Preparing for anatomy scan

williams-jen

My appointment for the anatomy scan is Monday morning and I forgot to call and ask if there was anything in particular I need to do to prepare. Should I drink a boatload of water that morning or I can come as normal? What did your doctors ask you to do to prepare?

bainidhedub

Wondering this too, actually. My office didn't say anything about it but I always have to to remember to come ready to give a urine sample. The first appointment or two I forgot so I was sitting there like an idiot chugging water in the waiting room.

supercoolstephy

I was always told to come with a full bladder before my ultrasounds, not the transvaginal ultrasound. Last time I had to have ultrasounds every 4 weeks. 

ollydolly

I was told to drink 3 cups of water and use the washroom as needed. They said there was no need to be uncomfortable at 19 weeks. I have a crazy teacher bladder though so have had to leave in the middle of an ultrasound because they needed me to empty my bladder a bit. Lol

PleaseSendPicklesNow

Come prepared with questions! Congenital heart defects are the most common birth defect, and about half the time they are not identified at the anatomy scan. It even happens to the children of the rich and famous--just ask Jimmy Kimmel. His son needed open heart surgery right after birth, and his CHD was not caught until after he was born. 

Ask these questions, and you are much less likely to be unprepared. Good luck at your scan! I wish you only the best news.

1. Do you see four chambers in the baby’s heart?

2. Are there two upper chambers (left and right atria), each with a valve controlling blood flow out of them?

3. Are there two lower chambers (left and right ventricles), each with a valve controlling blood flow out of them?

4. Do the two vessels leaving the heart (aorta and pulmonary artery) cross each other as they exit?

5. Is the wall between the two lower chambers intact, without any holes?

6. Is everything else in the heart normal?

PhillymommaX2

When I had my NT scan my tech said you do not need a full bladder at the anatomy scan no matter what they tell you. When I made my appt, they said 16 oz of water and remembering what my tech said I only drank about 8. She still had me empty my bladder 10 mins in. So go in with 8-10 oz just to be safe but she told me too full of a bladder makes it hard to see what they need to see. I had an excellent tech who explained everything in detail so I wasn't left with any questions. The techs aren't technically allowed to say much but if you have a quiet tech it would be worth asking some questions. Ultimately it's the doctor who reads the scans and tells you if there's any concern or need for a follow up. Good luck!

[Deleted User]

I'm supposed to have a full bladder, but with DD they made me go to the bathroom right after they got me covered in gel because it was too full. Beyond that, I don't think there's much else you need to do to get your body ready. 

Ask lots of questions though! I'm lucky that the techs at my clinic are pretty chatty and willing to answer just about everything. I had low fluid at one of my growth scans (had them every 4 weeks after 24w) so after each following ultrasound, I asked what the levels were and even if they couldn't tell me if the level was good or bad, I could find a chart online and see how my numbers compared. But if anything comes up and you're wondering "what body part is that," etc., just ask!

ecolton01

I think you are fine just to show up and enjoy it's increadible !!! You get to see so much detail and it's so beautiful and amazing . My DH was almost in tears with DD. Ours is Friday for our twins and I can't wait 

steph30032

I was told to drink 16oz of water an hour before my appointment. I have my AS on Friday! Yay! 

Peepster

Guys. I just noticed the little card my OB's office gave me says to drink at least 44 oz. of water an hour before my A/S!  WTF? I don't remember them telling me to drink that much last time. I'm gonna pee my pants before I even get there!

tdevlindrye

@Peepster That sounds psycho! I would totally call them and clarify that. 

My A/S is TODAY and I am SO excited! I really appreciate this thread for getting me ready.

bainidhedub

Good luck to everyone heading for a scan today! Hope we all get only good news. 

jaclyn0405

I have mine tomorrow morning, so thanks for the heads up on the right questions to ask! I also have my fetal echo at the same time, so I will be sure to ask some of your questions @PleaseSendPicklesNow thanks!

whitta1015

Good luck everyone! I wasn't told to drink any certain amount. And they made me pee in a cup as soon as a I got there anyways. I even asked her about my amniotic fluid level and she said it looked good. I think the key is to make sure you're well hydrated the couple of days leading up to the ultrasound.

madcouplewithabox

I drank just a normal amount and she still had me empty my bladder about 20 min in saying "I don't want to push too hard and have you leak" 

The only thing that surprised me at the AS was that she did a transvaginal US as well to check cervical measurements. It was the first time anyone has ever asked me if I wanted to insert the wand myself and I was so caught off guard. After a few moments of me just staring dumbly I ended up saying no. I just felt like inserting it myself made me feel like it wasn't as medical as if the specialist did and I wanted that boundary between being at the doctors and what I do at home 

missblaze

@madcouplewithabox Cervical measurements are so fun, right??!!! Very strange that she offered to let you insert it yourself - I never got that option lol. But definitely would have said no too. Hahahahaha.

auntieraindrop

They made me do it myself at my 6 week scan! It was very odd. I felt like I shouldn't be so adept at it. >> 

scatteringashes

@Peepster Yikes! I second clarifying with the doctor; my office just called to confirm the appointment this week, and she made a point of asking how far along I was for the sonogram. I was then told (thankfully) that I didn't need to drink any particular amount of water beforehand. I imagine that different offices have different requests, but 44oz seems like A LOT. I don't think I could keep that much in my bladder at this point, lol. 

williams-jen

I drank a few glasses of water, and when I got there I asked if I needed a full bladder - they said no and then let me pee a second time right beforehand. Baby is looking good!

Peepster

@scatteringashes Yeah, I think I might call and confirm like you and @caeilievalor suggested. It does seem way excessive. These days I've been getting a full bladder and making multiple trips to the bathroom drinking a third that amount!

auntieraindrop

Both mothers have asked to come to the A/S next week. I told my mother I preferred it to be just hubby and I, and she was fine with that, especially since I am supposedly having a bunch of ultrasounds in the third trimester and I told her she could come to any/all of those she wanted. 

Now hubby's mother is asking to go. I've already told my mom no, so I will feel very bad if we let his mom come, but she doesn't take no well. Hubby thinks I always say no to her, and it would be harmless to just say yes to this one thing....

Did anyone take extra family members to the AS? Any good reasons why/why not? Every time my doc uses the doppler, I wind up with no pants on, so really that's the first reason I would prefer to have less people in there. 

Cricket99

@auntieraindrop my doc has a policy of only one other person back there with no kids allowed for the anatomy scan. I would honestly tell her that for this one you and DH would really like to focus on baby and making sure you get all the information you need from this scan. Then of course invite her to one of the later scans because "you're so excited that she's so excited and wants to be involved." Diplomacy goes a long way. You can also tell DH about the focusing on baby this specific time.

gusgus14

@auntieraindrop this is kind of a downer point of view but I wouldn't want anyone else there just in case we received bad news. I'd want time to process that with just me and my husband.

auntieraindrop

@gusgus14 that is a downer point of view, but you're totally right. 

steph30032

@auntieraindrop My thought is for us we only get two ultrasounds and the AS is when we'll find out the sex. I don't want anyone else there for that special moment when we find out. I want that to be just something between my husband and myself. I would just say, do whatever you feel comfortable with, but I feel like if you do allow your mother-in-law to go, you may wanna change your mind and let your mom go to so her feelings aren't hurt. But also, if I were you I would stand firm and say no and don't let people pressure you when you already knew what you wanted. 

[Deleted User]

Everyone else has had great advice. Like @Cricket99, only one other person is allowed back in the room during the exam, and that's DH. Finding out the sex too is something we look forward to just the two of us. If you don't want her there, say no! You need to do what's best for you.

I also agree with @gusgus14, if God forbid, you get bad news, how would you feel if she was there for that? Whatever you decide, FX so hard that everything looks good at your appt!

PleaseSendPicklesNow

@auntieraindrop We invited my parents to the anatomy scan this time, because we wanted emotional support/someone to drive us home in case of bad news. We would have invited my in-laws, too, but they live out of state.

With our first kid, we got The Bad News that eventually led to his death at the anatomy scan. My husband was shaking. I was numb and in such deep shock that I couldn't do anything, much less drive. We'd taken separate cars, and we were both too upset to drive. And we were constantly texting the news to our parents. In theory, it seems like  you wouldn't want someone else there, in the event of bad news. In practice, that wasn't the case for us.

BUT if you really don't want other people there, don't let your mother-in-law bully her way in. Just tell her you appreciate her support, and maybe have your husband film part of the scan on his phone, and send it to her afterward.

Sarafar4

I had my AS today and had been told to empty bladder 1 hour prior then drink 20 oz of water. When the US scan started, my placenta was showing low and anterior, covering my csection scar, which could be a concern. By the end, about 30 minutes later,  my bladder had filled significantly and pushed the placenta up and away from the scar, so drinking water definitely can make a difference in your results! 

CANTW82BMOM

@auntieraindrop My MIL joined us for our anatomy scan. She was so excited. It was nice. I would have never wanted her there during my first pregnancy, but it was more about me being in control back then. She lives in SC and we live in NJ. She's been the biggest support to us when I travel for work and I just thought it would be a nice gesture to include her. On the flip side, if I already told my own mother that she couldn't come and I genuinely didn't want anyone there, I wouldn't let anyone pressure me to be included. 

kathrinp

Oh wow! For our AS it was just the two of us. But when I called to make the appointment (for us, the AS was not done in the practice) they told me to drink 32oz of water before the scan - but the lady told me right away that she thinks that's ridiculous and not possible, especially if you're pregnant, but even without this little tidbit. She told me to just make sure I was well hydrated and that I should be fine then. In the end I drank about 16-20oz, if I had to guess, but mostly because I drink a huge mug of tea each morning... The US tech then had me go to the bathroom after about 15, 20 minutes in and then commenced.
As it was not at my dr's office, we didn't get all the details yet, so we're still a bit in limbo, but the US tech said it looked fine from what she could see about halfway through. I have an appointment with my doctor on Thursday, so hopefully I will get the details then.