Ultrasound at 8 weeks of pregnancy: how it is done, what ultrasound will show, norms and interpretation

17.07.2020 10748 0

Waiting for a baby is an exciting state, causing a lot of anxiety and worries. The eighth week of pregnancy is almost two months of bearing a child, and it is during this period that the embryo begins to be officially called a fetus. During these months, it develops especially actively: future features are laid, internal organs are formed. Therefore, the mother also needs to be attentive to her condition.

Feelings of the expectant mother at 8 weeks

The 8th week of pregnancy is the best time to register with the antenatal clinic.
During the initial visit, all important examinations of the expectant mother are carried out: the gynecologist will measure the woman’s pelvis and weight, conduct an examination on the chair, take a smear for infections, assess the condition of the cervix and give directions for blood and urine tests. Ultrasound at the 8th week of pregnancy is only indicated if you did not have time to do it earlier (for example, to clarify the pregnancy). First trimester screening is carried out a little later - at 11-13 weeks of pregnancy. At 8 weeks of pregnancy, the expectant mother's belly may periodically ache.

: Some women notice slight contractions of the uterus (early training contractions) and unpleasant pain associated with stretching of the ligaments that hold the growing uterus.
Nagging pain in the lower abdomen is a serious reason to consult a doctor, as their appearance may indicate a threat of miscarriage!

What does 3D ultrasound reveal?

In addition to the pleasant moments of observing the baby in the prenatal period, 3D/4D ultrasound also has an informative component. The screening procedure is extremely important to assess the development of the child, as well as the condition of the uterus and placenta. In the third trimester, the body prepares for childbirth - it is important that all conditions are met for this.

Conducting a high-precision 3D ultrasound examination allows you to evaluate:

• fetal presentation - for natural delivery only cephalic presentation is permissible, other options for the position of the child in the abdomen are indications for surgical intervention;
• size, maturity and position of the placenta - hyper- or hypoplasia may indicate the presence of its inflammation, too low a position will block the birth canal for the baby, and premature aging is a common cause of fetal hypoxia;
• volume of amniotic fluid – there should not be too much or too little;
• height, weight and length of the baby’s bones - this allows you to correlate his physical development with the timing of pregnancy and the size of the mother’s abdomen, as well as predict the baby’s weight at the time of birth;
• blood flow of the umbilical cord vessels - it is through them that the baby receives nutrition.

This examination is carried out abdominally, through the anterior abdominal wall. It does not require any special preparation, you only need a positive attitude and good mood of the mother herself! A pregnant woman’s excess weight, oligohydramnios, a scar on the uterus or abdomen, or umbilical cord loops can interfere with the construction of a clear 3D image.

How a woman’s body changes by the 8th week of pregnancy

At this stage, the expectant mother’s breasts have already enlarged; under the influence of the hormone prolactin, the glands responsible for the production of mother’s milk begin to grow. From the 8th week, the cervix softens, and the mucous membrane of the cervical canal produces cervical secretion. The mucus accumulates and becomes thick, forming a plug and blocking the path of any infection from the vagina, thereby protecting the growing fetus. By the way, the removal of a plug from the cervical canal is one of the harbingers of impending childbirth.

What happens to the embryo at 8 weeks of pregnancy

The 8th obstetric week of pregnancy is the period when the fetus develops its genital organs and produces the hormones necessary for their proper functioning. Right now, the optic nerve begins to emerge in your future baby, muscle tissue and bones continue their active development, olfactory receptors are born in the small nose, and taste buds are formed on the tongue. The fetus at the 8th week of pregnancy has reached the size of a small grape and already weighs about 0.25 g.

Weight gain at 8 weeks of pregnancy ranges from 0.7 kg (with a BMI of more than 26) to 1.6 kg (with a BMI of less than 19.8). To calculate your individual weight gain at 8 weeks, use the pregnancy weight gain calculator.

Beauty and accessories

It's time to seriously think about shoes with flatter soles and loose-fitting blouses. Avoid skinny jeans and heels. And remember: pregnancy is not the best time for experiments. There is no need to suddenly change your image now, dye your hair green, get a new tattoo or remove an old one. There are already a lot of changes in your life, it’s better to take care of yourself and your unborn baby, protect him from possible negative influences.

To prevent stretch marks, rub olive oil into the skin of your stomach, and special creams will help with stretch marks on your chest. And don’t be afraid that your skin will suddenly become very dry and your hair brittle - these troubles (they are based on hormonal changes) are temporary!

What does the fetus look like at 8 weeks of pregnancy?

At 8 weeks the baby is about the size of a raspberry.
By week 8, the Baby’s growth reaches 6-7 mm:

• he already has lips...
• ...and even the tongue!
• baby teeth are formed;
• the esophagus, stomach, intestines, and anterior wall of the abdominal cavity are formed;
• the heart continues to form in the chest cavity: a one-way blood flow through the heart is established, the division of the heart into chambers is almost completed, the heart is functioning;
• the rudimentary circulatory system begins to function;
• the hands and feet are shaped;
• the baby’s first movements become noticeable on ultrasound;
• a bulge of the head is formed;
• on the front surface of the body, two ribbon-like thickenings can be identified, called “milk lines”;
• The brain develops in the head, and with the help of special equipment it is already possible to record its activity!

Baby at 8 weeks pregnant

Interesting Facts

Your baby is the size of

grape berry

14–20 mm Size

3 g Weight

You are eight weeks pregnant. What happens to the unborn baby and mother during this period? Let's find out about this, but first let's decide on the calculations:

• 8 weeks is how many months? You are in the first trimester of pregnancy, you are 2 months pregnant. You are still at the beginning of your journey, but very soon those around you will begin to guess about your situation.
• From conception or menstruation? Our calendar was created in accordance with the obstetric method of counting, when the first day of the last menstruation is considered the beginning of pregnancy. 8 weeks from conception corresponds to 10 weeks of obstetric period.

Useful advice for an expectant mother

The baby's body is formed from the mother's egg and the father's sperm, so it is half a foreign organism for the woman.
In order not to reject the “alien”, the expectant mother’s body reduces its immune defense. Therefore, the words “you need to take care of yourself” will have to be made a motto before, during and after the birth of the Baby. You can identify a decrease in immunity by a feeling of chronic fatigue and pain. So that it doesn’t take you by surprise, start strengthening your body in advance.

• Tune in to the process of self-healing of the body, in any case, do not slow it down. An attempt to get rid of unpleasant sensations using medical methods can serve as a brake. To begin with, what is happening (for example, drowsiness, nausea, irritability) must be accepted as a kind of “requirements” of the Baby with regard to mother’s rest, nutrition, and lifestyle. When these simple “requirements” are met, many sensations disappear. However, if they appear over a long period of time and intensify, then the Baby needs help and should consult a doctor.
• Get more sleep: sleep at least 8 hours daily. It makes sense to go to bed no later than 23:00: the sooner you begin to accustom your Baby to the correct sleep-wake schedule, the greater the chance that he will not “confuse day and night” in the first months after birth. In addition, his nervous system, if he follows the regime, will be stronger, which means his overall vitality will be higher.

Tests and studies during pregnancy

Pregnancy test (urine) - if menstruation is delayed or 7-10 days after expected conception.
Blood test for hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) - from the 7th day after conception. The content of this hormone in the blood increases sharply during pregnancy and is considered one of the most reliable methods for diagnosing pregnancy.

Ultrasound (ultrasound examination) - 5 weeks after the first day of the last menstruation, according to indications. Diagnosis of pregnancy, exclusion of ectopic pregnancy.

Blood test for AIDS (HIV), syphilis (RW), hepatitis B - when registering for pregnancy (antenatal clinic, specialized medical center, advisory clinic at a maternity hospital, etc.). These diseases can complicate the course of pregnancy and require a special approach to patient management.

Analysis for blood group and Rh factor - when registering for pregnancy. If there is a risk of Rh conflict (if the woman has a negative Rh factor and the husband has a positive one), pregnancy requires special monitoring.

General and biochemical blood test, blood sugar test - when registering for pregnancy. They give an idea of ​​the general health of the pregnant woman and possible chronic diseases.

General urine test - when registering for pregnancy, then before each visit to the doctor. Indicates the quality of kidney function.

Vaginal smear - when registering for pregnancy. Assessment of microbial flora, exclusion of urogenital infections.

Tests for urogenital infections - according to indications .

Hormone analysis - according to indications .

Preparation for ultrasound examination

No complicated preparation is required for performing an ultrasound. The only recommendation that experts give is not to consume foods that can cause increased gas formation 2 days before the test. Since many women already by this stage of gestation have a tendency to constipation and colic, it is better to follow a dairy-vegetable diet so that the abundance of gases in the intestines does not disturb the normal visualization of the uterus.

If a transabdominal ultrasound is planned, the woman will have to come to the procedure with a full bladder. To do this, before scanning through the abdominal wall, you need to drink 2-3 glasses of water. Next, the pregnant woman goes to the toilet, and only then an ultrasound scan is performed using a vaginal sensor. You need to take 2 napkins with you to the procedure if the clinic does not offer them.

Good to know

What to do if you suffer from toxicosis?

Frozen pregnancy: signs and causes

Ultrasound in early pregnancy

Threat of miscarriage. How to avoid the threat?

Threatened miscarriage in early pregnancy: is it necessary to treat?

Several important rules of behavior during pregnancy

All texts for pages about mother and baby were kindly provided by RAMA Publishing - these are chapters from the book by Svetlana Klaas “Your Favorite Little Man from Conception to Birth”, reviewer Irina Nikolaevna Kononova, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Ural State Medical Academy (Ekaterinburg).

Lifestyle

No troubles should disturb a measured way of life: the main thing now is your child, and problems can wait! Avoid strenuous physical activity, avoid frequent trips to the sauna due to the risk of miscarriage, do not take antibiotics, beware of exposure to chemicals and fumes, reschedule your planned trip to a later date (the first trimester is the most dangerous time, according to doctors, for flying and climate change). And if you feel that something is wrong with you, be sure to consult a specialist. Don’t be afraid to seem boring and intrusive - after all, now we are talking about the health and safety of the baby, which means that all your questions should be taken with understanding by the doctor!

I'm enjoying myself and my pregnancy

My baby!

Your presence fills my heart.
And we continue our common path forward to your wonderful birth. You already look like a tiny bean, 1.4–1.8 cm long and weighing 11 g. The first features appear on your face - eyelids have appeared, the tip of the nose and nostrils, and the mouth have stood out. The inner ear and auricles are formed. The valves of the aorta and pulmonary artery operate in the heart. And it gives me great joy to know that all the organs have formed in your little body. The first important period in our journey has been completed.

You are very close to my mother’s heart, and I protect you with it from all adversities and misfortunes. Our hearts are so close to each other. They are connected by an invisible thread of love. And it will always be like this, even when you grow up and fly away from your parent’s nest.

In the meantime, let's continue our journey! Together we are moving towards the moment when I will hug you for the first time and hear your heart beating. And now I enjoy every moment of life... And I give moments of joy to myself, and therefore to you, in every beat of my heart. Grow, my beloved baby!

“The Miracle of a New Life” is a coloring book for expectant mothers from psychologist, best-selling author of books for mothers Tatyana Aptulaeva and illustrator Alena Ustinova.