confusion over gestation week

[ticklemytoes]

Hello everyone!
Firstly this website is very helpful. Thank u :-)
My question is first time when I went for a scan at five weeks three days I was told that my gestation is of four to five weeks. And they were able to see sac alone. The next week when I went I was told that gestation is of five weeks six days and they were able to see yolk sac. Now when I went now for heartbeat check I.e. after exactly six days they found heartbeat(116) and gestation is of six weeks four days. My question is why is there a gap of one day. If during my previous scan I am five weeks six days then if I go for scan after six days  shouldn't not the gestation be of six weeks five days and six weeks four dyas. Since this being my first pregnancy I know I am little paranoid.  Help very much appreciated :-)

[mami2karina]

Don't worry I'm 18 weeks and have already had 7 ultrasounds for varying reasons, I have my 20 week scan next week and I'm planning on a 3D/4D as well. I have friends who are high risk and had them every single week and their babies are perfectly fine.

[texasangel343]

I had a scan every week until I was 10 weeks (I wasn't considered high risk, but had suffered a miscarriage, super anxious about it happening again and I was diagnosed with an SCH).  Nothing wrong with that, and it absolutely doesn't hurt the baby.  

When the measure your baby (crown to rump) there are many positions the baby could be.  If the baby is in a really tight fetal position then they might not be able to get an accurate measurement.  During my scans there were weeks when I was measuring 3 or 4 days ahead, some right on time and one where I was 2 days behind.  As long as the baby is growing the ultrasound can be off by up to 3 days either way.

Congrats - try not to worry!  It's hard, I know.  I suggest investing in a heart doppler.  It's saved me going to the doctor this week and I know it will give me reassurance between 12 weeks and 16 weeks until I'll be able to really feel my baby.

[AnnieBrooke]

There is some Internet speculation that ultrasounds are not good for babies' ears, but I have never seen that discussed in a serious medical forum or journal, just online in what is more like the "lore" category.  On the strength of the lore, I never pushed my doctor for ultrasounds, but sure didn't turn them down when she offered them.  I figured she was more on top of the science of it than I could ever be, since she was a high-risk doc.  I was just surprised that you had scans so early and close together, since so little can really be seen until week 6 or early in week 7.

[ticklemytoes]

Thank u so much clysta. I am so much glad. Whole night my mind was upset about the number of scans I have done. Many times we don't want to take tensions but our mind still gives.  Ur post has definitely reduced my tension :) thank u once again

[Clysta]

Ultrasound scanning is safe, and won't do any harm to baby. Don't worry, everything is fine. :) I know some high risk ladies who got scans every week for months and their babies are super healthy.

[ticklemytoes]

Thank u ladies. This being my first pregnancy i was paranoid. And then my job required traveling to remote places so my doctor wanted to monitor my initial weeks. Now I am thinking., hope too many scans won't affect my baby

[mami2karina]

With this pregnancy I went for my first scan and they saw only a gestational sac and measured me at 5 weeks exactly. I went in 7 days later and measuring 5 weeks 6 days and we were able to see yolk sac, fetal pole and heartbeat. I'm 18 weeks 2 days now and baby is perfectly fine. It is normal for it to be off some, happens a lot and is nothing to worry about. Congrats!

[AnnieBrooke]

Why are you going in for so many scans?  Is there some concern on the doctor's part?  

[LosingMyMindInGA]

It's not uncommong at ALL for first trimester ultrasounds to be off by a day or two either way.  It's nothing to be concerned over.  Once you are out of the first trimester, ultrasounds can be off by up to 2 weeks either way.   The fact that you are seeing all of the appropriate growth is what matters, like Clysta said.