What is the purpose of the dating scan?

For the purposes of research and surveillance, the best obstetric estimate, rather than estimates based on the last menstrual period alone, should be used as the measure for gestational age.

week pregnancy dating scan - NHS

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, and the Society for Maternal—Fetal Medicine make the following recommendations regarding the method for estimating gestational age and due date:. An accurately assigned EDD early in prenatal care is among the most important results of evaluation and history taking. This information is vital for timing of appropriate obstetric care; scheduling and interpretation of certain antepartum tests; determining the appropriateness of fetal growth; and designing interventions to prevent preterm births, postterm births, and related morbidities.

Appropriately performed obstetric ultrasonography has been shown to accurately determine fetal gestational age 1.

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A consistent and exacting approach to accurate dating is also a research and public health imperative because of the influence of dating on investigational protocols and vital statistics. This Committee Opinion outlines a standardized approach to estimate gestational age and the anticipated due date.

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However, there is great usefulness in having a single, uniform standard within and between institutions that have access to high-quality ultrasonography as most, if not all, U. Accordingly, in creating recommendations and the associated summary table, single-point cutoffs were chosen based on expert review. Because this practice assumes a regular menstrual cycle of 28 days, with ovulation occurring on the 14th day after the beginning of the menstrual cycle, this practice does not account for inaccurate recall of the LMP, irregularities in cycle length, or variability in the timing of ovulation.

It has been reported that approximately one half of women accurately recall their LMP 2—4. Accurate determination of gestational age can positively affect pregnancy outcomes.

For instance, one study found a reduction in the need for postterm inductions in a group of women randomized to receive routine first-trimester ultrasonography compared with women who received only second-trimester ultrasonography 5. A Cochrane review concluded that ultrasonography can reduce the need for postterm induction and lead to earlier detection of multiple gestations 6. Because decisions to change the EDD significantly affect pregnancy management, their implications should be discussed with patients and recorded in the medical record.

Measurements of the CRL are more accurate the earlier in the first trimester that ultrasonography is performed 11, 15— The measurement used for dating should be the mean of three discrete CRL measurements when possible and should be obtained in a true midsagittal plane, with the genital tubercle and fetal spine longitudinally in view and the maximum length from cranium to caudal rump measured as a straight line 8, Mean sac diameter measurements are not recommended for estimating the due date.


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Dating changes for smaller discrepancies are appropriate based on how early in the first trimester the ultrasound examination was performed and clinical assessment of the reliability of the LMP date Table 1. For instance, the EDD for a pregnancy that resulted from in vitro fertilization should be assigned using the age of the embryo and the date of transfer. For example, for a day-5 embryo, the EDD would be days from the embryo replacement date.

Likewise, the EDD for a day-3 embryo would be days from the embryo replacement date. Using a single ultrasound examination in the second trimester to assist in determining the gestational age enables simultaneous fetal anatomic evaluation.

How is a dating scan performed?

With rare exception, if a first-trimester ultrasound examination was performed, especially one consistent with LMP dating, gestational age should not be adjusted based on a second-trimester ultrasound examination. Ultrasonography dating in the second trimester typically is based on regression formulas that incorporate variables such as. Other biometric variables, such as additional long bones and the transverse cerebellar diameter, also can play a role.

Date changes for smaller discrepancies 10—14 days are appropriate based on how early in this second-trimester range the ultrasound examination was performed and on clinician assessment of LMP reliability.

There is also then a routine scan at 20 weeks. Individual circumstances may dictate that more scans may be offered and a breakdown of what you could receive is detailed below. This usually takes place at 6 to 10 weeks of pregnancy. The scan can confirm the number of babies in the uterus, the embryo can be observed and measured by about five and a half weeks and a heartbeat usually detected by 6 weeks. Scans at this stage in pregnancy are reassuring for women experiencing bleeding, pain or who have had previous miscarriages.

Transvaginal scanning may also be used to obtain a better image of the womb. This is a scan which is usually carried out at weeks and is a method of screening for chromosomal abnormalities without having an invasive test such as an amniocentesis. Gestational age is usually determined by the date of the woman's last menstrual period - assuming ovulation occurred on day fourteen of the menstrual cycle.

Ultrasound scans offer an alternative method of estimating gestational age.

Dating the Beginning of Pregnancy

The most accurate measurement for dating is the crown-rump length of the fetus, which can be done between 7 and 13 weeks of gestation. After 13 weeks gestation, the fetal age may be estimated by the diameter of the head and the length of the femur. Instead, you will be offered another blood test between 14 and 20 weeks of pregnancy to screen for the risk of Down's syndrome. This test is not quite as accurate as the combined test.

Why would I have a dating scan?

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