Ultrasound at 8 Weeks of Pregnancy: What You Can See and Preparation (2024)

At an 8-week ultrasound, you may be able to hear the heartbeat of a fetus. It will also start to take on a human shape. You may be able to see its spine and the lower back of the brain, called the hindbrain.An ultrasound scan is a test carried out during pregnancy. It can help visualize the fetus inside the uterus and check that it is developing correctly. It is a painless test that will take place at your doctor’s office.

Read on to learn more about what to expect from an ultrasound at 8 weeks of pregnancy.

At 8 weeks, your uterus has grown to about the size of a large lemon. The fetus is now starting to take on a human shape. However, the head is still much larger than the body. In many cases, the fetus is constantly moving, although you may not be able to feel this.

At this stage, the fetus is about one-quarter to one-half of an inch long.

Some organs and body parts are beginning to form.

The heart has already started developing, and webbed fingers and toes are starting to develop. The arms start to bend at the elbows. Also, the ears, eyes, liver, and upper lip are beginning to form.

At 8 weeks, you may also be able to hear the fetus’s heartbeat on an ultrasound.

The fetus’s spine may be Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source visible on a scan. The lower back part of its brain, called the hindbrain, may be starting to develop.

The sex organs generally remain the same until the eighth week of pregnancy. At this point, a gene may trigger the development of testes. If it does, the fetus will likely be assigned male at birth. If a gene is not triggered, the fetus develops ovaries and will likely be assigned female at birth.

You will usually be able to tell the biological sex of the fetus between 11–13 weeks Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source.

The umbilical cord is now formed. This connects the fetus to the placenta. The placenta is also beginning to develop. It will eventually attach to the uterine wall and provide nourishment to the fetus. The fetus is growing inside an amniotic sac and receiving nourishment from the yolk sac.

Learn more about how a fetus develops during the second month of pregnancy.

Preparing for a prenatal ultrasound depends on the type of ultrasound you will be having.

For a transabdominal ultrasound, your doctor will ask you to drink water beforehand so that your bladder is full. This makes it easier to visualize the fetus inside the uterus. After the test, you will be able to urinate.

For a transvagin*l ultrasound, you will need to empty your bladder before the test. This will make the ultrasound more comfortable for you.

See Also

8-Week Ultrasound: Pictures, Fetus Size, Twins and More

Before a transabdominal ultrasound, your doctor will ask you to expose the lower part of your abdomen near your pubic bone.

For a transvagin*l ultrasound, they will ask you to undress from the waist down. You will lie on your back with your feet placed in stirrups and a paper drape across your lap.

Learn what to expect at doctor visits during pregnancy.

Depending on what they are looking for, a doctor can perform a transabdominal ultrasound or a transvagin*l ultrasound.

For a transabdominal ultrasound, the doctor will apply gel to a wand-like device called a transducer. They will move the transducer across your abdomen to make images of the fetus.

For a transvagin*l ultrasound, they will cover the transducer in a probe cover and lubricate it. They will then insert it into your vagin*.

Both transabdominal and transvagin*l ultrasounds are painless. However, you may feel a small amount of pressure with a transvagin*l ultrasound.

Ultrasound scans do not harm the fetus. Experts have found no links between ultrasounds and congenital anomalies or childhood cancers.

An ultrasound scan at 8 weeks can confirm a pregnancy and check the fetus’s heartbeat. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends having another scan at 18–22 weeks of pregnancy.

Learn more medical tests to expect during pregnancy.

The purpose of an ultrasound scan is to check the fetus’s shape and position. Obstetricians will usually Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source ask a person to schedule their first ultrasound scan for around the eighth week of gestation.

At 8 weeks, it is too early to see defined structures such as arms and legs. It is also too early to determine the sex. However, an ultrasound at this stage can help detect some other factors relating to pregnancy.

For example, an ultrasound scan at 8 weeks can help estimate the gestational age of the fetus. It can also check the fetus’s heartbeat, location, and development.

If your doctor suspects twins, an ultrasound at this stage can verify how many fetuses are in the uterus.

If you are experiencing any unusual pregnancy symptoms, an 8-week ultrasound can also check for ectopic pregnancy. This occurs when a fetus is developing outside of the uterus.

Ultrasound scans are also important for ensuring that the fetus’s anatomy is developing correctly. As your pregnancy progresses, doctors will perform ultrasounds to check the position of the fetus. This helps them make sure it is in an optimal position for when you give birth.

Learn more about why doctors use ultrasounds for pregnancy.

8 weeks is often the stage when pregnancy symptoms start becoming noticeable. Some common symptoms include:

• fatigue
• breast tenderness
• nausea and vomiting
• heartburn
• more frequent urination

Your body carries extra blood during pregnancy and undergoes other physical changes. Because of this, you may also notice your heart beating faster than usual.

The following frequently asked questions have been reviewed by Valinda Riggins Nwadike, MD, MPH:

During a transabdominal 8-week ultrasound, a clinician will apply gel to your abdomen. They will then move a scanner along your skin. You may need to drink water beforehand.

For a transvagin*l 8-week ultrasound, a clinician will place your feet in stirrups. They will then lubricate a wand-shaped device called a transducer and insert it into the vagin*.

You may be able to hear the heartbeat at an 8-week ultrasound. In some cases, you can hear it as early as 6 weeks.

It is too early to tell the biological sex of a fetus at an 8-week ultrasound. However, sex organs will start to develop around this time. They will appear on a scan for accurate identification around 11–13 weeks Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source.

A prenatal ultrasound is a painless imaging test. It uses sound waves to make images of a fetus’s shape and position inside the uterus.

The ACOG recommends having at least one ultrasound during pregnancy. However, you will generally have several ultrasound scans throughout pregnancy to:

• ensure the fetus is in the correct location at the beginning of pregnancy
• make sure the fetus is developing appropriately throughout pregnancy
• assess the fetus should any problems arise
• check the fetus’s position when you go into labor

Learn more about ultrasounds.

Ultrasound scans are an important part of prenatal care and assessing your growing fetus during pregnancy. An 8-week ultrasound scan will check that your fetus is growing in the optimal position and timeline.

Clinicians typically use transabdominal and transvagin*l ultrasounds to provide visualizations of the fetus. Talk with your doctor about which type of ultrasound scan is right for you.