5 Weeks Pregnant Ultrasound

There are many ways to read the signs of the onset of pregnancy, primary of which is missing your period for a few weeks. Once that happens, and you begin feeling dizzy or nauseated, all signs will point towards a pregnancy. To confirm the same, you will need to have an ultrasound.

When should you have your First Ultrasound Scan?

You must have your first ultrasound scan somewhere around the fifth week of your pregnancy because that’s when the first signs of a heartbeat appear. This will help confirm the presence of a baby inside the womb. The ultrasound helps in visually confirming the presence of the baby in the early stages of your pregnancy.

There are many reasons that the fifth week is ideal for a pregnancy check because any time before that cannot help confirm the news. A fair amount of pregnancies before the fifth week tend to get terminated for multiple reasons.

Reasons to have a 5-Week Ultrasound?

There are a few reasons why you must have a scan at 5 weeks:

• The ultrasound helps in confirming if you’re having more than one baby
• Check for any abnormalities
• It helps in confirming whether a baby is growing normally especially if you’ve had a problematic pregnancy before or are expecting twins
• The ultrasound helps in determining the placenta in addition to the baby’s position
• You can anticipate the size of the baby through the ultrasound.

How to Prepare for your Fifth Week Pregnancy Scan?

One of the most practical things that doctors ask pregnant women in their 5^th week of pregnancy is to drink a lot of water. By having a womb that’s full, the baby gets pushed up, and this provides a better view of the embryo. At this stage, the baby is only about the size of an Appleseed, so it is necessary that a clear view is obtained.

Also, it is important to stay calm during the process. Early pregnancy can be a very challenging period for a mother because you may face a lot of headaches, fatigue and feelings of tiredness amongst others. Staying calm helps to reduce the stress on not only yours but your baby’s body as well.

How Long does it Take to Complete a 5-Week Ultrasound?

It does not take a lot of time. Once you make an appointment and head into the doctor’s cabin, the doctor will ease you into the bed or seat and make you lie on your back. After this, he will begin applying the gel and run the machine over the belly which will help you see the ultrasound a lot clearer.

The whole process should take just a few minutes to complete, and if you want, you can also request for a photograph of the ultrasound.

How is a 5-Week Scan Performed?

The process is simple wherein the doctor will ask the mother to drink up before the session. Then, you need to lie on your back. After this, the doctor brings out a gel which he will apply over your belly. He will then run the ultrasound device over it, and the images will begin forming on the screen in front of you.

You can bring your partner in order to help you with the process. It is a very special moment when you are able to see your child for the first time, so try not to get too emotional!

What can be Seen on this Scan?

During the scan, you will be able to see the gestational sac along with the yolk sac which forms around the 5^th week. With twins, you can also see the yolk sac along with the fetal poles. If you’re carrying twins who are identical, you can see a single gestational sac along with two yolk sacs with the embryo somewhere around 1.25mm in length.

To understand these terms better, the gestational sac is the black area while the yolk sac is the small white circle on the top-left of the sac. It is also the source of nutrients for the fetus. You can only view the embryo after five months because otherwise, it is the size of a rice grain.

An experienced sonographer can view the sac with the help of a transvaginal ultrasound.

Can you See Twins in the 5-Week Ultrasound?

Yes, you will be able to. Based on whether the twins are fraternal or identical, you will be able to see them.

What if the Ultrasound Showed Nothing?

If in the 5 weeks ultrasound no baby is showing, then it is important that you see if there is a yolk sac. Sometimes, the baby might be too small to appear on the ultrasound. If it’s a situation where you’re 5 weeks pregnant ultrasound no sac is present, it means that you’ll need to consider the following options:

1. The wrong dates were given, and the baby should appear a few days or a week from that day
2. It is an ectopic pregnancy
3. It is a miscarriage.

What if Abnormalities are Found?

An ultrasound can help detect abnormalities in the yolk sac, foetal pole and yolk sac. Based on the severity of the abnormality you can follow the procedures specified by the doctor.

Is this Scan a Part of your Routine Pregnancy Care?

The first pregnancy ultrasound at 5 weeks is a regular part of the process that you need to undergo if you are pregnant. Since it is the time when the ultrasound shows signs, it is imperative that you get the scan done.

Thus, you can figure out whether you’re pregnant and the condition of the embryo during the five-week pregnancy scan and begin your journey to motherhood.