You are trying to conceive for some time now. A day has gone by after the expected date of periods, you run to the chemist and get a urine pregnancy test, or your partner gets it, excited you take your urine sample and with a palpitating heart, you put the three drops of urine in the designated area, miracle, Two lines appear. Your heart is singing, I am pregnant, I am going to be a mother, and you my dear are going to be a father.
Stop right there.
Share and celebrate with your partner but do not take the news any further for a few more weeks. I am not putting a dampener on your joy, but just asking you to wait till you confirm all is well before you spread the glad tidings. How and when can you confirm all is well? As a clinician I would say, wait fourteen weeks, but if you are too eager, at least eight weeks from the day of last period. Why So?
Once diagnosed about 30% pregnancies bleed in the initial weeks.
Once diagnosed about 30% pregnancies bleed in the initial weeks [1]. About half of them are lost. Also we need to confirm that there is a pregnancy, it is alive; means there is a heartbeat and it is well within the Uterus. This can be confirmed once the fetus is 7mm in size, roughly seven weeks. So saying anything before that is not a good idea. This first sonography will rule out an abnormal pregnancy, a pregnancy outside the uterus or an Ectopic pregnancy, and will ensure that the fetus is live. This is when a close knit circle of family can be informed.
At 12 to 13 weeks a Nuchal Translucency or NT Scan is done, which rules out major congenital malformations, even though the final Anomaly scan is at 19-20 weeks. So if the NT Scan is normal you may now tell one and all.
So friends, be careful, remember most life threatening conditions can be managed better if diagnosed early, be unafraid and visit your Gynaecologist and get your scans done. Wish you a healthy and happy Pregnancy and joyful motherhood.
| [1] | https://www.msdmanuals.com/en-in/professional/gynecology-and-obstetrics/infertility/assisted-reproductive-techniques |
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