Imagine this: you just found out that you’re expecting. It’s exciting, it feels wonderful, it’s all so thrilling, and you can’t contain your happiness. But suddenly it dawns on you, “Wait a minute, is it a he or a she?” “How does it look?” “Is my baby healthy?” All these questions cloud your happiness. Well, fret not, because a 7 weeks ultrasound can help answer most of these questions.
If you are asymptomatic you’ll begin to feel your pregnancy more in your 7th week. This means that you will experience nausea, bloating, body aches, frequent urination, mood swings, food cravings, and sensitive breasts. This is also the week where it is advisable for expecting mums to get an ultrasound.
That’s because in a 7 weeks ultrasound, the baby’s growth is visible with hands and feet showing up properly. So you get a look and feel of how well your little bub is growing in your belly.
7 Weeks Ultrasound: Why Its Necessary For All Expecting Mums
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A 7 weeks ultrasound is crucial for all expecting mums because of the following:
- Detection of embryos or gestational sac
- Understanding the gestational age, also known as dating scan
- Detection of baby’s size to ensure he/she is the correct size for the gestational period
- For assurance of fallopian tubes, uterus, and ovaries functioning properly
- Checking foetal heartbeat to understand miscarriage with abdominal cramps and other symptoms that may cause miscarriage
- To rule out an ectopic pregnancy.
You can see the following anatomic developments in a 7 weeks ultrasound:
- Gestational sac: A fluid-filled space around the embryo that is formed from 5 weeks of gestation.
- Yolk sac: A sac that develops inside the gestational sac. It provides your baby with nutrients and oxygen until the placenta develops.
- Foetal pole: When a baby starts growing inside the gestational sac, the visual appearance looks as a white pole attached to the yolk sac. The baby appears as a curved or oblong object detected.
The 7 weeks ultrasound is also advisable to detect any abnormalities such as a tilted uterus or initial hazards to your baby. It is also recommended for women with a history of miscarriages and aids in detecting genetic abnormalities.
If there are any signs of abnormality, your gynaecologist will recommend tests for blood sugar, blood pressure, range of blood cell count, and level of HCG hormone.
How a 7 weeks ultrasound is performed: What to expect
- A 7-week pregnancy ultrasound scan is performed when your bladder is full, providing clarity of the foetus.
- An ultrasound scan does not take more than a few minutes and helps you to see your baby.
- The ultrasound is done between 8-11 weeks of gestation to see your embryo’s growth.
Look Out For Unexpected Issues During A 7 Week Ultrasound
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- If the foetus is not in a proper position, it is either curled or twisted.
- There are chances of scan results to be inaccurate, and a sonographer may detect specific abnormalities.
- The quality of ultrasound equipment is also important in getting accurate results.
- The scan helps in providing foetal heartbeat and the visibility of internal organs’ development.
- At the time of the 7-weeks pregnant period, the baby appears as a comma attached to the rope. The visibility of a rope-like material is an umbilical cord passing on the nutrition from mother to baby.
Where You Can Get An Ultrasound In Singapore
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Ultrasound scans in Singapore usually cost anywhere between $100 and $200 each, depending on the healthcare centre. You can try the following hospitals and clinics:
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