Future parents are always wondering when it is possible to see a fertilized cell, will ultrasound show early pregnancy? Many questions arise when planning a conception. Few people know that there are several methods and techniques that determine the gestational age and date of conception. The article will focus on these techniques and some other issues.
Ovum fertilization
The moment of the beginning of pregnancy is characterized by the fertilization of a female cell - an egg - by a sperm. In order to determine on what day the delay of ultrasound shows pregnancy, we describe the fertilization process and indicate how the gestational age is calculated.
The entire reproductive life of a woman is divided into many cycles that replace each other. The beginning of the cycle is considered from the first day of menstruation. At this point, a new egg matures. The duration of the cycle is on average 28 days, but this period can fluctuate depending on the characteristics of the woman’s body. Around the middle of the cycle, ovulation occurs. It is understood as a process when an egg leaves a follicle. At this moment, a favorable time comes for conception. If during this period a woman has had unprotected intercourse, sperm enter the body. Cell fusion occurs. It also happens that the act was before ovulation. For several days, male cells live and "travel" through the female reproductive system.
A fertilized egg moves through the fallopian tubes. From here, she enters the woman’s uterus about 6 days after fertilization. At this point, implantation (attachment) of the cell to the uterine wall begins. About 14 days remain until the next menstruation, during this period the embryo is completely fixed in the uterus and begins its development.
Fetal gestation
To determine on what day the delay of ultrasound shows pregnancy, we distinguish calculation methods. The first method is called embryonic. To determine the beginning of pregnancy, you need to remember the start date of the last menstruation, add 14 days to it.
It is the date received that is the embryonic beginning of pregnancy. The calculation in this case is carried out according to ideal indicators. Why is it adding 14 days? Because the ideal cycle time is 28 days, and ovulation happens in the middle of it. So, about 14 days after the start of the last menstruation, a favorable period for conception begins. It happens that ovulation occurs on 12-18 days from the beginning of the cycle.
Obstetric period
In this calculation, the pregnancy is counted from the moment the last menstruation begins (first day). It does not take into account the characteristics of the female body. During the first two weeks it is impossible to talk about pregnancy, because fertilization at this time is impossible. However, with successful conception, the period is calculated from this date. The fact is that, according to this method, pregnancy begins from the moment of maturation, and not fertilization of the egg, which has a certain logic.
Using this technique, the date of birth is determined, as well as the onset of maternity leave. Although this method will not be accurate, it is precisely it, as a general rule, that gynecologists use in their calculations. To answer the question of which day the ultrasound shows the delay of pregnancy, we will use the obstetric calculation method.
Transvaginal examination
To determine the fact of pregnancy, there are two methods of ultrasound - transvaginal and transabdominal.
On what day of the delay does the ultrasound show pregnancy? Recall that in the calculation we use the obstetric period of pregnancy. With the help of vaginal ultrasound, pregnancy will be visible already at 4-6 weeks of pregnancy. Recall that we are talking about an obstetric week, not an embryonic one. The study is carried out by introducing a special sensor into the vaginal cavity. During this period, you can see a fetal egg, the size of which is still small.
From what day of the delay will the ultrasound show pregnancy? If a woman already has a 6 day delay, then you can go for an ultrasound using a vaginal technique. Only she will show a fetal egg at such a short time.
Indications for vaginal examination
Not all pregnant women are referred for this examination. For this, certain indications are needed. The vaginal technique involves the introduction of a transvaginal sensor, which can detect a fetal egg in the very early stages of pregnancy (4-6 weeks of gestation). Therefore, it is likely that in the first week of delay, ultrasound will show pregnancy. The procedure is carried out in the presence of the following indications:
- Passing an IVF procedure, which involves the implantation of a fertilized cell into a woman's body. An early ultrasound scan is done to check how successfully the embryo has taken root.
- Suspected ectopic pregnancy. If the test showed a second strip, but it is not noticeable, and at this time the woman is worried about the symptoms that fall under an ectopic pregnancy, an ultrasound scan should be done. In this case, it is the vaginal technique that will exclude or confirm the diagnosis. The sooner this is done, the less danger a woman faces.
- The presence of bloody discharge and sharp pains in the lower abdomen indicate abnormalities in the implantation of the cell to the uterine wall. To determine the essence of the violation, an ultrasound scan is urgently needed.
- Blood results and other studies indicate the presence of an inflammatory process or other abnormalities.
- In previous pregnancies, there were negative phenomena that led to a miscarriage. This can be an ectopic pregnancy, and fetal freezing, and much more.
Transabdominal examination
Not all women have a positive attitude to the vaginal technique and use the more obsolete method - abdominal examination. When will the ultrasound show pregnancy after a delay in this case? Compared with the vaginal method, such an examination is less informative. At best, pregnancy will be visible at 9 obstetric weeks of pregnancy. This is only possible with good equipment. Otherwise, the diagnosis will show a false negative result.
How many days after the delay does the ultrasound show pregnancy with 100% accuracy in an abdominal way? Under these conditions, pregnancy will be noticeable only at 9-12 obstetric weeks. Such an ultrasound study is already the first planned. You can see a full embryo with the first signs of life and nascent organs.
What ultrasound to choose in the early stages?
Doctors do not advise an ultrasound examination to the expectant mother in the early stages, but if this is caused by special indications or the patient’s strong desire, then exceptions are made. It all depends on the duration and evidence.
In the first trimester, it is best to give preference to the vaginal method of research. When will an ultrasound show pregnancy after a delay in menstruation? Starting from the 5-10th day of the delay, it will be possible to conduct an examination, to see the first stage of life formation. That is, from 4 obstetric weeks you can safely use vaginal ultrasound. Further, it is no longer worth doing it, the abdominal should come to replace it. It will allow you to see the embryo inside a special shell, which in science is called the fetal egg. Its diameter will be equal to 7 mm. The doctor can prescribe several studies in a row to make sure there is no pathology and to look at the development of the cell in dynamics.
Ultrasound Preparation
This is a very important stage in the study, on which depends on how many days of delay an ultrasound scan shows pregnancy. After all, if it is incorrect to prepare for the procedure, the study will show a false result. Depending on the type of ultrasound, the preparation for it also varies:
- Transabdominal ultrasound. The day before the study, you need to abandon products that promote the formation of gases. These are milk, cabbage, bread, beans, fresh fruits and vegetables. An hour before the study you need to drink at least 500 ml of liquid. It can be water, fruit drinks, juice. During the examination, you need a full bladder. You should have 1 liter of clean water with you to drink in the process. Only with a full bladder can you see the uterus and ovaries well.
- Transvaginal ultrasound. Unlike the previous view, it is carried out, on the contrary, with an empty bladder. Before you go to the doctor’s office, you need to go to the toilet, exclude the consumption of any fluid before the examination. If the patient has increased gas formation, you need to drink drugs that reduce flatulence.
Will an ultrasound show pregnancy before a delay?
Many girls who dream of becoming mothers are concerned about the question of whether an ultrasound scan will show pregnancy before the delay of menstruation. Experts say that this is entirely possible. It all depends on the characteristics of ovulation. She does not come on schedule for all at the same time. For some, it may be earlier than the due date, for others, on the contrary, later, and for some, even 2 eggs are released during the cycle. This is completely normal. If ovulation occurred earlier, then fertilization did not occur 14 days after the start of the last menstruation, but earlier. In this case, the specialist can detect pregnancy before the delay, but only with the help of vaginal ultrasound.
The article examined all the subtleties of the question of how much after a delay, an ultrasound scan shows pregnancy. If you are planning a pregnancy, you need to track the duration of the cycle, menstruation, and also listen to your body. Remember that nothing happens within us according to the pattern. All individually!