About our reassurance scans
At Albert Road General Practice & Women’s Clinic, our endorsed midwives offer limited first trimester reassurance ultrasounds as part of your pregnancy care.
These scans are designed to provide reassurance between your formal pregnancy ultrasounds and to support your ongoing care. They are intended to complement, not replace, the care you receive through your GP, hospital, obstetrician or imaging provider.

What is a reassurance scan?
A reassurance scan is a limited point-of-care ultrasound performed by one of our trained endorsed midwives.

The purpose of the scan is to:

  • Confirm that your previously confirmed intrauterine pregnancy is continuing.
  • Visualise fetal cardiac activity where possible.
  • Provide reassurance and answer questions about your pregnancy.
  • Support discussions about your pregnancy care.

These appointments also provide an opportunity to discuss pregnancy symptoms, review results, answer questions and provide education.

What a reassurance scan is not
A reassurance scan is not a diagnostic obstetric ultrasound.
Our midwives are trained to perform limited first trimester ultrasound within their scope of practice. They are not accredited diagnostic medical sonographers, and these scans are not intended to diagnose or exclude pregnancy complications or fetal abnormalities.

Reassurance scans do not replace:

  • Your dating scan.
  • Your first trimester screening ultrasound (including nuchal translucency, where applicable).
  • Your morphology scan.
  • Any ultrasound recommended by your GP, obstetrician or hospital.

Who can have a reassurance scan?
To ensure your safety, reassurance scans are only offered when:

  • You have already had a formal dating ultrasound confirming an intrauterine pregnancy.
  • Your dating scan is available for review.
  • You are in the first trimester of pregnancy.
  • Your pregnancy is considered suitable for a limited reassurance scan.

When we may not perform a reassurance scan
There are situations where a formal diagnostic ultrasound is the safest and most appropriate investigation.

For this reason, we may recommend a formal ultrasound instead if you:

  • Have not yet had a dating scan.
  • Have significant pain or heavy bleeding.
  • Require assessment of pregnancy viability.
  • Need investigation of a possible pregnancy complication.
  • Have symptoms or clinical concerns that require comprehensive imaging.

If we see something unexpected
Because reassurance scans are intentionally limited, there are times when we may not be able to answer every question during the appointment.
If we are unable to confidently confirm the expected findings, or if anything requires further assessment, we will:

  • Explain what we can and cannot determine from the scan.
  • Arrange a formal diagnostic ultrasound if required.
  • Involve one of our doctors or your maternity care provider where appropriate.

Sometimes a formal scan is recommended simply because we cannot obtain the information needed from a limited examination. This does not necessarily mean that there is a problem with your pregnancy.

Our commitment
Your safety always comes first.
Our midwives practise within nationally recognised professional standards and only perform ultrasounds they are trained and competent to undertake. If there is any uncertainty, we will always recommend further assessment rather than making assumptions.

Our goal is to provide an additional layer of support, reassurance and continuity throughout your pregnancy while ensuring you continue to receive the highest standard of maternity care.