Update: US is there a trick to it?

ikaitlyngrove

Ok I understand your interest, it's a weird case. I originally posted because I was interested why some moms were getting the US over others. I'm a first-time mom and I know basically nothing of what to expect, I was just seeing all of the US pics and asked. About the Zika: we unknowingly conceived before we went on our honeymoon to ST Lucia, which has confirmed Zika. I explained to my Doctor today that while we took precautions such as staying covered and wearing bug spray there were bites and StLucia recently became a CDC yellow (not recommended travel) country for ZIka. Being that I live in a high altitude desert that does not have mosquitos I was immediately referred to a perinatologist who would have more information. I did not try to trick my doc and I see how the title of this post has been read that way, my original intent had just been to find out why some were getting an US at this stage and why others weren't. 

With that said, scans today show my EDD is way off and now we are waiting two weeks to begin Zika testing, looks like I will be closer to end of Feb rather than early. I wouldn't joke about the health of myself, my DH or my baby but we did travel, we did get pregnant and it is a real threat. Sorry if that makes you see red.

jbuck909

There's no 'trick' to get a US. It's up to your provider and their office. You can just ask if you're going to get one, and if not, when you will get one. 

Xstatic3333

Mine was for a bad reason, early spotting. I know waiting is hard but it's better if you're able to stay on the regular schedule, I promise!

angeltennis3

Every office is different. I would call your doctor and ask if they can explain what your first office visit will include and when an ultrasound will happen. Typically dating ultrasounds happen between 8 and 12 weeks depending on the office. 

Your insurance will only cover ultrasounds that are deemed medically necessary. Under most plans, this is the dating ultrasound and the anatomy scan performed around 20 weeks. 

I I know how anxious you feel, but I would encourage you to be patient and not try to trick your doctor into medically unnecessary procedures. 

catiecatp

I had an early one with my first pregnancy for dating purposes because I had just gone off the pill. That pregnancy ended in a MC - and my doctor has agreed to an ultrasound in week 7-8 to date this pregnancy and give me some comfort/reassurance. I need an accurate date because we'll be trying to do some testing here in Canada before I leave and the timing will be on the early range of normal for some things where normally we'd aim for the middle. 

kerris713

According to my LMP I was 7w3d but bc I am breastfeeding and have only had 1 period, we weren't really sure of ovulation so I got a dating scan. The u/s showed that I was less than 6w along bc all they could see was a gestational sac and a yoke sac. I'm getting another one on the 1st for viability and to narrow in on an EDD

MagicMikki

I agree with PPs, there really is no trick to getting an early ultrasound.  It's really whether your provider determines there is a medical need for one.  With my first, I didn't have my first scan until I was 20 weeks and finding out the sex!  I was EXTREMELY disappointed to learn I wasn't going to have one sooner.  With my second, I had one earlier because I wasn't 100% sure how far along I was after having wacky periods after coming off BC.  This time, we did IVF and my RE does a routine viability scan between 6 and 7 weeks.  I will be 6+4 during my scan.  

Waiting is definitely the hardest part, and I know you want to see your LO in there so badly!  Just check with your doc and see what the office's protocol is on that.

yogadevil

I got one at 7ish weeks due to my age and being higher risk from the get go

paigeed

The only reason I get one before 10-12 weeks is because I was seeing an RE. I will have one at 6+4 Friday to check how things are progressing. 

PerraSucia

Everyone is being way nicer than I feel about this.. You could have a high risk pregnancy. That's what you could do. 

blush64

I will have several ultrasounds because the pregnancy is due to IVF and that is their protocol. Unless a dating ultrasound was needed I only had an ultrasound for bleeding issues and prenatal testing. (Until the end when I needed extras due to other issues) I liked to see my baby but I would have preferred not to need the ultrasound. 

There is nothing to say or do to have an ultrasound unless your doctor has a reason to request one for prenatal testing or an issue. (Or if you lie, you shouldn't lie)  

L Jane

Deleted

MonaLisaRalphio

Please do not try to "trick" your doctor's office into giving you an ultrasound. If you are healthy and your pregnancy is low-risk, you don't need an ultrasound now. At this point, there's not much to see. I totally understand wanting the peace of mind - waiting another 3 weeks is KILLING me - but if you don't need an ultrasound right now, you're more than likely taking the appointment time from someone who really needs it. 

This part is so hard. I hear you. But people who get early ultrasounds do so because they are medically necessary. And you don't want to borrow that trouble. 

Gingersnap

My OB does typically does a dating ultrasound at 8 weeks. However, due to my previous loss we are doing an earlier one at 6+4. 
As PP have said, people getting "early" ultrasounds are because of health/ pregnancy issues. 

Babymakes5!

Here I am pushing my Dr to hold off on an ultrasound...

BumpasaurusRex

Yeah, Im Team No Trick.  

Let your doctor determine if it's needed at your first visit and if not, you'll have to wait.  

Curran1010

I have a history of miscarriages so my doctor is awesome about letting me get early ultrasounds to ease my nerves. Just saw a strong heartbeat at 6 weeks along! Baby #3... Here we come! 

MamaCoffin

Last pregnancy I had about 5 ultrasounds in 8 weeks. It ended in loss. 

This pregnancy I've already had one ultrasound and will get several more because I'm high risk. I also will be monitoring my betas. Again, I'm high risk. 

I would rather never have to see this baby until the day its born than have to monitor it with the anticipation that anything could go wrong at any moment. 

Just chill out. You'll get your ultrasound soon enough. If you can't wait, pay for an elective one. Your impatience seems worth unnecessarily spending your hard earned money. 

momousekee

Different OBs have different policies. Some of them are influenced by your insurance coverage. 

Mine does a standard 6 week appointment - ultrasound by the doc, hour and a half of patient education with the NP. Same office, different OB does a 6 week with the NP, 8 week ultrasound and meet with the doc. Some don't do an ultrasound until the first trimester screening. 

fourPsinapod

MrsDramaK

This upsets me a little.  Most doctors do ultrasounds on their schedule and if you get one sooner it's because they suspect an issue like miscarriage or ectopic and something like cramping or spotting has indicated their might be an issue.

Just have a little patience, the doctors know what their doing and time things the way they do for a reason.

SPurp13

You should tell the doctor you have a family history of birthing kittens, and as that would be devastating (you are allergic), you refuse to leave until you get a scan. Just to be sure.

That worked for me.

Vastra

Those of us who are high-risk really wish we didn't need them so early. Be thankful you get to proceed with things so normally. 

varimama

This is my first BFP and at first I was really worried my appointment was going to be what I thought was soooo long after my BFP. However when I called my doctor one of the nurses took the time to just explain the normal scheduling my doctor goes by and reasons why I should call sooner if I experienced them but really just reassured me that everything will be OK until my 6 week appointment so I could relax. 

If you want to call and talk to your doctor's office about their policies and maybe get some more info into why they wait to certain times to see patients I think that is ok if it will put your mind at ease but don't go into the conversation trying to say magic words to get in sooner. 

musicinmysoul17

I've had a previous loss and had some spotting this time around and I don't have my first appointment until 10+4. Is it hard to wait? Yes of course. But I know they're busy and as long as I don't have anything come up horribly wrong I just have to wait. You're not going to see much very early on and sometimes that can cause more worry than being helpful.

If you've already called to set your first appointment they should have told you what to expect. If you haven't called yet, just call and if they don't explain it then ask. Some docs do urine/blood tests at an early first appointment and wait to do US until a second appointment. Some docs wait until you're farther along for the first appointment and do everything. You just need to call your doc and find out.

CallMeLauraJane

kerris713

I would also rather not have this many ultrasounds- it freaks me out thinking about sound waves and its little body but I'm probably going to be labeled high risk, which I also hate, since my DD was born at 35w5d and I also had GD with her.  So not only am I going to have a couple dating scans, the 20 week, I will also have to get one when I go see the specialists at Maternal- Fetal Medicine.
Oh and I'm going to have to get a fetal echocardiogram bc I was born with a congenital heart defect which my DD luckily did not have but we still have to check every pregnancy.  *sigh

It's hard, I know because it's exciting to see the transformations but honestly, I would rather not be on the High Risk team

MonaLisaRalphio

OP, I'm gonna need you to explain yourself, because I'm seeing red right now.   If you really were exposed to Zika, you would be referred to a CDC Arbovirus Diagnostic Laboratory or, depending on where you live, your state Health Department, for a urine test.  Your results would then take about 3 weeks to return.  If your test came back positive, you'd then begin getting repeat ultrasounds, which couldn't determine many of the possible birth defects caused by Zika, but could POTENTIALLY diagnose microencephaly.  You would also be offered amniocentesis after 15 weeks.  An ultrasound can't detect microencephaly until well into in the second trimester, so it doesn't make any sense whatsoever that you would get an ultrasound because you maybe possibly were exposed to Zika. 

All of this information is readily available on the CDC website, and your story just doesn't add up with the myriad resources I was able to pull up with a few keystrokes.  The only logical assumption I can make here is that you lied your way into getting an ultrasound.  And I, like.  REALLY hope that's not the case.  Because if it were, it would be unbelievably fucked up.

CallMeLauraJane

ikaitlyngrove said:

*********Getting US today because of a recent visit to zika outbreak area***************

MamaCoffin

Is it Tuesday yet? I've found my twatwaffle. 

And I'm out. 

MonaLisaRalphio

@mamacoffin if you leave me I will die here.

MrsDramaK

@MamaCoffin Don't let MUD chase you away.  The board is still finding it's legs

MamaCoffin

I just think I need to step away for my own sanity... At least until I'm beyond the timeline of my loss. I understand there can be triggers everywhere. But ignorance is my biggest trigger. There's just SO MUCH ignorance. I'm doing it for my own good. And others..... Because I lose control of my mouth as the hormones increase.

Gingersnap

ikaitlyngrove said:

*********Getting US today because of a recent visit to zika outbreak area***************

I see a lot of the moms getting ultrasounds and then I see a lot of mom's not this early. Is there something special I can say to make sure that we get it on the first visit?

Bullshit. 
I'm  calling absolute bullshit on this one. 

fourPsinapod

I can't even. 

Ryder0406

BFP was 2.5 weeks ago and I just barely even got around to calling to make my first MW appt today! I was breastfeeding DD full time when we conceived this baby on board and my cycles were far from normal, so they want me to have an early ultrasound for dating purposes. They said the earliest they'd do it is at 7 weeks (based on LMP) and I asked if it was at all possible to wait longer or would that make it less accurate... They were shocked and said usually people are begging to come in earlier, but it's better to wait a little longer so there's more to see. I said that's exactly why I'd rather wait.

I'm not trying to be snarky, I know it's nerve racking to wait, but staying calm and relaxed (easier said than done) is truly what's best for baby and you. In the long run, a couple of weeks really will fly by! 

L Jane

Is this some type of joke? At first I felt sorry for the OP because I don't think she meant to upset anyone. Now? Ummm...

fourPsinapod

MamaCoffin said:

I just think I need to step away for my own sanity... At least until I'm beyond the timeline of my loss. I understand there can be triggers everywhere. But ignorance is my biggest trigger. There's just SO MUCH ignorance. I'm doing it for my own good. And others..... Because I lose control of my mouth as the hormones increase.

Please don't leave. There will be so many dumb posts here and there but I promise you, having a bmb saved my sanity. I cope by posting copious amounts of gifs

ikaitlyngrove

Ok I understand your interest, it's a weird case. I originally posted because I was interested why some moms were getting the US over others. I'm a first-time mom and I know basically nothing of what to expect, I was just seeing all of the US pics and asked. About the Zika: we unknowingly conceived before we went on our honeymoon to ST Lucia, which has confirmed Zika. I explained to my Doctor today that while we took precautions such as staying covered and wearing bug spray there were bites and StLucia recently became a CDC yellow (not recommended travel) country for ZIka. Being that I live in a high altitude desert that does not have mosquitos I was immediately referred to a perinatologist who would have more information. I did not try to trick my doc and I see how the title of this post has been read that way, my original intent had just been to find out why some were getting an US at this stage and why others weren't. 

With that said, scans today show my EDD is way off and now we are waiting two weeks to begin Zika testing, looks like I will be closer to end of Feb rather than early. I wouldn't joke about the health of myself, my DH or my baby but we did travel, we did get pregnant and it is a real threat. Sorry if that makes you see red.

MamaCoffin

ikaitlyngrove said:

Ok I understand your interest, it's a weird case. I originally posted because I was interested why some moms were getting the US over others. I'm a first-time mom and I know basically nothing of what to expect, I was just seeing all of the US pics and asked. About the Zika: we unknowingly conceived before we went on our honeymoon to ST Lucia, which has confirmed Zika. I explained to my Doctor today that while we took precautions such as staying covered and wearing bug spray there were bites and StLucia recently became a CDC yellow (not recommended travel) country for ZIka. Being that I live in a high altitude desert that does not have mosquitos I was immediately referred to a perinatologist who would have more information. I did not try to trick my doc and I see how the title of this post has been read that way, my original intent had just been to find out why some were getting an US at this stage and why others weren't. 

With that said, scans today show my EDD is way off and now we are waiting two weeks to begin Zika testing, looks like I will be closer to end of Feb rather than early. I wouldn't joke about the health of myself, my DH or my baby but we did travel, we did get pregnant and it is a real threat. Sorry if that makes you see red.

Qfp


Hahaha


But seriously.... You asked what the TRICK was. What you needed to say in order to make sure you got an ultrasound. You did not ask why some women got them and others didn't. 

Don't even try. 

ikaitlyngrove

MamaCoffin said:

ikaitlyngrove said:

Ok I understand your interest, it's a weird case. I originally posted because I was interested why some moms were getting the US over others. I'm a first-time mom and I know basically nothing of what to expect, I was just seeing all of the US pics and asked. About the Zika: we unknowingly conceived before we went on our honeymoon to ST Lucia, which has confirmed Zika. I explained to my Doctor today that while we took precautions such as staying covered and wearing bug spray there were bites and StLucia recently became a CDC yellow (not recommended travel) country for ZIka. Being that I live in a high altitude desert that does not have mosquitos I was immediately referred to a perinatologist who would have more information. I did not try to trick my doc and I see how the title of this post has been read that way, my original intent had just been to find out why some were getting an US at this stage and why others weren't. 

With that said, scans today show my EDD is way off and now we are waiting two weeks to begin Zika testing, looks like I will be closer to end of Feb rather than early. I wouldn't joke about the health of myself, my DH or my baby but we did travel, we did get pregnant and it is a real threat. Sorry if that makes you see red.

Qfp


Hahaha


But seriously.... You asked what the TRICK was. What you needed to say in order to make sure you got an ultrasound. You did not ask why some women got them and others didn't. 

Don't even try. 

I'm sorry do you want freaking pictures? I don't understand why I am not allowed one goof, because I didn't word this the way that makes your highness happy. Y'all need to be more considerate of those who haven't used forums before. I misworded my OP, I said that already what the F more do you want?