minimoocow- That's some really weird info your doctor gave you, and honestly, if they're so inept that they say seeing a fetal pole puts you at 5 weeks, I'd switch to another doctor. It's just totally incorrect. A 16mm gestational sac is exactly what you want to see sometime between 6 weeks and 7 weeks.
I went in on 6+4 (this past Monday) and the perinatologist (high risk doctor) said my fetal pole is measuring 3mm. I was worried, because I know it's a little on the smaller side, but he said it is totally fine for being 6+4. Depending on which growth chart you use, a 3mm fetal pole means anything from 5+6 to 6+3- there is no firm consensus. Where I have my IVF done, they say the mm is how many days past 6 weeks you are, so a 3mm pole at my IVF clinic means 6+3. My perinatologist also said that as long as I'm not measuring more than a week off it is totally fine- and that's even with knowing my exact conception date b/c I did IVF. Babies all grown at their own rate and in spurts.
I was (and still am) super worried about measuring a little behind, but I'm trying to find comfort that the perinatologist moved me from being in the post-IVF high risk category, back down to the low risk category. He said that everything looks perfect, so he doesn't need to see me again, so I'm being sent back to the OB for future care.
I'm also going in for my next scan in 7 days. I'll be 8+0. The perinatologist and my OB said I really don't need another one that soon since everything looks great, but I said I needed another scan for my peace of mind and the OB said that she understands that i've been through a lot and may need a little reassurance during the first trimester. So yep, ultrasound next Thursday.
Here are the facts about early ultrasound. They help me to calm down when I'm feeling a little overwhelmed by the fear of losing another baby:
At 5 weeks, the gestational sac should be able to be visualized.
**At 5+0 I went in and they saw a gestational sac measuring 4mm, which is 4+6.
At 5+4 the yolk sac should be able to be visualized.
**At 5+3 I went in and they saw the gestational sac measuring 7mm, which is 5+2, and though they could see the yolk sac, it wasn't clear enough yet to measure.
After 6 weeks the fetal pole should be able to be visualized.
**I went in on 6+4 and had a fetal pole measuring 3mm. (5+6 to 6+3) Doctor was not concerned about it measuring a little behind and said that when they're that small they are incredibly hard to measure. Just moving the wand a little can make them look bigger/smaller. At this point, they're doing their best just to get an image of it.
A heartbeat should be visible sometime between the fetal pole reaching 2mm and the fetal pole reaching 6mm. (This depends on the preciseness of the u/s machine the doctor/tech is using and the skill of the person using the machine.)
**I saw a heartbeat of 116 bpm, but this was at the high risk perinatologist who has one of the best machines in the city. The girls at my OB's office always Oooo and Ahhhhh over the clarity of that machine. They can't get images anywhere near as clear and likely would not have seen the heartbeat yet.
I had spotting almost everyday from 3+6 until 5+4. It's calmed down a lot since then, and now I haven't had any in six days. My perinatologist said it was just implantation bleeding, which can come and go. Most days it was just pink when I wiped after using the restroom, but a several times it was a gush of red. OB said that as long as it didn't get heavier it wasn't an issue, especially since I wasn't having any cramps.
