What You'll See At 5-Week Ultrasound & How To Prepare For It

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The 5th-week ultrasound can help detect any irregularities in the pregnancy. It gives the parents the first glimpse of their developing baby. An ultrasound may be prescribed around this stage to identify any possible complications. It is better to wait for at least 12 weeks of pregnancy for an otherwise healthy mother.

Read this post to understand the importance of undergoing an ultrasound during week 5 of pregnancy care.

When To Go For The First Ultrasound Scan?

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According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a woman can go for a pregnancy ultrasound scan between 18 and 22 weeks of pregnancy (1). However, each pregnancy is different, and the doctor will decide the first and subsequent ultrasound visit.

Why Is 5-Week Ultrasound Important?

The week five ultrasound scan is part of regular pregnancy care, and it should usually show developmental milestones. While experts generally recommend you visit a midwife or a doctor at around six to eight weeks of pregnancy (2), an early ultrasound at five weeks can reassure expectant parents by confirming the presence of the gestational sac and embryo.

An endo-vaginal ultrasound scan is essential to detect the following (1) (3).

• Growth of the embryo
• Gestational age
• Due date
• Genetic disorders
• Multiple pregnancies
• Embryo’s heart rate
• Ectopic pregnancies

Generally, a 5-week ultrasound should show developmental milestones.

According to peer-reviewed studies, if nothing is seen in the ultrasound, it could mean the following (4).

• Pregnancy might be too early to show up in the ultrasound scan

• Ectopic pregnancy, in which the embryo implants outside the uterus. In this case, the embryo will not survive, and it can often lead to severe complications for the mother.

• Pregnancy might have gone through a miscarriage.

Quick fact

A miscarriage at five to six weeks, called a blighted ovum or anembryonic pregnancy, occurs due to chromosomal abnormalities in the ovum. This occurs in about 50% of missed miscarriages in the first trimester (16).

Sharing her experience from her fifth-week ultrasound scan, Savannah Glembin, a mom, says, “I’m just super nervous because I don’t really know what to expect. Even though I am on my medications because of my blood disorder, it’s just hard for me to want to love my little being because I’m scared that I might miscarry. Observed the gestational sac with the help of my tech and just hoped that the baby was healthy (ⅰ).’’

The ultrasound is a non-invasive procedure, and it does not affect pregnancy. However, the overuse of ultrasound on the developing embryo can have unknown harmful effects.

What Are The Precautions For A 5-Week Ultrasound?

Some of the precautions required for a 5-week ultrasound scan are (5) (6):

• There is no scientific evidence regarding the harmful impact of ultrasound on pregnancy. However, some studies suggest avoiding excessive and unnecessary ultrasound exposure as it may risk the developing embryo.

• 3D and 4D sonograms are unnecessary unless in special medically required cases.

• Sometimes, more ultrasounds may be done within the trimester if there are problems or your pregnancy is considered high-risk.

What Can You See On A 5-Week Ultrasound?

You can expect the following diagnosis during an ultrasound scan when 5 weeks pregnant (7) (8) (9):

• Location of the embryo that looks curled and is around 2 mm in size.

• Gestational sac, a fluid-filled structure around an embryo, will be visible beyond 4.5 weeks. It gives a 97.6% confirmation for an intrauterine pregnancy (IUP).

• Yolk sac, a circular structure seen within a gestational sac, becomes visible in 5.5 weeks. Visibility of the yolk sac is a 100% confirmation for an IUP.

• In normal pregnancies, a beating heart might be visible. However, parents should not get worried if they cannot see a beating heart at this stage. It is entirely normal as every pregnancy is unique.

Research finds

Studies indicate that 134 beats per minute is the upper limit of a normal fetal heart rate in cases where the rapid early fetal heartbeat is visible before 6.3 weeks of pregnancy. Beyond this period, the normal fetal heart rate is 90 or 110 beats per minute to 155 beats per minute (17) (18).

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If the imaging test detects any abnormalities in the fetal pole, yolk sac, and gestational sac, the healthcare provider will address the condition based on the severity.

How To Prepare For A 5-Week Ultrasound Scan?

Some of the vital preparations required for a 5-week ultrasound exam are (10):

• You should have a full bladder. Drink water and do not go to the toilet until after the scan.

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• You can have regular food before the fetal ultrasound.

• Wear comfortable clothing that you can easily remove to facilitate vaginal examination using an ultrasound probe. 

• Present the list of your current medications to your doctor to ensure they are safe for your pregnancy.

How Is A 5-Week Ultrasound Performed?

The World Health Organization (WHO) mandates at least one ultrasound scan throughout pregnancy (11). The ultrasound scan gives an accurate estimation of the size of the embryo and the delivery date. In the 5^th week of gestation, ultrasound is carried out in the transvaginal route instead of the abdominal.

• A small transducer covered with a sterile lubricated condom is inserted into the vagina.

• The transducer transmits sound waves and records the reflections.

• The ultrasound machine interprets the echoes in the form of an image or video, which are displayed on a screen

Though not painful, this procedure could cause some discomfort.

How Long Does A 5-Week Ultrasound Take?

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In general, the whole ultrasound procedure takes around 30 minutes to one hour (12). If another patient is in line, it might add the waiting time to the procedure.

Can A 5-Week Scan Detect Twins?

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Ultrasound can detect twins between six and eight weeks. However, a 5-week ultrasound is too early to detect if twins are present in the same sac. A doctor might determine the patterns of fetal heartbeat to detect twins; however, there is a chance to miss this.

Infographic: Key Findings At Your 5-Week Pregnancy Ultrasound

If you have a high-risk pregnancy, an early 5-week pregnancy ultrasound can give you some insights into your unborn baby and its health. The scan may detect any possible complications or anomalies your fetus might be facing. Look through the infographic below to know what you may expect at your 5-week ultrasound during pregnancy.

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Illustration: What You’ll See At 5-Week Ultrasound & How To Prepare For It

Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team

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Reviewer Author Editor Fact Checker

Dr. Richa Hatila SinghMS

Dr. Richa Hatila is a practicing gynecologist in Varanasi, with 14 years of experience. She did her MS in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, DNB, and a Fellowship in Laparoscopic surgeries (FMAS). She is currently associated with Shubham Hospital and Sah Speciality Clinic in Varanasi.

Read full bio of Dr. Richa Hatila Singh

Anshuman MohapatraM.Tech (Biotechnology)

Anshuman Mohapatra is a biotechnology scientist with more than six years of research experience in analytical chemistry and biotechnology. He has submitted his PhD thesis at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT Guwahati) and served as a research fellow (JRF/SRF) during his PhD tenure.

Read full bio of Anshuman Mohapatra

Rebecca MalachiBSc

Rebecca is a pregnancy writer and editor with a passion for delivering research-based and engaging content in areas of fertility, pregnancy, birth, and post-pregnancy. She did her graduation in Biotechnology and Genetics from Loyola Academy, Osmania University and obtained a certification in ‘Nutrition and Lifestyle in Pregnancy’ from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU).

Read full bio of Rebecca Malachi

Aneesha AmonzMSc

Aneesha holds a Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology from USTM, Meghalaya and Master’s degree in Applied Microbiology from VIT, Vellore. With two years of experience, she has worked on different research projects in the field of Food Sciences.

Read full bio of Aneesha Amonz