the pregnancy, but once you hit eight weeks, you’re at a perfect time to come in and see your baby and listen to the heartbeat.

When you are ready to schedule and come in for your appointment, you will be asked to keep your bladder full. Pregnancy Verification ultrasounds are the only sessions we ask for you to do this. You don’t need to drink a whole bunch of water before your appointment, just don’t use the restroom right before you come in, and you should be fine! Keeping a full bladder gives us the best chance to see your baby during this early stage.

People are often surprised how much we are able to see during the Pregnancy Verification ultrasounds. At eight weeks, you are able to see the baby and a heartbeat. Around 10 weeks, you will start to see small movements, and by 12 weeks you can see a clear profile, fingers, toes, and usually lots of wiggling!  It’s an exciting time to be able to see your baby and the beginning stages of growth and development. We love being able to provide this early ultrasound service, and for you to start bonding with your new baby.

Xoxo

Fetal Fotos