by alex | Sep 7, 2022 | Blog, Early pregnancy, Fetal development, Fetal growth, General
The First Trimester describes the period of time from the first day of your last period to the end of the 12th week. It can be confusing to be told that when you first find out you are pregnant you may be at least 4-5 weeks pregnant. This will be approximately 2-3...
by Victoria Davis | Aug 31, 2022 | Blog, Early pregnancy, Fertility, General, Gynaecology, Transvaginal Scan, Ultrasound findings, ultrasound methods
Most women have an anteverted uterus, where the uterus is orientated so that it tilts forwards in the pelvic cavity, lying just behind the bladder. The retroverted uterus is an anatomical variant that is present in 20-30% of women. Sometimes referred to as a tilted...
by Joanna Clark | Aug 16, 2022 | Blog, Fertility, General
An essential part of any fertility health check is a sperm test or semen analysis. Here we will explain what is looked at in a basic sperm test and what information this gives us. pH The pH of the sample is the acidity and alkalinity, this is measured on a scale with...
by alex | Jul 19, 2022 | Anxiety, Blog, Early pregnancy, Fertility, General, Pregnancy loss
Research is continually being carried out looking into pregnancy loss and premature birth. In the UK, Tommy’s is one of the largest charities carrying out this research. 1 in 4 pregnancies are affected by miscarriage, with approximately half of these likely being due...
by Victoria Davis | Jul 3, 2022 | Blog, Contraception, General, Gynaecology, Transvaginal Scan, Ultrasound findings
At Somerset Early Scans we often see women who come to us for a pelvic scan to assess the location/position of their coil for “lost threads”. This is a brief guide to the IUS, and the pros and cons of using the hormonal coil for contraception or to treat...
by Joanna Clark | Jun 22, 2022 | Blog, Early pregnancy, General, Lifestyle in pregnancy, Middle and late pregnancy
In pregnancy it is more important to take care in the sun. Your skin is more sensitive to the sun which can mean it’s more likely to burn. Changing hormone levels make you more likely to develop skin pigmentation. Sometimes this can be in the form of dark...
by alex | Jun 15, 2022 | Blog, Early pregnancy, Fetal development, Fetal growth, General, Middle and late pregnancy
Written by Beata Anderson, Advanced Practitioner Sonographer As a sonographer we get asked very often if a baby can hear or when do they develop hearing while growing inside the uterus. The early formation of what will become your baby’s eyes and ears begins in the...
by Angela Nicholson | Jun 7, 2022 | Blog, Early pregnancy, Early pregnancy symptoms, General
Normal early pregnancy symptoms It is normal for a woman’s body to change in the early weeks of pregnancy, due to an increase in certain hormones, mainly progesterone, oestrogen and human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG). The hormones help to maintain the pregnancy until...
by alex | May 26, 2022 | Anxiety, Blog, Early pregnancy, General, Hospital, Immunity
Intermittently we are asked the question, I have been in close contact (someone who has had face to face contact [e.g. having a conversation] or being in the same room, or within 10 metres for 15 minutes or longer) with a friend or friends children and they have now...
by Victoria Davis | Apr 20, 2022 | Anxiety, Blog, General, Gynaecology, Ultrasound findings, ultrasound methods
The current Covid-19 pandemic resulted in many hospitals having to put clinics on hold, with scans and other investigations, and routine surgery being delayed. The consequence of this was long waiting lists for many routine investigations such as ultrasound scans,...
