Does the ultrasound not show pregnancy. Why ultrasound does not show the gestational age

Suspicions about a possible "interesting situation" may appear in a woman long before the delay of the next menstruation. Modern test strips can determine the content of the specific hCG hormone in the urine already on the first day of delay, and some even a few days before it. Whatever the result of the test, a woman wants to make sure that she is pregnant as soon as possible. About when the baby can be seen for the first time on an ultrasound will be discussed in this article.

Minimum terms for determination

After the conception has taken place, intensive processes begin inside the expectant mother, which she most often does not know about. On the very first day, the fertilized egg divides and moves along the fallopian tube, where the conception took place, into the uterine cavity. This journey lasts about four days. It is no longer a set of individual cells that descends into the uterus, but a blastocyte - a formation in the form of a ball. It is embedded in the lining of the uterus. This is implantation. This happens 6-7 days after fertilization, and sometimes a woman feels implantation by slight pulling sensations in the lower abdomen.

The earliest symptom of pregnancy is sometimes the so-called implantation bleeding - a few drops of bloody or sanious discharge at the time of the introduction of blastocytes into the endometrium. This does not mean that it is time to run for the test or sign up for an ultrasound.

The test strips react to the formation of the so-called pregnancy hormone - hCG, and it is just beginning, the hormone level is below the control level of the sensitivity of the test strips. And on ultrasound, a blastocyte cannot be seen - its size is only 0.2 mm.

How is an ultrasound done?

To determine pregnancy, two types of ultrasound examination are used - transvaginal and transabdominal. In the first case, the doctor examines the uterine cavity and its contents with a vaginal probe. In the second case, the examination is carried out with a sensor through the abdominal wall. For the most part, doctors prefer the first method when it comes to early pregnancy. Through the vagina it is much easier to see the embryo and its structure.

Ultrasound of the pelvic organs by the abdominal method is recommended to be performed with a full bladder, transvaginal - with an empty one, while it is better to take care in advance that the intestines are not swollen from gases. To do this, a few hours before going to the doctor, it is advisable for a woman to take Espumizan or Smecta.

It should be noted that pregnancy can be seen in a transvaginal way earlier than in a transabdominal way, for several days. So, a vaginal sensor and a good specialist in addition can tell a woman about her “interesting position” already on the 5th-6th day from the day of the delay, and scanning through the abdomen may not show pregnancy even on the 8th-10th day. The procedure is painless, harmless for a woman and a baby, it lasts no more than 5-7 minutes.

Deciphering the first ultrasound

At the very first ultrasound to determine pregnancy, the diagnostician will be able to detect an echogenic formation. This is the fertilized egg. Its dimensions will indicate the exact gestational age. Also, the doctor will determine the size of the yolk sac, the position of the fetal egg, the thickness of the endometrium, exclude inflammatory processes in it, as well as the presence of cysts, polyps and other unwanted formations. The dimensions of the fetal egg and the timing table are presented below.

Are mistakes possible?

The method of ultrasound diagnostics is considered one of the most accurate for determining pregnancy in the early stages, but you should not assume that its accuracy is 100%. In gynecology, the accuracy of this study is estimated at about 90%. In early pregnancy, the accuracy decreases to 75%. A doctor is first and foremost a person, not a machine with a program embedded in it. He has the right to make a mistake, especially if a woman has problems with the health of the reproductive system. So, the doctor can confuse uterine fibroids with pregnancy in the initial stages, if the woman had not previously been diagnosed with fibroids, and she found out about her presence only on ultrasound. A cyst or polyp can be confused with a fetal egg, since a cyst is also an echogenic formation.

If a woman had late ovulation, then pregnancy a week after the delay may not be detected at all by an ultrasound specialist, since the fetal egg later descended into the uterus and is not yet visualized. Naturally, the doctor will write in the conclusion that no signs of pregnancy were found, but after 7-10 days on a second study, he will be able to determine both the fetal egg and its structure. Only the dimensions will help to understand that ovulation was really late.

Common Questions

On the Internet, inexperienced pregnant women and those who still dream of an “interesting position” ask a lot of questions regarding the earliest diagnosis. The most common situations should be discussed in more detail.

Pregnancy test came back positive but ultrasound didn't

There may be several reasons for this. First of all, it should not be ruled out that the test turned out to be defective, this happens, and quite often, especially when it comes to inexpensive test strips that are sold on almost every corner. In the desire to see two cherished stripes, some ladies go too far, starting to look for "ghost" strips on the test strips. If they find it, they automatically begin to consider their test positive, although in reality there may not be a pregnancy.

If the test still did not deceive, then the reason for the negative conclusion of the ultrasound diagnostics doctor may be that the woman turned to the doctor too early, and the fetal egg is not yet visible. The device itself may be outdated, with low sensitivity and poor resolution. The reason for the absence of signs of pregnancy on ultrasound may be late ovulation, and the presence of an inflammatory process in the uterine cavity, and, of course, the insufficient qualifications of the doctor.

Pregnancy test came back negative but ultrasound came back positive

There may be enough reasons for such a situation. Firstly, the woman could have performed the test at home with an error, the test could have been defective or expired, and it is also possible that it was performed too early, when the level of the hCG hormone in the urine was still insufficient for the test to respond brightly to it. second stripe.

Ultrasound diagnosis in this case is rarely premature, since a woman, after a negative home test, is in no hurry to see a doctor, patiently waiting for the start of a late period. After one and a half to two weeks of delay, when the lady still goes to the doctor, the pregnancy on the ultrasound is already clearly visible. Therefore, the results of ultrasound should be considered more reliable than the results of a home test. In doubtful cases, you can donate blood for hCG to get even more accurate data.

How to calculate the gestational age by ultrasound?

To do this, you can use the table above. If a greater specification of the term is required, use a table of correspondence of the term to the nearest day to the average internal diameter of the fetal egg (SVD). The table of gestational age according to SVD is given below.

The value of the average inner diameter of the fetal egg

Gestational age

When it comes to confirming pregnancy, most doctors say that you first need to do a test and one. And it would be nice if you did them at least every other day. But in order to be completely sure, you need to undergo an ultrasound scan that can show your pregnancy, the fetal egg and its location.

But there are times when the hope for an ultrasound does not justify itself. And it happens quite often all over the world. In such cases, the doctor who performs the entire ultrasound procedure at different times up to the thirteenth week of pregnancy cannot detect a fetal egg in the uterus. And this is despite the fact that the child already has a heartbeat.

Women who have been in such situations talk about the fact that doctors suspected an ectopic pregnancy and sent them for an abortion. But they still endured and gave birth to a completely healthy child.

Therefore, it is very unpleasant to say that due to the mistakes of doctors, more than one life may have been cut short. Of course, very often there are cases when the fetal egg does not reach the uterus or dies in the fallopian tubes on the way to it, but before making such a conclusion, it is necessary to undergo a full test to be completely convinced of this.

Why doesn't ultrasound show pregnancy?

Now there are many devices, thanks to which our life becomes much easier. For example, when the ultrasound machine was invented, it became much easier for both mothers and doctors. But despite this, even technology can make a mistake, especially when you consider that it is controlled by a person.

Although they say that ultrasound is the surest way to find out about pregnancy, but given the errors of this equipment, then it cannot be completely trusted. Indeed, to a greater extent, the results of an ultrasound will depend on how experienced the doctor who does it is. After all, world practice shows that there were doctors who mistook pregnancy for uterine myoma or did not see it at all, although the fetus was already a month or two old.

The reason for such situations may be old equipment. The first devices were not able to show pregnancy in the early stages. Indeed, even today, when there is much better equipment, doctors do not recommend undergoing this procedure if the delay in menstruation is less than 10 days.

Although it is possible to determine pregnancy on an ultrasound at an earlier date, it is precisely because of this that most cases happen when doctors do not find a fetal egg in the uterus. Also, pregnancy can not be seen when a woman has an individual structure of the uterus. In this case, pregnancy will be visible only in the later stages.

In any case, you do not need to set yourself up for the bad. After all, it is very easy to make a mistake in our life. If there is an assumption that the pregnancy is frozen or ectopic, then do not rush to go for an abortion. First you need to do at least a few ultrasounds from different doctors. But a more accurate way would be a blood test for hCG. Of course, he also does not give 100% certainty, because, oddly enough, people also work in the laboratory.

Therefore, it is worth double-checking everything, because sometimes the smallest mistake of a doctor can cost your child's life! Do not worry and make several trips to the doctors for an ultrasound. Pass all possible tests. And if the terrible diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy is confirmed in all cases, only then can such serious steps be taken. Because there are cases when, due to a medical error, parents not only killed an unborn baby, but also lost the opportunity to have healthy children in the future.

The most modern means of determining pregnancy is an ultrasound examination. Of course, today pregnancy can be determined using pharmacy test strips, which are widely used for these purposes due to their availability and information content. In addition, a gynecologist can easily examine a pregnant uterus.

However, only after receiving the result from the examination, the fact of pregnancy is confirmed. Based on this, most women remain at a loss when there are difficulties with this method. Our article will talk about whether ultrasound can not show pregnancy, and for what reasons this situation occurs.

Are there errors in determining pregnancy by ultrasound

Answering the question whether ultrasound can not show pregnancy in the early stages, doctors say: "Yes." Of course, today ultrasound diagnostics is the most informative method, but it is impossible to be completely sure of the result.

Causes of errors

The resulting picture directly depends on the qualifications and experience of working with pregnant women from a specialist. There are times when pregnancy is mistaken for a fibroid or the doctor conducting the examination does not see anything, although the fetus is more than 2 months old. In addition, the cause of this error is outdated equipment, which at an early stage is not able to consider the presence of a fetal egg.

If a woman managed to get pregnant and she has less than 10 days of delay, then there is no point in undergoing an ultrasound examination. Although it is often possible to determine the pregnant uterus with modern equipment even with an earlier delay. If the pregnancy test showed, but there was no ultrasound, then this may be preceded by a special anatomical structure of the uterus, which does not allow early diagnosis.

In addition, there are other reasons why the doctor may not notice the fetal egg. These include:

the pregnancy is too small to be noticed during the study;
the fetal egg is not yet in the uterine cavity, during the examination it is located in the area of the fallopian tubes;
the woman made a mistake in the calculations, which is why the process of ovulation is shifted;
due to the early planting of the egg, an ectopic pregnancy developed. It is usually difficult to diagnose early. To recognize it, it is advisable to use an intravaginal sensor;
inflammation of the uterus is often the cause of errors. This is due to the swelling of the cavity, against which it is quite difficult to see a small fetal egg.

In the early stages, the fetal egg is easily confused with uterine fibroids.

Tip: if there is a slight delay, you should not run for ultrasound diagnostics, because due to the short period the doctor may not detect pregnancy, moreover, inaccurate information often causes unnecessary unrest.

Can a test show pregnancy, but an ultrasound can't?

Usually, the definition of pregnancy begins with a test at home, which today is distinguished by its quality. However, despite its informativeness, errors can be.

If the test, conducted several times, shows a positive result, but the diagnosis does not, then, most likely, you should believe the test, since it reacts to the level of hCG released during childbearing.

This hormone appears in the urine of a woman within 2-3 days after conception. However, one should not ignore the fact that this hormone increases in the presence of diseases, such as tumors.

In order to understand the current situation, you should donate blood to determine the exact amount of the hormone. Tip: when the ultrasound does not determine the presence of pregnancy, however, the uterus is enlarged, then it is better to do a transvaginal examination, which can determine the fetus from the 5th day of the delay in the menstrual cycle.

What to do when ultrasound does not determine the presence of pregnancy?

It happens that a woman shows clear signs of pregnancy, the test shows a positive result, and ultrasonic waves do not see anything. In this case, first of all, you need to calm down, try to guess the approximate date of ovulation. In addition, you can visit an experienced gynecologist who, without a diagnosis, can assume the presence of a fetal egg upon examination.

Pregnancy tests can give wrong results

If the test previously showed positive results, which later became negative, then it is urgent to take a blood test to detect hormones and do a transvaginal ultrasound to rule out an ectopic pregnancy. This course of events requires prompt intervention, since it carries great risks for the life and health of a woman.

Usually, when the diagnosis does not show the presence of a fetal egg, the reason is the presence of a short period. You should calm down, listen to the signals of your body and repeat the examination after 2 weeks.

Already by 6-8 weeks, the fertilized egg becomes embedded in the wall of the uterus. The length of the formed embryo is very small - it can be about 2-4 mm. The size of a fetal egg is like a slightly bent grain of rice. The makings of arms and legs appear, they are like tiny processes that separate from the calf.

Pregnancy can be determined by ultrasound by 2-3 weeks of the obstetric period. Already from this period, the doctor, thanks to the diagnosis, can:

Determine the presence of the embryo;
Set the number of fruits;
Notice an ectopic pregnancy.

The doctor is able to determine the heartbeat only after 4 weeks. At such an early stage, the examination is prescribed for pregnant women only in exceptional cases:

Bleeding;
Pain;
Other complaints of the patient.

Ultrasound in early pregnancy

Ultrasound examination must be done at an early stage. It is contraindicated for expectant mothers to worry, especially about the negative impact of the examination on the unborn baby. There is no effect (experts have not proven the negative effect of ultrasound on the fetus). Not a single study has confirmed the fact that ultrasound harms the development of the child.

Also, expectant mothers are interested in the question: “Are there cases when ultrasound does not show pregnancy? How often do such mistakes occur in the early stages? Is ultrasound wrong when determining the gestational age? These are quite common questions. We will try to give the most detailed answer.

To whom and why is ultrasound recommended during early pregnancy?

Usually, gynecologists prescribe early ultrasound diagnosis to a certain circle of women. These include:

Women with problems that have manifested themselves during the period of the previous bearing of the child;
The presence of a threat of termination of pregnancy;
Complaints of the patient, including the manifestation of periodic stretching, pain in the lower abdomen;
Assumption of ectopic pregnancy;
Blood secretions.

If doctors have not identified such suspicions in expectant mothers, then an ultrasound examination may not be prescribed so early.

The expectant mother will have to undergo a mandatory planned ultrasound of the first trimester as prescribed by the gynecologist. Its experts appoint during the 11-12th week of bearing a child. The main goals of diagnostics are to confirm the presence of a fertilized egg, as well as to assess the compliance of the development of the fetus with the established stage.

Ultrasound did not determine pregnancy, why?

Ultrasound of the initial stage allows for an accurate diagnosis of the location of the embryo. If it shows a location in the uterus, the pregnant woman may not worry about anything. There are times when an ultrasound cannot show the presence of a fetal egg, although, according to the tests in the woman's body, there is a high level of hCG and the test is positive. What is the reason? Can an ultrasound be wrong?

This result of the diagnostic method alarms doctors. The absence of a fertilized egg can be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy. The embryo is usually detected from the 5th obstetric week. Doctors do not recommend early diagnosis for pregnant women, in order to avoid misdiagnosis.

Usually, in the short term, women want to determine the presence of pregnancy when it is unwanted. The doctor can interrupt it by means of medications only at the initial stage. If the doctor did not find a fetal egg in the uterus (with a positive test result), then the woman will not be able to be referred for an abortion or registered.

If the ultrasound did not determine pregnancy (with a positive test result), the specialist recommends that the woman repeat the examination, but after 2 weeks. Perhaps the embryo is so small that the equipment cannot show it.

The presence of an embryo is not determined by ultrasound diagnostics in the early stages for several reasons:

Too early. At the first stages, it is difficult for a specialist to distinguish a fetal egg from uterine polyps;
Swelling of the uterine mucosa due to the progression of any kind of inflammatory processes;
outdated equipment;
Irregular shape of a woman's uterus;
Lack of practice with a sonologist. He may make a mistake in the diagnosis.

Is the ultrasound time wrong?

A gynecologist prescribes a planned ultrasound examination for a pregnant woman by 11-12 weeks. It is this examination of the first trimester that the doctor needs to confirm the presence of a fetal egg. Even at this time, the embryo is so small that ultrasound can make a mistake in diagnosing the position of a woman. There are cases when doctors confused a hematoma or polyps with an embryo.

Up to 8 weeks, experts determine the gestational age by measuring the length of the embryo. Until this stage, the development of all fetal eggs occurs in the same way. With such a period of development, ultrasound can show the exact period plus or minus 1-2 days.

There are cases when the diagnosis shows a period longer than obstetric. There is an explanation - perhaps the last discharge of blood, taken by a woman for the next menstruation, was a minor bleeding. Thus, for some time a woman does not even know about her position.

When determining the term, experts allow a difference between the terms (obstetric and delivered using ultrasound diagnostics) of about 2 weeks.

There are cases when ultrasound shows a period less than obstetric. Perhaps this is the norm, and perhaps a deviation in the development of the embryo. In such cases, the specialist prescribes either Dopplerography or repeated ultrasound diagnosis. Doppler examination will help to exclude oxygen starvation of the embryo.

The obstetrician-gynecologist treating you with such a difference in time can offer you:

Re-examined after a while;
Consult with another specialist;
Recommend hospitalization.

In addition to the fact that an ultrasound examination may not see the pregnancy at the initial stage, it can make an error in determining the sex of the child and the term. The term error is explained by the individual size of the uterus of each woman. If an error is allowed, then the deviation becomes about two weeks.

Transvaginal ultrasound during pregnancy

By means of an ultrasound examination carried out in the early period, a specialist will be able to see the embryo by the 5th day after the delay. But such a gestational age can only be determined with the help of a transvaginal examination. Thanks to a special sensor, the presence of a fertilized egg, its localization, and the period of development are determined.

When viewed with a sensor during a transvaginal examination, a specialist can determine the ectopic implantation of the embryo in the period of 10-12 days from conception. Do not be afraid of an examination performed using a vaginal probe. The threat to your baby can only be if the pregnant woman has periodic bloody discharge, spotting.