Early Dating Pregnancy Scan

Early dating scans can be performed from 6 to 8 weeks but they do not replace your 12-week NHS scans.

Your health and your baby’s wellbeing are our top priorities. During your appointment, the sonographer will explain your ultrasound findings clearly. They will also answer any questions you may have. You will receive a full scan report before you leave. If the sonographer identifies anything that may require further investigation, they will discuss their observations with you openly and sensitively. With your consent, we will refer you to your NHS care provider for any necessary follow-up checks. We will provide a written report to support this. It is your responsibility to ensure you contact your NHS care provider promptly after referral. We follow strict medical guidelines and have a robust referral process in place to ensure your safety and continuity of care. Our team will support you throughout the referral procedure. We are committed to providing the highest standard of care at all times.

We understand that working out your dates can sometimes be confusing or uncertain. However, we only offer Early Dating Scan appointments from 6 weeks of pregnancy onwards. This is because, at 6 weeks, we should be able to detect your baby’s heartbeat – usually via an internal ultrasound scan. If you are less than 6 weeks pregnant, it’s unlikely that a heartbeat will be visible. This can understandably lead to confusion and unnecessary worry, and may result in a referral to the NHS. We recommend booking your appointment when you are at least 6 weeks and a few days pregnant – ideally closer to 7 weeks – just in case your dates are slightly off. Pregnancy dating is always an estimate and can vary by up to a week either way.

We only serve adults over the age of 18 years old.

We advise for this early dating scan not to bring children or a large group of guests with you. This scan appointment may require a transvaginal scan. You can bring 3 people with you, sometimes it is good to have someone with you to support you during this nervous early pregnancy stage.

No. You can book your scan appointment directly without any referral. If you have health concerns, having scan results ready can help. This can reduce waiting times when discussing with your GP. We offer same day appointment slots, without long waiting times. We will give you a same day clear written report. Your scan report will tell you if any further steps are needed. If your sonographer finds anything concerning, they will talk it over with you. They might refer you to your NHS care provider for more checks. It's your job to see your NHS care provider without delay, after getting the report.

Our sonographers are highly skilled & experienced in pregnancy ultrasound scanning. They can do trans-abdominal and trans-vaginal scans. Most scans are done over the tummy (abdominal). But sometimes, a trans-vaginal scan is needed. We will explain everything clearly and get your consent first. Our sonographer will talk to you about it. They will tell you if a trans-vaginal scan is needed. Scans before eight weeks are usually done this way for the best view. At this early stage, we suggest not bringing children to the scan. Fertility and women's health scans are best done as transvaginal scans.