I have to wait till Im 18 weeks for an US...say what???

Christinelanning

So I went for my first prenatal visit today. I am currently a full time nursing student so therefore I have no insurance at the moment. I got referred to my local health center. My doctor at the health center told me that because I have no high risk indicators they're going to wait until I'm 18 weeks to an ultrasound. I am currently 6w6days and can not stand the thought of waiting that long! ALL of my preggo friends and mommy friends had an ultrasound to verify pregnancy at around 7-10 weeks. Anyone else going through the same issue or have any advice on how I can get an US done? I had a miscarriage at around 7 weeks three years ago. I'm so terrified I am going to have one again. I thought hearing the hear beat today would give me some relief ((((

awheeler4311

I know that my obgyn told me that if I wasn't getting genetic testing done, my first official ultrasound would be at 16 weeks, WITH great insurance! At a fancy shmancy doctors office! She did an "unofficial" ultrasound with an old machine just so we could see the flicker and she wanted to make sure it was in the right place bc of some sharp pains. But I was like, even if I didn't want the genetic testing, I would almost feel pushed into it just to get the ultrasound. It felt ridiculous. But it's really normal I guess if you don't have any risk factors.

Christinelanning

Yes bintmejnuna I am relieved that there are not high risk factors. I just wish I could hear my little peanuts heartbeat so I could stop being so stressed. They're going to check the heartbeat with the doppler on my next visit. It's not until Nov 26 though

joshandjulie08

I didn't have a us with either of my babies till after 20 wks. I was on Medicaid w Them but I don't think that mattered. If you really want to see baby I suggest going to a plan parenthood. It's free. They give you the abortion talk. But I am sure you don't want that. So it'll be ok.

BabyList

Are they any places near you that offer selective ultrasounds where you pay out of pocket instead of through insurance? We are using one to find out gender.

Mama-Bear

I'm not sure what my current doc will do (haven't had an appt yet and haven't met her face to face even) but my previous OB didn't do anymore than 1 unless there was any cause for concern.

Bednarova

One US to check baby's anatomy around 20w is the general standard of care for normal risk pregnancies. I had one at 12weeks with DS bc we opted for the NT scan.

This was with a 'cadillac' insurance plan.

Christinelanning

No ladies I wasn't able to hear the heartbeat via doppler today. They won't try that until my next appointment. At that point I'll be close to 11 weeks pregnant. It's just frustrating that I have to wait that long to see my baby. I'll check with planned parenthood. Hopefully my medicaid gets approved and I am able to switch to an actual OBGYN office. I have a feeling that the machines they use are outdated and probably can't really pick anything up yet.

Christinelanning

The places in my town for elective ultrasounds require that you have a normal ultrasound done by your doctor first.

aeseaborne11

@Christinelanning‌ we are due date twins!!!! I will also be 7 weeks tomorrow. I had my first appointment Wednesday and it was just a urine test and pelvic test just to confirm the pregnancy. This is my first and I have two insurances so I am fully covered. I will only being hearing heartbeat through a Doppler at my next appointment on Nov. 24th. And only ultrasound at 18-20 weeks. We are going to a boutique to get a early ultrasound done just so we can get a sneak peek...we have to pay out of pocket but worth it!

Christinelanning

@aeseaborne11 I found a place in the town over from me that will do one a sneak peak gender determination at 15 weeks without a previous US only proof of prenatal care. So I am totally going to be doing that on the week 15 marker! Now let the long count down till I'm 15 weeks begin! I go the 25th to hear the doppler we are right on track with one another!

aeseaborne11

@Christinelanning‌ how are you feeling? When I hit the 6 week mark I have had nausea ALL DAY hoping this lets up soon!

Christinelanning

@aeseaborne11 I am tired ALL the time. I have been taking a nap almost everyday when I get home from school or work. If I can't fit that in then I am ending up in bed by 8 every night. I have had some nausea but nothing awful yet. I am hoping I can skip that part.

Have you scheduled your sneak peak US yet? I kind of want to go ahead and schedule mine since the 15 week marker sort of hits around the end of December near the New Year holiday. I have a feeling they will have limited appointments and hours.

Hope you start feeling better girl. I have been drinking Reeds ginger ale. It has real ginger in it and has been helping curb the little nausea I have had.

aeseaborne11

I eat super healthy and don't drink carbonated drinks so I haven't tried the ginger ale trick. Thankfully when we found out I was pregnant I got to leave my job for the remainder of my pregnancy because I'm a hairdresser and it's not the healthiest place for a pregnant woman.
No we haven't schedule it yet probably will tomorrow. We are getting one done at 10weeks right before Thanksgiving!

NoeliaV

joshandjulie08 said:

I didn't have a us with either of my babies till after 20 wks. I was on Medicaid w Them but I don't think that mattered. If you really want to see baby I suggest going to a plan parenthood. It's free. They give you the abortion talk. But I am sure you don't want that. So it'll be ok.

@joshandjulie08
I'm sure I'm misunderstanding this, but are you suggesting that OP go to Planned Parenthood and insinuate (or directly ask for?) abortion counselling, in order to get a free ultrasound?

opheliacantswim

Yeah, the wait sucks, but as others have said, no early US is a good thing.  It means you don't have risk factors. 

My doc only orders one US at twenty weeks unless there is a particular reason for another, so I'm right there with  you.   And I don't even get to see the doc for the first time until 10w5d this time around. 

One bit of good news-- with DD, they were able to find her heartbeat with the Doppler at 7w5d.  It was so low you'd think she was living in my crotch (which is pretty true that early), but it worked, so that was a huge comfort.   

Trampslikeus

@noeliav - I was wondering the same thing.  Those services are supposed to be for people who don't have prenatal care or are in desperate situations -  not for people who disagree with their doctors timelines for imaging...

lalamomma

My insurance only covers the anatomy scan, unless the doctor deems it medically necessary, but at the class i was required to go to on base (military)the nurses at both offices said they do a dating ultrasound between 9-11 weeks. and at 20. My last doctor did one at 9, 13, 19 and then I was high risk so the others I had were because of that.  the 9 week was a dating ultrasound 13 weeks was a NT scan and 19 was Anatomy. 

I'm wondering if they will do a NT scan this time because DD had a cleft and we found out with her quad screen having the NT elevated protein in that screening. 

I'm at a different doctor this time so we shall see.

sabett

I think that's pretty normal. We only had one early because my cycle is irregular and they wanted to confirm the date.

dkleid

Not to be mean but I don't know where you ladies live and maybe it's different coverage in smaller cities. But I had an ultra sound at 8 weeks I'll have some genetic testing done at 12 which is covered by insurance and includes another ultraound. Then I will have a 3rd at 20 weeks to determine the gender. And then I won't have one till 36 weeks. It might just be smaller cities coverage isn't as good as larger cities but it seemed really odd to me that you wouldn't have an ultrasound till 20 weeks.

Trampslikeus

@dkleid It has nothing to do with the size of the city.   I live in Boston, where there are more hospitals and medical centers per capita than almost everywhere else in the world, and my doctor told me it was silly to take time off from work for an u/s before 12 weeks if I'm perfectly healthy, and have had no spotting or pain.

aeseaborne11

Yea I was about to say I'm in Nashville Tennessee and we have doctors and hospitals out the ying yang...they just don't see why you need extra procedures done when you and the baby are healthy! Which I understand!

mrsteacherphx

I'm not going in to hear the heartbeat till week 12 and no ultrasound till week 20! I live in a major city with really good insurance.

Ashli+Collin

I went for my first appointment today as well. I was sooo disapponted when the midwife told me no US until 18 to 20 weeks. I'm driving my hubby nuts because I don't want to wait that long! Sigh.

MamaNicoleof3

I just have to say that while I understand wanting to see baby, ultrasounds aren't all that great for them, AND try to be thankful you don't NEED one. I've now had two and they've freaked me out more than helped. I didn't have early USs with my first two and was totally calm throughout both pregnancies. With this one, sharp pains warranted a US to determine if it was ectopic, but they've just made me worry more than usual that everything is okay.

Kalynn85

This is so crazy, my insurance covers 3 scans 9-12w 15-20w and after that it depends on medical issues or if they need another. I would think the first scan between 9-12 weeks is important(even being not high risk). I wish you all the best. I thought waiting a week for an appointment was bad. I would flip out over almost 3 month wait.

dkleid

@trampsilkeus- 12 weeks I can understand but then one at 20 again. Some of these ladies are talking about only have 1 their whole pregnancy. High risk or not that just doesn't seem right.