Dating ultrasound accuracy

How accurate is an ultrasound for dating a pregnancy?

Experts Weigh In. In terms of dating, the ultrasounds accuracy depends on the trimester, explains Kara Manglani, CNM, a nurse-midwife practicing in New York City and blogging at The Fertile Times. She tells Romper that a first-trimester ultrasound can date a pregnancy within three to five days.

How long does it take for an ultrasound to be accurate?

She tells Romper that a first-trimester ultrasound can date a pregnancy within three to five days. By the second, accuracy drops to within about a week.

What is more accurate – ultrasound due date or LMP?

But when it comes to determining what is more accurate ultrasound due date or LMP, things get a bit murky. There are several methods used to date how far gone a pregnancy is and ultimately when to expect your baby. Ultrasound due dates are more precise compared to LMP dating.

Can ultrasound dating be used to calculate the estimated due date (EDD)?

However, ultrasound dating, in particular first trimester sonography, has greatly improved our ability to calculate the estimated due date (EDD). There will be times that dating based on LMP does not match the ultrasound date.

How accurate is the due date by ultrasound in pregnancy?

Though pregnant women are given a due date by the doctors, it is just a rough estimate as very few women deliver the baby on the due date. Hence accuracy of the due date by ultrasound is not always absolutely correct.

How accurate are ultrasounds at 28 weeks?

As the pregnancy progresses, the accuracy of an ultrasound for predicting due dates decreases. Between 18 and 28 weeks of gestation, the margin of error increases to plus or minus two weeks. After 28 weeks, the ultrasound may be off by three weeks or more in predicting a due date.

What is the best way to estimate pregnancy dating?

Ultrasound is the most reliable method to establish pregnancy dating, particularly first-trimester ultrasound[1]. Transvaginal ultrasound utilizes 6 MHz to 10 MHz ultrasound probe. This probe has a higher frequency than transabominal ultrasound probes, which can show intrauterine structures approximately one week earlier in gestation[4].

Can the ultrasound date of delivery be different from the ultrasound?

An ultrasound performed between 9 0/7 weeks and 13 6/7 weeks, can differ by seven days. If the ultrasound-determined estimated date of delivery differs by more than seven days, the ultrasound-estimated date of delivery should be used.

When should the EdD be changed to correspond with ultrasound dating?

If ultrasound dating before 14 0/7 weeks of gestation differs by more than 7 days from LMP dating, the EDD should be changed to correspond with the ultrasound dating.

Can an ultrasound predict a different due date?

It is common for each ultrasound throughout pregnancy to predict a different due date. Earlier ultrasounds are more accurate in terms of predicting the due date, so thats why doctors will usually use the dates and measurements from the first ultrasound of the pregnancy as a reference.

How is the estimated due date (EDD) determined?

As soon as data from the last menstrual period, the first accurate ultrasound examination, or both are obtained, the gestational age and the estimated due date (EDD) should be determined, discussed with the patient, and documented clearly in the medical record.

When is a pregnancy without a dating ultrasound ‘suboptimally dated’?

Consider a pregnancy without a dating ultrasound prior to 22 0/7 weeks ‘suboptimally dated’ (refer to Related ObG Topics below) The age of the embryo is subtracted from the number of days between ovulation to delivery (280-14 = 266). For example, if the embryo is 3 days at transfer, the due date is 263 days from the date of transfer.