6 Week Scan

In most pregnancies, yes: the fetal heartbeat becomes visible on transabdominal ultrasound between 6 and 7 weeks of gestation, sometimes a few days later if dating is uncertain. At 6 weeks exactly, the heartbeat is detected in roughly 80–90% of viable pregnancies. If we don't see a heartbeat at your 6-week scan but everything else looks correct (gestational sac, yolk sac, embryo), we'll usually invite you back for a free recheck a week later. Most of the time, this is simply down to dates being slightly out rather than anything wrong.

Sometimes, but not always. At 6 weeks the embryo is around 4–5mm, small enough that a transabdominal (over-the-tummy) scan often shows enough detail to confirm a heartbeat, especially if you've drunk plenty of water beforehand. If the view is unclear, we may offer a transvaginal scan, which uses a slimline probe inserted vaginally for a much closer view. It's quick, comfortable, and entirely your choice; many parents prefer to start transabdominal and only switch if needed.

It depends what you want from the scan. At 6 weeks, we can usually confirm an intrauterine pregnancy, see the gestational sac and yolk sac, and detect the heartbeat. What we can't yet do is take recognisable photos of baby's shape, measure crown-rump length precisely, or rule out very early miscarriage with certainty. If you'd prefer slightly more visual detail and a more conclusive viability check, an early pregnancy scan from 7–8 weeks gives a clearer picture, or our 12-week milestone covers the end-of-first-trimester window. Both are available at Numi Scan Gateshead, and we'll guide you on the right choice when you book.

The NHS dating scan is scheduled around 11–14 weeks because it's the most informative single scan: at that gestation, sonographers can confirm dates, screen for combined-test markers, check for multiples, and assess major anatomy in one appointment. The NHS doesn't routinely offer earlier scans except where there are clinical concerns (such as bleeding, severe pain, or a history of ectopic pregnancy or recurrent loss). For private 6-week reassurance, you can self-refer directly, with no GP letter needed.

Numi Scan Gateshead's Early Pregnancy Viability Scan covers 6–9 weeks at £89, and we accept 6-week appointments by request, with the understanding that 6 weeks is the earlier end of when the heartbeat reliably shows. The price includes the appointment, photos, digital images by email, and a written report. Compared to the UK average of £60–£120 for a similar early reassurance scan, our pricing sits at the friendlier end of the market. See our UK ultrasound cost guide for full national context.

It can be unsettling, but the most common explanation is simply that dates are out by a few days; many pregnancies thought to be 6 weeks are actually 5w3d or so, and the heartbeat hasn't quite started or is too early to detect. We'll usually offer a complimentary follow-up scan 7–10 days later, when development should be clearly visible. In the small minority of cases where no heartbeat develops, we explain findings carefully on the day, write a detailed report, and direct you to your NHS Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit (EPAU) for follow-up care. You're never left to interpret findings alone.

Yes. For a transabdominal scan we ask you to drink 2 large glasses of water about an hour before your appointment and not empty your bladder. A full bladder pushes the uterus into a better imaging position and often makes the difference between a clear early scan and an inconclusive one. If we end up doing a transvaginal scan instead, you'll be asked to empty your bladder first, so don't worry, we'll guide you on the day.