Earliest scan
Viability & dating scan
6–9 weeks
from £140
Confirms a healthy pregnancy in the womb, dates the pregnancy and counts the number of embryos. Best at week 7.
Early pregnancy scans
Early Pregnancy Scans
in London
We offer expert pregnancy scans from 6 weeks
We are leaders in the field of early reassurance scans. Our team developed our revolutionary 10-week anomaly scan — the earliest opportunity to examine your baby’s anatomy. Compare our first-trimester options and choose the scan that’s right for your pregnancy.
Early pregnancy at London Pregnancy Clinic
Early Scans at London Pregnancy Clinic
- Early pregnancy scan + Consultation before 6 weeks with gynaecologist.
- Early viability/dating scan from 6 weeks (£140) with a fetal medicine specialist. Includes pre-NIPT counselling.
- 10-week anomaly scan – our revolutionary scan to exclude 10 severe structural anomalies at 10 weeks. This scan is designed to complement NIPT screening as a comprehensive structural and chromosomal anomaly screening solution.
- Private early pregnancy scan at 12-16 weeks to exclude >100 different structural anomalies
- Anomaly scan + NIPT options – PrenatalSafe or Panorama NIPT from 9 weeks (from £540)
- Scans and NIPT appointment with our fetal medicine specialist doctors and specialist sonographers with extensive NHS and international experience.
- Same day, evening, and weekend appointments
- NIPT results in 2-5 working days as early as 9 weeks
- Optional gender reveal included in the price from 14-15 weeks
- Latest 3D/4D ultrasound technology
- Colour printouts included where 3D is possible. Scan report, videos and images sent straight to your smartphone
- 5* rated service on Google, Trustpilot & Doctify
Comparison
Compare our 1st-trimester scans
We offer three early-pregnancy scan options. Each is designed for a specific stage and screening goal:
Most popular
10-week anomaly scan
10–11 weeks
from £260
Our signature early scan — pairs perfectly with NIPT for the earliest reliable chromosomal + structural screen.
Comprehensive
Early fetal anomaly scan
12–16 weeks
from £260
Comprehensive examination by the same protocol as the NHS 20-week scan — detects ≥50% of structural anomalies early.
Full feature comparison
Detailed comparison of our 1st-trimester scans
Every cell measured against the same protocol — pick the scan that matches your week and screening goal.
| 6–9 weeks Viability & dating scan £140 | 10–11 weeks 10 week anomaly scan £260 | 12–16 weeks Early fetal anomaly scan £260 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key information | |||
| Best time to perform | 7 weeks | 10 weeks with NIPT | 14 weeks, or 16 weeks if you had our 10 week scan |
| Aim | Confirm viability, count babies, date the pregnancy and plan for NIPT from 10+ weeks | Exclude major anomalies before NIPT | Comprehensive early anomaly scan |
| Scan with NIPT | Too early | Best scan for NIPT | Possible with NIPT |
| Reassurance | Exclude miscarriage and early pregnancy complications | Earliest reassurance for normal anatomical development | Comprehensive — screening for 100+ anomalies |
| 3D imaging | From 8 weeks | Best quality | Possible |
| Gender reveal | Not possible | With NIPT only (not by scan) | Included from 14+ weeks |
| Structures assessed | |||
| Pregnancy dating | |||
| Baby’s heartbeat | |||
| Fetal measurements | |||
| Number of fetuses | |||
| Type of twins | limited after 13+ | ||
| External appearance | |||
| Head | |||
| Brain | |||
| Spine | |||
| Face | |||
| Heart structure | |||
| Internal body organs | |||
| Abdominal wall | |||
| Kidneys & bladder | |||
| Arms & legs | at 9 weeks | ||
| Hands & feet | |||
| Fingers | |||
| Anomaly screening | |||
| Structural anomalies | Not possible The baby has not yet finished its embryological development. | 10 severe anomalies Acrania, holoprosencephaly, spina bifida, body stalk anomaly, major exomphalos, pentalogy of Cantrell, early fetal hydrops, sirenomelia, absence of limbs or hands or feet, abnormal twin pregnancies. | 100+ anomalies Heart defects, brain and spine anomalies, facial anomalies, internal organ anomalies. Detects >50% of structural anomalies and 67.7% of severe heart defects. |
| Book now | Book now | Book now | |
Best quality imaging Diagnostic quality Suboptimal (too small) Not visible
Early pregnancy scans explained
Every scan, explained simply
Viability/Dating Scan 6-9 weeks
This is your first pregnancy ultrasound scan. The viability scan or dating scan is the scan confirming the normal development of the pregnancy inside the womb. Other aims of this scan are to determine the number of babies (embryos) and to date the pregnancy. At this stage, the embryo is still very small, and it is generally not possible to perform a structural examination until it develops into a human-like fetus. We recommend doing this scan at week 7 of pregnancy.
Includes pre-NIPT counselling.
Learn more about our viability scan on this dedicated page.
10 Week Anomaly Scan
At 10 weeks your baby finishes its embryological development, and we can assess its health and development. It’s our unique ultrasound examination, which we have developed for the patients who wish to have early reassurance. 10 weeks scans work best in combination with an advanced NIPT.
Learn more about our 10-week scan on this dedicated page.
10 Structural Anomalies we Screen for at 10 weeks
With our expertise and technology, we are able to screen for structural anomalies from 10 weeks (approximate prevalence in the first trimester):
In comparison, the prevalence of the chromosomal conditions screened for by NIPT:
If you take the pregnancy test at 12+ weeks we are able to screen for >200 structural fetal anomalies.
Early Fetal Anomaly Scan
The early fetal scan is our signature scan which represents a comprehensive examination of the baby by protocol like the NHS 20 weeks anomaly scan. Understandably at 12-16 weeks the baby is still immature, and some anomalies/problems can be invisible or not developed, however from 12 weeks we can detect at least 50% of all structural anomalies. Most importantly from 12 weeks we can exclude the majority of spina bifida, other severe neural tube defects and 2/3 of severe heart defects.
For parents having our 10-week scan we would recommend the early fetal scan at 15-16 weeks, because some anomalies visible at this stage cannot be detectable at 12 weeks.
Learn more about our early fetal anomaly scan on this dedicated page.
Early Fetal Echocardiography
Early fetal echocardiography or early echo is a special detailed scan for the baby’s heart, which we can perform as early as from 12 weeks.
We highly recommend this scan for all babies with increased nuchal translucency (NT) measurements, fetal anomalies, or other unusual findings detected at the 11-13 weeks scan.
Learn more about early echo.
Why do I need to have an ultrasound scan with NIPT?
Ultrasound is a vital part of fetal screening. The laboratory requires a confirmation of viability and gestational age by the clinic submitting each NIPT.
NIPT is a highly effective screening test for 3 chromosomal anomalies, however it is unable to screen for structural anomalies such as heart or brain defects which are more common and often more serious than Down’s syndrome. With our early pregnancy scans, we offer multiple NIPT options:
Here at London Pregnancy Clinic, we pride ourselves on our patient-centric approach towards NIPTs and help you pick the RIGHT test for you. We specialise in early detection of fetal anomalies, the fetal heart and the fetal brain. Visit our scans page to find out which scan you will be having along with NIPT.
10 Weeks Scan and NIPT
10-week scan and NIPT is the best option for early first trimester screening. It is an advanced test that checks for both the most severe structural defects and most common chromosomal abnormalities.
This test is optimal together with the early fetal scan at 16 weeks.
What is the best screening schedule in early pregnancy? How can I reduce the chances for my baby to be born with anomaly/syndrome?
The best EARLY PREGNANCY scans and tests schedule would be:
- Location of the pregnancy
- Viability of the baby (babies)
- Number of babies
- Dating of pregnancy (EDD – estimated delivery date)
- Screening for 10 most severe structural anomalies
- Screening for Down’s syndrome and other chromosomal defects
- Optional gender reveal by NIPT
- Screening for more than 100 different serious structural anomalies
- Optional gender reveal by scan
Can I get a week 4 Pregnancy Scan?
At just 4 weeks pregnant, your little one is still incredibly tiny, like a poppy seed nestled snugly in your womb. Therefore, even with our advanced technology, we wont be able to see anything meaningful on the ultrasound screen. The fluttering heartbeat, a hallmark of early development, usually starts beating around week 6. So, while a home pregnancy test might have given you the joyful news, an early scan at this stage wouldn't be able to show much yet.
What is Early Fetal Echocardiography?
Early echo is our special scan to confirm normal development of the baby’s heart. From 12 weeks, a detailed early scan can detect most major fetal heart defects — around 55–60% in routine pregnancies, rising to about 80% with our most comprehensive imaging protocol (Karim et al., 2022) — though a normal scan cannot fully exclude a heart problem.
This scan is highly recommended if you baby has increased nuchal translucency (NT), or other unusual findings or anomalies on your 1st trimester scan.
Early echocardiography includes a comprehensive check of all other fetal structures and organs like we do at the early fetal scan.
Read more about early fetal echocardiography here:
What is the most comprehensive scan which is possible to do at 12-13 weeks?
Early fetal echocardiography is the most advanced scan you can perform in the first trimester from 12 weeks.
This special scan includes:
To learn more about early fetal echocardiography, click here.
Do you offer Nuchal Translucency Scans (NT)?
Nuchal translucency (NT) is a collection of fluid under the skin of the baby’s neck. It considered as an indirect marker for fetal anomalies (chromosomal and structural). The nuchal translucency (NT) scan was developed in the 1990s when it was impossible to perform a proper check of the fetal structures due to low resolution of old ultrasound scanners.
During our early fetal scan or early fetal echocardiography we perform state-of-the-art checks for all fetal anatomy and especially for the brain, spine and the heart. Those scans are superior to the NT scan, because they look for all of the baby instead of measuring the fluid in the back of the fetal neck. Saying that, we still offer measurements of NT for all our patients (at 11-13 weeks). If the measurement is 3.5 mm or above, it is advised to book an early fetal echocardiography.
We do not use NT for calculation of the chances for Down’s syndrome because of it false-negative and false positive results. For Down’s syndrome screening we use NIPT, which is much more accurate test.
When is the best time to perform the NIPT scan?
We recommend taking the NIPT along with our comprehensive early anomaly scan as soon as possible – 10 weeks. Early detection of either chromosomal or structural anomalies allows more time in terms of pregnancy management for those conditions.
If you’re unsure about the age of your pregnancy, please allow a couple of days after the 10-week mark to avoid repeat appointments for drawing the bloods.
In theory, NIPT is available from 10-40 weeks, but it is strongly recommended to take the test in the first trimester, as the pregnancy management options in the second trimester are very limited.
What if my NIPT results show high chance for a chromosomal anomaly?
In case the NIPT results in a high chance for Down’s/Edward’s/Patau’s syndromes our doctor will contact you and explain the further steps we advise to take. We will most likely arrange a referral to your NHS fetal medicine unit for further counselling and possible diagnostic tests such as CVS or amniocentesis.
Alternatively, we can refer you to a private fetal medicine consultant (consultation cost is not included in our service.)
We will also offer you our early fetal echocardiography for free, in the case you wish to know the condition of your baby’s heart (if it has a congenital heart defect).
Do you offer any miscarriage support?
Yes — we offer compassionate miscarriage support alongside our early pregnancy scans. If a scan brings difficult news, our clinicians take the time to explain your results clearly, answer your questions and talk you through what happens next, without ever rushing you.
We can also advise on follow-up scans, referral back to your NHS team and trying again when you feel ready. You can read more about our miscarriage support, or speak to our team in confidence on 020 3687 2939.
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