22/05/2011
First Signs of pregnancy on Ultrasound
Everyone knows the first signs of pregnancy nausea & sickness, tender breast, missed period but what are the first signs of pregnancy
on ultrasound?
LMP = 4 weeks:-
The lining of the womb will become thickened and slightly brighter than in the "none pregnant" uterus
We may see a small cyst on 1 of your ovaries - this is nothing to worry about and is called the corpus luteum [it is what is left
behind after ovulation - and releases hormones to stop you from having a period :-) ]
LMP = 5 weeks :-
A small "black hole" (the gestation sac) will appear within the lining of the womb.
During this week a small circle will appear within the gestation sac - this is the yolk sac (just like the yolk in a chickens egg) and this will provide nourishment for the developing embryo...
Next development we see is a small line / "blob" THIS IS THE EMBRYO!
At just over 6 weeks gestational age the embryo should development heart beat (by the time the embryo measures 6mm it should be beating!)
Although sometimes we can scan sometimes see things doing a transabdominal scan (tummy scan with full bladder) the best why to scan this early in pregnancy is to do a transva**nal scan (internal scan). This does not compromise your pregnancy in any way, but allows us to use a higher frequency ultrasound probe (thus we can see smaller things more clearly).
(NB; LMP = 1st day of your last menstraul period)
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DT8wa0lCmDg/TcUdKJUO8XI/AAAAAAAAAB0/3VWQXO7Im_M/s320/embryo_03_gestational-sac_2D-copia.jpg
