Patient's question:
I found out I was pregnant three days ago. In these past few days of pregnancy, I occasionally feel a slight pain in my left side and lower abdomen, but it goes away quickly. I want to go to the hospital for a check-up to see if it's an intrauterine pregnancy or an ectopic pregnancy, but I'm also worried that it might not be detectable at this early stage.What kind of help do I need: How many weeks into pregnancy can an ultrasound be performed?
Doctor's answer:
Usually, it starts from the first day of the last menstrual period, and it takes at least 6 weeks to detect a gestational sac. If it's not visible, it's recommended to repeat the ultrasound in 7 days. It's also possible that the gestational sac isn't visible due to it being too early, but be aware that ectopic pregnancy could also result in the absence of a gestational sac within the uterus. Additionally, the primitive heart tube can only be observed around 8-10 weeks, which is the best time for examination.