I just want a sonogram

denius9117

Anyone else's Dr. making them wait until week 20 to have the first sono done? Im getting really annoyed with mine because of this. I keep seeing new couples that are due after me and they have already had a sono. Im only going to be 9 weeks on dec 2, but Im still getting annoyed. I just want to see my baby and I feel like 20 weeks is way to long to wait... Maybe I'll just switch Drs. 

afterthestorms

That is 100% normal.  Most doctors do the same thing as they only do an US if needed to confirm how far you are along if you are unsure of dates.  Otherwise technically most woman would only receive 1 US a pregnancy at 19-20 weeks, the anatomy scan, if it is not a high risk pregnancy.  I am guessing if you switch doctors it will be the same thing.

Bear14+

Every doctor is different, but you can always find an elective ultrasound place around you and pay a little extra if you need the peace mind and your doctor won't budge. 

denius9117

Twins run on my husbands side, I just want to know if there is 1 or 2 babies and know that everything is alright. This is my first pregnancy.

afterthestorms

Twins on your husbands side has nothing to do with you have twins.  It literally cannot increase your odds at all.

Bear14+

Yep, twins running on his side does not affect you at all. Although, if you have a daughter, it could potentially be passed to her. 

tsa208

It may be an insurance thing - my insurance only covers 2 ultrasounds, so that would be 20 weeks and then towards the end to see if baby is in position. I had to have several ultrasounds last pregnancy because it was a high risk pregnancy since I had an internal bleed, and it was a battle reminding my insurer every time that the extra ones were medically necessary and therefore should be covered. Call your insurance and ask how many are covered. While some docs wait until 20 weeks, it is obviously completely normal to have one in the first trimester too, as you've notice and can see in the u/s thread.

indulgentgypsy

Yup, my 2nd pregnancy I was on medicaid and only 2 US were covered. I ended up needing more medically, but did not get my first one until 18-19 weeks. 

NicholeL16

The practice I use only does one at 19-20 weeks unless there is a reason for additional scans. It is hard to wait but it seems pretty standard.

ameliabedelia-2

Is nobody getting an NT scan? I had one at 12 weeks with both my kids, and have one scheduled for this one as well. I thought the common practice for most low-risk pregnancies was to do ultrasounds at 12 and 20 weeks. I'd be annoyed too if I couldn't have one until 20, and would also consider switching doctors. 

nopegoat

@ameliabedelia-2 the NT scan is optional here. 

ameliabedelia-2

@nopegoat, it was never sold as an option for me. Probably because of my old ass eggs, lol. 

canuckmomma

I’m in Canada. We only get one at 20 weeks. I paid for a private one at 16 weeks last time. Just to see baby. No diagnostics or gender. It’s a bummer when you hear others getting early scans. 

mrscammack

I’m in Ontario Canada and I had 2 last pregnancy, the 12 week NT scan and then my 20 week anatomy scan. I also paid for an elective 3D ultrasound. This pregnancy I’m planning on 3 that are covered under OHIP, my doctor wanted to do one around 8 weeks to date pregnancy since I have irregular cycles, which ended up adjusting my due date by 6 days. Then my 12 week scan and my 20 week anatomy scan. I would also be super nervous waiting until 20 weeks but I know depending on where you live that can be normal. 

foodislove

My practice does a sono to confirm at 8wks, NT at 12 weeks, 20 weeks, another for positioning around 30-32 weeks I think? I had at least five my last pregnancy, and I wasn't high risk or anything.

babyginjuly

I got one at 8 weeks to confirm EDD, I'm getting the NT one at 12 weeks and have a follow up at 14 weeks where OB said I'll finally be able to hear the heart beat so I'm assuming that's going to be an US as well. I will also get an anatomy scan at 20 weeks and then lastly to confirm baby's positioning at 32 weeks.

babyginjuly

@denius9117 There are many places around me that do elective Ultrasound even to see baby's gender at 13 weeks and the cost is 35-45 USD. It might be worth it if it helps alleviate your anxiety a little bit.

xtinecatherine

In previous pregnancies, I had an early ultrasound for dating purposes and then the 20 week anatomy scan.  In this pregnancy, in addition to those two, I will have the 12 week NT, but that is only because I am over 35. 

Panaceia

I'm on Ontario Canada too. With DD I had the NT scan at 12 weeks and AS at 19. We ended up with more because of various issues but 2 was standard (and the NT was optional). It is common practice here now to do a dating ultrasound  (at my doctors practice) but unless you do the NT the next one would be the AS. I get so many early ones only because I'm with an RE due to my previous loss history.

nolemomma14

It’s not uncommon to only get 1 ultrasound at 20 weeks. Ask your dr about testing offered at 12 weeks, you would have an ultrasound then if you do the NT scan for testing. Another dr might not do an early ultrasound anyways, so it might not be worth switching 

nerdtoyourmother

My practice does a confirmation (vaginal) US at 8 weeks, they have always strongly encouraged the NT scan at 12 weeks, and we do the 'big' anatomy scan at 20 weeks. I would be itching to see baby also if I had to wait until 20! 

Panaceia

I just found out at my appointment yesterday that since I'm doing the NIPT I won't be getting the NT scan. So my last ultrasound with my RE at 10+4 will be my last scan until the AS. 

Happyin14

I’m surprised so many of you don’t do the NT scan. Yes, it’s optional but why not get it? Especially if it gets you a peek at the babe. 

Does your dr do anything to check for hb? 

nolemomma14

@happyin14 we haven’t done it with my first two pregnancies and won’t with this one either. We don’t have a history of anything on either side of our families, and figured if there was an issue, it would be seen at the 20 week scan and would still give us time to plan if our baby needed additional care or if we needed to see a specialist. We never looked into it, but I would imagine it might not be covered be every insurance, which is why some people opt not to do the scan. 

My office checks for the HB vía Doppler at every visit, starting with the 12 week visit. 

mamanbebe

@Happyin14 Same as @nolemomma14 we opted out last time and have nothing running in our families. I also have had pretty thorough genetic testing done and was low risk for anything. Additionally, to get the NT scan you have to opt for the blood test and the blood test isn't 100% accurate, it's just giving you a ratio. And then if it's not a favorable ratio, it is not 100% accurate. To be sure you need an amnio test, but the amnio carries a risk of miscarriage. It seems like unnecessary stress to do the test since we do not want an amnio. 

nopegoat

@Happyin14 we've had a high deductible plan with my previous pregnancies so we basically pay for All OB and lab costs out of pocket. This go around our insurance doesn't cover it at all. They use a doppler to check for HB and if it can't be found they will send for a quick ultrasound but nothing in depth like an NT.

Even if we didn't pay out of pocket for it, we'd more than likely skip it. We are low risk and feel the anatomy scan is sufficient enough to find anything we would need to be prepared for. 

Panaceia

@Happyin14 We did the NT with DD but because the NIPT tests for the same things, just more accurately, they don't do both. If I didn't qualify for the NIPT yet (at 40 it is covered) I would definitely have done the NT. I wish I could have both because ultrasounds for me are reassuring. But I'd rather get the more accurate test since it's covered:)

coco2787

we'll be doing the NT and and the NIPT even though they technically test for the same things (NIPT has lower rate of false positives though).  A thicker neck fold measurement that they look for in the NT scan is often indicative of a chromosome issue but it can also be a sign of cardio pulmonary problems which is why I want to do both. If we had a diagnosis that was incompatible with life I would want to know before my 20 week scan as I would choose to terminate.  

OP- I personally would push for the 12 week scan, if for no other reason than to give you some peace of mind.  

sandrabrooke

I get it.  It sucks.

but after two years of infertility, I’d love to stop having them.  

Id try an elective place or do the nt scan.  Otherwise I’d recommend waiting for heartbeat on Doppler at 12 weeks.

JNR6510

You might try an elective US place. I also second checking how many US your insurance covers. I know at my old OB office, they only did the AS and one at the very end to make sure baby was facing the right way unless there was a medical necessity for more.

Panaceia

@coco2787 Are they giving you the option of doing both? I didn't get a choice. Gah! Now I feel like I need to call my GP.  I'll be 13 weeks at my next appointment so I'll still have a week to get it done if I can convince them to let me do both.

runsoncoffee

I'm just seeing this convo, but it's standard at my practice to only have one ultrasound at 20 weeks, unless other issues arise in the pregnancy. I got two early dating scans done this time due to only having one period/unreliable dates between pregnancies. @denius9117 I will say with my first pregnancy waiting until the anatomy scan it made seeing the baby SO exciting (it always is of course, but the anticipation and excitement was so cool with waiting!).
Also @happyin14 we opt out of the genetic testing due to low risk and the cost of it. There are so many other medical bills if we can save on one, we will. I also would not terminate a pregnancy so waiting until 20 weeks would not make a difference to me if there were something wrong.

coco2787

@Panaceia yes, my doctor is letting me do both. I'm honestly always surprised that so many doctors seem to think the NIPT is a substitute for the NT scan.  The only difference is that I won't do the corresponding blood work that is normally done with the NT. I'm not high risk so I have to pay out of pocket for the NIPT, but with the discount offered by Sequenom it's $300.  It certainly wouldn't hurt to ask, especially with your history.     

Panaceia

@coco2787 Thank you so mch for this info! I have my next appt eith my gp when I'm 13 weeks so I'm going to see if they can get it done that week. I will definitely be citing the info in your post!!! Thank you:)

coco2787

Here’s some actual science you can cite as well @Panaceia

https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/uog.12488

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/15902108/

Panaceia

Thank you @coco2787 this is perfect!!!