Early Pregnancy Assessment

At QUFW, we conduct early pregnancy assessments up to the twelfth week of a pregnancy.

An early pregnancy scan is performed to:

Evaluate for the presence of a fetal heartbeat. The earliest we can see a fetal heartbeat is between 6-7 weeks.
Confirm the gestational age and the due date of the pregnancy.
Assess the location of the pregnancy – inside the uterus or elsewhere known as an ectopic pregnancy.
Evaluate maternal symptoms eg: pain / bleeding.
Evaluate if there are any signs to indicate pregnancy failure.
Identify the number of fetuses present and type of multiple pregnancy.

The ideal time to perform a dating ultrasound is 7 – 10 weeks. A transvaginal ultrasound examination may be required to provide the best visualisation of the pregnancy. The need for and timing of this scan can vary depending on your referring doctor and your past medical or obstetric history.

Early dating assessment of an 8 week fetus by measurement of Crown-Rump Length (CRL)

Assessing for an ectopic pregnancy

An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy which is not located within the uterine cavity. It is important to determine the exact location of a pregnancy, as this will determine the way it is managed.

During an early pregnancy assessment, we can assess the location such as:

Tubal ectopic
Cervical
Caesarean section scar
Pregnancy of unknown location

Left ectopic pregnancy

Assessing for miscarriage

Miscarriage is a devastating event that can impact a patient and their families. It is important to provide the correct diagnosis of whether the pregnancy is ongoing. This will assist in the management of your pregnancy. Further follow up scans may be required to confirm that a viable pregnancy is progressing.

Assessing for a multiple pregnancy

The first trimester is the optimal time to determine the number of fetuses, gestational sacs, and the type of twins (non-identical or identical).

The type of twinning– fraternal versus identical (dichorionic or monochorionic) is best determined in the first trimester. We are then able to determine the frequency of your monitoring for the pregnancy as you are high risk.

Twin dating scan (MCDA)

Early morphology scanning

During your early pregnancy assessment, we may conduct a morphology scan. This scan can detect some of the major anomalies such as:

Brain-anencephaly
Abdominal wall defects
Limb defects
Some major heart anomalies
Bladder outlet obstruction

Diagnosis of these structural problems are limited by the size and gestation of the baby as well as by technical scanning restrictions.

We are here for you

We are aware at this early stage of your pregnancy you may be feeling uncertain and may have some concerns. Our sonographers and staff at QUFW will endeavour to make this process as comfortable and informative as possible.

Appointment Enquiry

8 week fetus with heartbeat

3D image of an 8 week fetus

about QUFW

QUFW provides a comprehensive range of obstetrics services for singleton and multiple pregnancies, including screening, tertiary opinion and invasive testing. In addition, our gynaecology ultrasound examinations are equally expansive from routine to gynaecology procedures.

Beyond your scan, we believe in comprehensive care. Our team takes the time to discuss findings with you, answering your questions, addressing your concerns, and providing you with support and guidance. We value the trust placed in us and are committed to delivering ultrasound and other women’s health services to our community and beyond. We are QUFW. We are here for you.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are your opening hours?

Our Brisbane practice is open Monday – Friday 8am to 5pm, Saturday 8am-12:30pm.
Our Ipswich, Southport and Tugun practices are open between Monday – Friday 8am to 5pm.

Where can I park my car?

Spring Hill: Metered street parking on Little Edward and Boundary Streets (Please be aware of the clearway zone at certain times of the day).

Parking underneath the Leichhardt Court building (orange section) with entry via Hope Street. Online bookings are recommended through Wilson parking.

Southport: 4 hour metered parking is available on Short Street. Additional car parking available in the Gold Coast City Council Carey Carpark and Australia Fair Shopping Centre

Ipswich: Onsite Parking is available at the back of the Medical Centre. Metered on street Ipswich City council parking is also available.

Tugun: Onsite car parking is available in the John Flynn Hospital campus.

How much will my scan cost?

The cost of the ultrasound and consultation will be discussed at the time of making an appointment. We request that accounts be settled on the day after the consultation. We have EFTPOS and accept MasterCard, VISA and American Express. We are a private medical ultrasound service and we do not routinely bulk bill as this would not allow us to provide the best comprehensive service for our patients.

How long will the appointment take?

Our scans can range from approximately 30-60 minutes depending on the type of scan, but please allow up to 90 minutes. Occasionally there are unexpected delays. If a problem is detected in a routine ultrasound, it will be discussed with you at the time of your appointment. In this situation, further examination and reassessment may extend over a longer period depending on the complexity of this problem and individual patient needs. This process may lead to delay of the assessment of other women’s appointments.

We apologise for these delays which are unpredictable and we make every effort to avoid significant patient inconvenience. We ask that you demonstrate kindness to our staff if there is an unforeseen delay. We recommend that you ring our rooms in advance to check that we are not significantly delayed so you can plan your day and parking arrangements.

Can I bring another person to my appointment?

At QUFW, we allow two support people to attend your appointment. One of these support people may be a child. Sometimes pregnancy ultrasounds can be a long time for your little one’s attention span, so we request that the other support person is a supervising adult who may be able to attend to your child during the scan if necessary. If you are a surrogate patient, we are happy to discuss this with you when you make your appointment.

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