I am sorry for r/p-ing this all over the place, I'm just shocked!
No flames please....
After the tech scanned all of the important stuff she had my DH and DS come into the room. She showed us the head, feet, arms, etc. Then I asked her if she could tell us the gender. She said she can't, she's not allowed. She also said that most places won't reveal the gender anymore because of lawsuits. I asked her if it would be in the report so my doctor would be able to tell me and she said, "No, I didn't even scan the area". We are really disappointed and worried at the same time that something might be wrong. We went to this imaging place because my Dr.s office recommended it. I almost feel like it's a way to have us shell out the money for a 3D/4D ultrasound. I am going to wait until Monday to call my Dr. to see if this is the normal procedure with this place.
Has this happened to anyone else?
Re: a/s today - tech would not tell us the gender of our baby...
sounds odd to me, it's not like you are 8 weeks and asking her to guess.
All of the elective U/S places I have looked at who offer 3D/4D also offer gender scan packages too. If your Dr sent you there I would definitely ask if that is normal practise for that clinic and perhaps ask for a recommendation to somewhere else that will reveal the gender. Did you Dr mention anything about not being told the gender or indicate he expected you to find out at that appointment.
I am pretty sure my Dr would have told me that I wouldn't be told if that were the case.
No, not at all! The tech said they will not tell anyone the gender of their baby anymore. I wish I never went there, ugh!
Michelle & Joe Married 9-10-04
Sounds fishy. I wouldn't think lawsuits would be an issue with gender scanning. They always say it's never 100%, and what damages would you claim anyway?
"Most places won't reveal the gender anymore" is an absolute lie. It's pretty standard to make a gender prediction. So there is some other reason - maybe the gender scan is an extra fee or something? I don't know, but I would definitely express my concerns to the the OB, especially if they recommend that facility.
I can see how the practice may choose not to tell their patients the sex, though.
What a bummer, I'm sorry
At the a/s with my son, the tech was not willing to go out of her way to look for gender.
That is strange! I have Kaiser so you go to Kaiser offices for everything. The peri told me that the next scan would be the a/s and we could find out gender at that time if we wanted to. I would definitely talk to your doc. The genital area is part of the anatomy so for her to say that she didn't even look there seems odd!
Looks like maybe you will have to go the 3d/4d route unless you want to remain team green !
I agree. What would there be to sue over? Sounds like the tech doesn't know what she's talking about.
It is becoming more common in certain areas not to check specifically for the sex and/or not to tell the parents. Areas in Europe are headed that direction, and there are provinces in Canada that no longer share as well, precisely because of termiantions due to sex determination.
And there is nothing fishy about lawsuits. Seriously? America is notoriously litigious as a society. This sounds like a freestanding center that is trying to retain OB referrals - not a place that wants to be hit with a lawsuit or well prepared to deal with a drawn out court battle. Even if it were unlikely to be won (as the sex is not guaranteed, and many freestanding centers ask patients to sign papers stating they know that the u/s is a visual tool only and subject to inaccuracies or error in reading, etc), retaining legal counsel and fighting legal battles isn't cheap.
And no, there is no inherent reason to check the genitalia. While it often is visualized during other measurements (femur, abdominal circumference, etc), it may or may not present in such a way that the tech gets a clear view. How many times have we seen on the boards that a baby was uncooperative during the scan? As it is not one of the necessary measurements or organs, it's not difficult to see how it would be left out of the report.
I find it surprising, all that being said. And I'm surprised especially that they wouldn't tell you that in advance. I do think it's worth a mention to the doctor and s/he may not be aware of a change in the place's policies, and may be able to take a look for you without you having to pay for an elective u/s.
Gabriel Ross - August 24, 2009 * Vivienne Rose - May 1, 2012
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At this point, you aren't likely to see abnormalities with the genitalia. Maybe later on - but no, there isn't much they are looking for, really.
Gabriel Ross - August 24, 2009 * Vivienne Rose - May 1, 2012
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FTR - it is totally possible to scan the area without identifying the sex. Femur measurements can be taken from a profile view, depending on baby's positioning, and sometimes things (hands, cord, feet, etc) get in the way of or otherwise obscure the genitalia. Which is why women are often told that they can't be 100% on the sex or why they get no reading at all. It's actually really common.
Gabriel Ross - August 24, 2009 * Vivienne Rose - May 1, 2012
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That doesn't sound right! I would talk to your doctor, otherwise check with the colleges near you that have an ultra sound tech program because most of them offer free ultra sounds and tell you the gender!!
it seems like they should have mentioned that up front, instead of just being all, "nope, can't tell you." during the scan.
also: it is sex, not gender. they are two completely different things.
"The distinction between sex and gender is a concept that distinguishes sex, a natural or biological feature, from gender, the cultural or learned significance of sex."
I can verify this. I live in BC, and unless the Dr requests the gender to be reported on the official report, they will not even look for the sex. If it is requested, they will only put it in the report, and the Dr will only reveal the sex after the 24th week of pregnancy. We are never told the sex, or the presence of any abnormalities by the tech. Everything is sent in a report to the Dr, who will then let you know any details.
This is all due to problems in the past with sex-selection. Abortions after the 24th week of gestation are illegal here, and therefore they wait until it is illegal and very difficult to find a practitioner who will abort, to reveal the sex.
I know this is probably not the policy in NJ right now, but perhaps that is what the state is leaning towards, and therefore, what influences the policy of the individual clinic.
Still sucks though, I'm sure. Sorry OP - you are right - you should have been made aware of this fact before you booked the appointment!
DS1 born June 2008 | m/c at 9w March 2011 | DS2 born April 2012
Isnt the point of an anatomy scan is to make sure the baby has all of its body parts? Would the ovaries or testcles be a part of its body?? How could the check out the upper thighs and hips or vertebrae without seeing the goods? Didn't scan the area?! Def something off there!
I know the anatomy scan is to make sure everything's developing well, but it's obviously a milestone in many parent's minds for finding out the sex of the baby (if they want to know). Knowing that, why not be upfront if your office policy won't allow it to be determined?
I would be furious if my doctor sent me to an u/s clinic that wouldn't tell me the sex without first disclosing that it was their policy (if they knew). I'd go so far as to say I'd switch practices if there was any perceived dishonesty. Not saying that's what happened here, but it's a very precious moment that many of us look forward to since the BFP. It's one way to get to know our baby and bond before birth (again, not to say Team Green folks can't do that, too).
Whew! That one got my hormones racing. Had to rant there for a sec. Hope the ladies who want to find out can!
When I asked the tech if my Dr. would be able to tell me, she said she didn't even scan the area and it wouldn't be in the report so they wouldn't be able to tell me.
Michelle & Joe Married 9-10-04