Your 6-Week Pregnancy Ultrasound: What To Expect
Posted on: 17 July 2017
Pregnancy is totally full of surprises and changes you weren't expecting. Your body behaves in ways you'd never have imagined, and people react to the news differently than you may have assumed. There's one thing that should not remain a mystery: what to expect at any of your doctors' appointments. Your 6-week ultrasound will be one of the first doctors' appointments you have as a pregnant woman. To ease your worries and make the experience a bit easier on you, here's a look at what to expect during this appointment.
You'll hear the heartbeat.
At 6 weeks, you're probably not showing yet, and you won't yet be feeling the baby move. Sometimes, this may make you wonder if you really are pregnant or whether there really can be a little human growing inside of you. But after your 6-week ultrasound, it will all feel so much more "real." That's because during this appointment, you'll typically hear your baby's heartbeat for the first time. Prepare to feel completely in awe at this sound!
The ultrasound may be performed internally.
This shocks some women who were expecting the ultrasound technician to only hold the ultrasound device against the outside of their abdomen. When the baby is this small, the best way for your doctor to get a good look at him or her is to perform the ultrasound internally through the birth canal. Do not worry -- the process is still painless and the ultrasound instrument is very small. Your doctor and technician will drape you with a sheet for privacy.
Your baby won't necessarily look like a baby yet.
If you enter the ultrasound appointment in hopes of making out your baby's eyes, nose, and toes, then you may be a bit disappointed. At this stage, your baby is only about the size of a sweet pea, so you won't typically be able to make out his or her various body parts clearly. You may be able to faintly see the hands and feet, which will be shaped like webbed paddles at this point. Your baby's form will be much more distinct at your next ultrasound appointment around 10 or 12 weeks.
If you have any questions or concerns about what will happen during your 6-week ultrasound, feel free to reach out to doctors at facilities like EVDI Medical Imaging ahead of time. This appointment is generally quick and easy, and when it is over, you'll hopefully have the confirmation that your baby is healthy and getting ready to join your family.
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