How many ultrasounds?

hopec87

I got my first ultrasound at my first appointment at 7weeks and 3 days and baby is healthy, heartbeat 143. My doctor said I will get my next one at 20 weeks. I have seen and heard of ultrasounds done at 10 weeks etc. I know they will use the Doppler to hear the heartbeat every visit but I find it weird I don't get my next full ultrasound until I'm have way through our pregnancy.Why is my doctor waiting so long for my next ultrasound? 

tinypikachu

Jabreen said:

The 10 wk is likely the first ultrasound people are getting, if not all the way to the 20 wk mark.  Some (like me) are getting more than usual because of previous losses or uncertain conception dates, but otherwise I'd say you're on schedule or more frequent already!

This is absolutely correct. Also, it depends on the doctor. Mine does an 8wk ultrasound, 12wk NT scan and 20wk anatomy scan for everyone and more if there are issues or previous losses. The norm really is one or two ultrasounds per pregnancy, the first from 8-12 weeks and the second at 20 weeks, while some docs only do the anatomy scan at 20 weeks or so.

steminist

The 10 wk is likely the first ultrasound people are getting, if not all the way to the 20 wk mark.  Some (like me) are getting more than usual because of previous losses or uncertain conception dates, but otherwise I'd say you're on schedule or more frequent already!

618mom22boys

With my other 3 pregnancies I didn't even get my 1st till 20 weeks.  I am going to a new doc with this baby and they actually do an US at every appointment, all free of charge.  They also give 3D US to everyone at 32 weeks. 

RedMar

Agreed with 1-2 being the norm, but now it seems like it's depending more on the practice as to how many U/S are given. Be thankful you're not high risk and don't require more! Also, although I don't pay anything for them, my insurance is charged $300 per U/S and I believe the 3D ones are more. 

Cassandraspregnacy2

I'm only getting more ultra sounds because my last LO was born with 3 genetic medical conditions and I have Pcos so they consider this pregnancy high risk.

I had one at 6-7 weeks. I'll have a specialist appt US at 11 weeks and another scan at 18 weeks. Then if everything is going well with the babys organs then I'll only have one more around 28 weeks.
Ill feel more relieved around after our 18 weeks scan. That's when we saw our last LO genetic medical challenges.

owlcup

With my two, I only had anatomy scans. With my third, I had the anatomy scan then another one around 30 weeks because I went a long time without feeling her move. This pregnancy I'll get a dating ultrasound on the 8th (because of my previous miscarriage) and then just the anatomy scan. 

You should feel good only getting one or two. That means your pregnancy is healthy and normal. Most ladies who get tons of ultrasounds are usually high risk.

Ah825

Ladies this is my first pregnancy and while reading your responses I have a question- there's no more ultra sounds after the anatomy scan!?

camichael84

@Ah825 If your pregnancy is healthy and they see everything they need during the a/s, it is the last US. Like PP have said, for a healthy pregnancy 1-2 ultrasounds are normal. The first being a dating at 8-10 weeks and then the a/s. Of course this varies from practice to practice, but it is what it most typical.

Smallangel

Although it's correct what a PP has said about more scans for previous risks. I do think it also depends on the practice as @RedMar mentioned.

I would have thought I qualified to have had more scans (thankfully not if it assumes high risk) but my first was at 6 weeks as I have a history of ectopics and 1MC and then I had to wait till 12w for my NT scan and then will have my last one which is anatomy at 20w. 
Although I really think I could have done with a reassurance scan (which I tried to fight for) my practise refused and thankfully everything went ok. 

As obvious as it is Im realising that women have been doing this before the beginning of time without the tech of ultrasounds so let's have more faith in what nature is capable of continuing to do! 

I I think if every woman was offered more scans whenever they felt like it we'd spend half our pregnancy in the ultrasound rooms...
Like I read somewhere after seeing a HB around 12 weeks the likelihood of MC drops drastically and babies don't just die that easily unless there's something wrong genetically.

A H&H 9 months to us all
 

RedMar

@ah825, as pp's stated, they're not necessary after that point. Plus from what I remember, during the end, the baby is too big to see everything (it gets kinda cramped in there!). At one of my last OB appts, my doc did an internal to ensure the baby wasn't breech. He could literally feel the babe's head bouncing back as he applied pressure to my cervix. Good times those internals are...

Tippy05

We get one at 7-8 weeks for dating purposes, another at 12 weeks for the anatomy scan and another at 20 weeks.  

With DS1 I had an u/s at every visit because they were concerned about low fluid.  That was pretty awesome to see him that far along but like @RedMarsaid, it got pretty cramped.  Once you start feeling the baby move you'll probably feel less of a need to have the u/s.

camichael84

What @RedMar said about later ultrasounds is true. My OB had me continue with them after the a/s (as well as weekly NSTs starting at 35 weeks) because I have high blood pressure that I take medicine for. This can cause placental and fetal growth problems, and she needed to see everything was still going well with DD. We couldn't see a thing at the 36 week US. Not only are they bigger and cramped, their bones are almost solidified and make it harder to see around them.

PSUBecky23

Had a dating scan yesterday at 10w6d, I'll have another for the NT scan and then the anatomy scan.

hopec87

Thank you ladies for all the responses. In know every pregnancy and doctor is different so this definitely eased some anxiety