On what day of delay does ultrasound show pregnancy: approximate dates for determining conception

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Expectant parents are always wondering when they can see a fertilized cell, will ultrasound show early pregnancy? Many questions arise when planning conception. Few people know that there are several ways and methods by which the gestational age and the date of conception are determined. The article will focus on these techniques and some other issues.

Ovum fertilization

The moment of the onset of pregnancy is characterized by the fertilization of the female cell - the egg - by the sperm. In order to determine on which day of the delay the ultrasound shows pregnancy, we will describe the process of fertilization and indicate how the gestational age is calculated.

The entire reproductive life of a woman is divided into many cycles that follow each other. The beginning of the cycle is considered from the first day of menstruation. In this momenta new egg matures. The duration of the cycle is on average 28 days, but this period may vary depending on the characteristics of the woman's body. Around the middle of the cycle, ovulation occurs. It refers to the process when the egg leaves the follicle. At this moment, the favorable time for conception comes. If during this period a woman had unprotected intercourse, spermatozoa 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.

The fertilized egg moves through the fallopian tubes. From here, it enters the woman's uterus 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 fully fixed in the uterus and begins its development.

Fetal gestational age

To determine on which day of the delay the ultrasound shows pregnancy, we select the methods of calculation. The first way is called embryonic. To determine the start of pregnancy, you need to remember the date of the start of the last menstruation, add 14 days to it.

It is the date obtained that is the embryonic start of pregnancy. In this case, the calculation is carried out according to ideal indicators. Why is 14 days added? Because the ideal cycle length is 28 days, and ovulation occurs in the middle of it. This means that approximately 14 days after the start of the lastmenstruation is a favorable period for conception. It happens that ovulation occurs on the 12-18th day from the beginning of the cycle.

Obstetric term

In this calculation, the gestational age is counted from the start of the last menstruation (the 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 a 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 the fertilization of the egg, which has a certain logic.

This method determines the date of birth, as well as the onset of maternity leave. Let this method be not its exact, but it is it that, as a general rule, is used by gynecologists in their calculations. To answer the question of which day of delay ultrasound shows 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 delay does ultrasound show pregnancy? Recall that in the calculation we use the obstetric gestational age. With the help of a vaginal ultrasound, pregnancy will be visible already at 4-6 weeks of pregnancy. Recall that we are talking about obstetric week, not embryonic. The study is carried out by introducing a special sensor into the vaginal cavity. During this period you cansee the fertilized egg, the size of which is still small.

From what day of delay will ultrasound show pregnancy? If a woman is already 6 days late, 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. This requires certain indications. The vaginal technique involves the introduction of a transvaginal sensor, which can detect a fetal egg in the earliest stages of pregnancy (at 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:

1. Passage of the IVF procedure, which involves the implantation of a fertilized cell into a woman's body. An early ultrasound is done to check how successfully the embryo has taken root.
2. Suspicion of ectopic pregnancy. If the test showed a second strip, but it is hardly noticeable, and at this time the woman is concerned about the symptoms that fall under an ectopic pregnancy, an ultrasound 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 the woman will face.
3. The presence of bloody discharge and sharp pains in the lower abdomen indicate deviations in the implantation of the cell to the uterine wall. An ultrasound is urgently needed to determine the nature of the violation.
4. Blood and other tests indicate an inflammatoryprocess or other deviations.
5. In previous pregnancies there were negative phenomena that led to a miscarriage. It can be an ectopic pregnancy, and fetal fading, and much more.

Transabdominal examination

Not all women are positive about the vaginal technique and use the more outdated method - abdominal examination. When will ultrasound show pregnancy after a delay in this case? In comparison with the vaginal method, such an examination is less informative. In the best case, pregnancy will be visible at the 9th obstetric week of pregnancy. This is only possible with good equipment. Otherwise, the diagnostic will show a false negative result.

How many days after the delay will ultrasound show pregnancy with 100% accuracy in the abdominal way? Under these conditions, pregnancy will be noticeable only at 9-12 obstetric weeks. Such an ultrasound study is already the first planned. It will be possible to see a full-fledged embryo with the first signs of life and nascent organs.

Which ultrasound to choose early?

Doctors do not recommend doing an ultrasound examination of a future mother in the early stages, but if this is due to special indications or a strong desire of the patient, then exceptions are made. It all depends on the timing and indications.

In the first trimester, it is best to give preference to the vaginal method of examination. When will an ultrasound show pregnancy after a missed period? Starting from 5-10 days of delay, it will be possible toconduct a survey, see the first stage of the formation of life. That is, from the 4th obstetric week, 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 a fetal egg. Its diameter will be 7 mm. The doctor may prescribe several studies in a row to make sure that there is no pathology and to view the development of the cell in dynamics.

Preparation for ultrasound

This is a very important stage in the study, which determines how many days of delay the ultrasound will show pregnancy. After all, if you do not properly prepare for the procedure, the study will show a false result. Depending on the type of ultrasound, the preparation for it also differs:

1. Transabdominal ultrasound. The day before the study, you need to abandon products that contribute to 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 drink, juice. During the examination, a full bladder is needed. You should have 1 liter of clean water with you to drink it in the process. Only with a full bladder can one have a good view of the uterine cavity and ovaries.
2. Transvaginal ultrasound. Unlike the previous type, it is carried out, on the contrary, with an empty bladder. Before entering the doctor's office, you need to go to the toilet, exclude the consumption of any liquid before the examination. If the patient has increased gas formation, it is necessarytake drugs that reduce flatulence.

Will an ultrasound show pregnancy before a delay?

Many girls who dream of becoming mothers are concerned about whether an ultrasound will show pregnancy before a missed period. Experts say it's quite possible. It all depends on the characteristics of ovulation. It does not come on schedule for everyone at the same time. For some, it may be earlier than the due date, for someone, on the contrary, later, and for some, even 2 eggs come out 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 a vaginal ultrasound.

The article considered all the subtleties of the question of how long after the delay the ultrasound will show 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 within us happens according to a pattern. Everything is individual!