Anatomy Scan Discussion

lillywonderland

Hard to believe, but we are all scheduling our Anatomy Scans already (where has all the time gone?!?)

So, here’s a thread for everyone to discuss what goes on, share sex results/confirmations (if you haven’t already shared), and ask questions etc.

Possible trigger warnings ahead. 

kiddiesandkitties

We have an anatomy scan tentatively scheduled for 4/29, however, have met with a midwife, are meeting with another this Friday, and plan to make a decision on whether we’ll be moving our care to the midwives with intent of homebirth before our 16w appointment is due (sometime between next Thursday and the following). If we choose to move forward with homebirth, while I know it will be an option to get an anatomy scan done, I believe they contract separately with an ultrasound company / office and only schedule if requested/deemed appropriately necessary. Would it make more sense not to ‘fire’ my OB until after the AS? Or could i even do that since I’ll need to sign a release for my medical records to the midwife? Would you plan for one in any event even if we instead go to the third party tech thru the midwife? 

cammie0526

Ours is scheduled for 4/16! I'm hoping baby cooperates. I'll also be 19+2 so I hope things are developed enough to really be able to tell... the discussion in the other thread about being told it's a girl and the baby coming out a boy has me wondering now!

themadcamel

Hey friends! I recently got an email from Expectful (guided meditation app for pregnancy and fertility) that had a pretty helpful article for me as a FTM. A woman interviewed the head of obstetrics at Mt. Sinai hospital in NYC about what to expect at the anatomy scan. Just thought I’d share. ☺️

*ETA possible TW for mention of possible complications that could be discovered during an a/s. 

cammie0526

What an awesome and reassuring article. Thanks so much for sharing!

ternsetc

@themadcamel that's a great read, even for a STM ! I think how immediate the results are depends on provider, though. Where I was the tech wasn't supposed to tell us more than what part she was looking at when, and the sex. It had to be sent to a radiologist to look at, who then sent it to my OB who called me a couple days later.

swamplass

@themadcamel thank you for sharing the article!

calliah

Yes, @ternsetc is correct, availability of the results depends on the facility. At my hospital, we can tell you what we are looking at but can’t give any more information. It’s read that day by a radiologist and results sent to your doctor. Though I think if I was scanning and saw something concerning, I would go show my rad and hopefully they would come talk to the patient, especially for something like acrania or another defect incompatible with life. Smaller ones, maybe not. 

I plan to to schedule my A/S on May 15, I’ll be almost 22 weeks, which tends to be a better timeframe for larger women so baby is slightly bigger and things can be easier to see. Though I’ve been able to see everything ok so far. It’s also our 9th wedding anniversary, so it seems special to so it that day. 

kgg2241

@themadcamel very helpful. Thanks for sharing. Also, I love Expectful! 

mommyshark13

I've said it a few times on here before, but I will say it again.... they can definitely be wrong about the sex. Even with today's medical technology advancements. We were told we were having a girl at both my AS and at least one subsequent growth scan (I had many bc of IUGR) and believe me... he was not a girl. 

sunshine2417

@kiddiesandkitties, can you continue with your OB until after the AS and still sign on with a midwife in the interim so you just have double care for a couple of weeks? IMO I feel like I would wait until the all-clear from the OB that things look good before fully switching to the midwife, otherwise it might just be more of a headache to switch to the midwife and switch back again if there's an issue.

sahm89

Our scan is scheduled for April 25th and you guys, I want to know so badly right now that I asked H if he thought I was crazy for using my Bday money for a Sneak-a-peek this week 😆 he obviously said I can do whatever with my money, but encouraged me that 3 1/2 weeks will go by fast.
Why am I so impatient about the a/s this time!? It could be because I’ve hoped for a girl this time so much more than my other two kid’s gender and I want to put myself out of the back and forth hope/doubt war in my head. Lol, I really have no intuition this time and the Gender Experts said girl...but I just l know it’ll be a boy. (Rolling eyes at myself because I know I’m making this a bigger deal than it is) 🙂

septoctkids

@sahm89 it really is so hard waiting! We found out at 10 weeks and waiting for that was a even a killer. You’ve gone this far, I bet you can hold out! What’s the sex of your other 2?

janat1717

@kiddiesandkitties I'd definitely do the a/s. It can help the midwife out too just in case there is anything major. I'd try to just stay with the ob for now. My midwife is able to have a ob backup so I'll have my a/s at his office and then meet with the doc once just cause. Do they know your considering home birth? They might just let you do the scan and stuff anyways. 

UFJen

Our anatomy scan is 4/25. Is it weird that we found out through another ultrasound last weekend its a girl, but I'm not convinced. I just want my dr to tell me and then I will believe it. But like its been said even that could be wrong (which makes me SO nervous!)

septoctkids

@UFJen I hear you! We were told through blood work and I still don’t believe it haha 

cammie0526

The only u/s we've had so far was way back in week 7 when the baby still had the little arm flippers. Intellectually I know generally what to expect to see on the screen at the anatomy scan, but it's going to be so weird to see it looking so much more developed!

sahm89

@septoctkids So true & I’ll be waiting I have one of each already, but I’d love a girl next so my 5yo will have a sister that’s semi-close in age.

@cammie0526 that’s the last time I’ve seen out little one. I can’t wait to see how much it’s grown!

lillywonderland

Our anatomy scan is scheduled for 5.3!!! Holy sh*tballs, this is going by fast!!!

DH might not be able to make it. Boo!

septoctkids

Our anatomy scan is coming up on Wednesday! So excited but a little anxious too. Looking forward to seeing some new ultrasound pics of all our sweet September 2019 babies!  

sahm89

@septoctkids yay!! I can’t wait to see more pics too! Ours is the 25th!

cateyes543

We are scheduled for May 9th but will have them put the results in an envelope and then open for Mother’s Day The time cannot go fast enough!! 

pennylane91

Just had my scan last Friday at 18 wks exactly. It's a girl! And it was great just being able to watch her move around in there. I'm just starting to feel some flutters in the last week!

Less exciting was the fact that my placenta is super low- not placenta previa so no recommendations for reduced activity but I have to go back in 10 weeks to make sure it's shifted up. I'm a runner though and even though they told me not to worry, I'm freaked out about running. 

They also saw a bright spot on baby's heart. Anyone have experience with EIF? I had already had the first part of sequential screening which had me in the lowest risk category and the rest of the scan looked great. Regardless, they switched the second part of sequential screening for a different test and hoping to get results in a week or so. I'm trying not to worry but it's a little unnerving.

cateyes543

@pennylane91 -Sorry that the scan is causing nerves. I have no experience but just wanted to send hugs and good vibes for great results! 

ternsetc

@pennylane91 glad the rest of the scan was great! With DS we were told they thought there was an EIF (the tech had difficulty getting the angle right imaging the heart, so the pictures weren't as good as they'd like) and they sent us for a follow up scan with MFM (better equipment). They stressed it wasn't on its own a problem or a cause for concern, but because it's a soft marker for Trisomy 21 they always do a follow up if it turns up on a scan to check they don't spot anything else. As they explained it to us, if they don't, its presence isn't a worry on its own and is considered a normal variation. In our case they found no other markers, and MFM didn't find the EIF either, and things turned out fine. It was a nerve-racking wait for that appointment, though. I hope you get great results from the test, and am thinking of you with the wait. (edited for some words)

pennylane91

Thanks @ternsetc the wait is truly terrible but glad to know it turned out well for you! I'll update when I know more

swamplass

@pennylane91 I'm so sorry you're stuck waiting. No experience with EIF, but just wanted to say I hope the time passes quickly for you. Sending ~positivevibes~ your way !

threes_companypu

Finally I have my AS scheduled for May 9th! I swear I'm the last team green by default left in the group. I also didn't have any genetic testing, so I'm extra excited to make sure this babe is doing well.

janat1717

Scan today. It is a girl! So we will have one of each. Best part is the doctor (my midwife's backup) said everything looks as perfect as it can right now. I do have an anterior placenta but I've been feeling baby some. 

bluepeach565

@duewithpu2 - We're in the same boat as far as no genetic testing, so I am also extra pumped to see if everything is okay in there! Good luck

@janat1717 - Thats great news to hear! 

diner04

@janat1717 Yay good news to hear! Your photo looks so clear! I also found out I have an anterior placenta today but I can feel the light fluttering movements if I focus on baby. No noticable movement that DH can feel yet though.

I have similar news, I had my scan today and found out we are having a girl 😍 I am so excited! This is my first baby and I did not have any genetic testing done so also very reassuring to hear everything is looking great! Baby girl is measuring in the 53rd percentile. 

cateyes543

@duewithpu2 -we have our scan for the same day! And I have been feeling the same way, like I am the last person who is finding out prior to birth with everybody else getting the NIPT test! 

threes_companypu

@cateyes543 yay! I can’t wait to see what we are both having and know that everything is looking ok!

swamplass

Congrats @janat1717!
Congrats @diner04!

nomangos23

Had our scan today. Our MFM practice had a student resident do our scan before the doctor came in because the sonographer is out of maternity leave. Because of our history usually the sonographers usually tell us very quickly that there's no fluid and everything looks good so we can relax throughout the rest of the scan. This woman started taking measurements and pictures and wasn't saying anything... She spent a lot of time on his brain, long enough that I started to panic and finally asked if everything was okay. She said she saw a "cyst" on his brain. AAALLLLL of the awful emotions that we felt when we lost angel baby came flooding back immediately. I didn't pay attention the rest of the scan just thinking about how unfair this all is. Then doc came in, scanned again, said everything was PERFECT and no need to worry about anything. I know students need to train, I know this. But I don't think she has ANY idea what kind of reaction she caused my husband and I. I still feel shake-y. 

Anyway, long story short, baby is perfect and that's all I care about right now.

themadcamel

@nomangos23 omg no!! I'm so, so sorry that you had to go through such a scary experience. I'm surprised that no one was there to supervise the student or that she wasn't told not to say things like that! So glad that everything is ok though.

LJMoon6

@nomangos23 Holy hell. I'm so sorry you just went through that. I can't imagine the emotions that you just went through. That's horrible. Maybe you can write a review and let them know how awful your experience was. I'm so glad to hear that everything is fine in the end. FX you can find some calm today.

nomangos23

@LJMoon6 I was thinking of calling the office to let them know (and maybe to give some honest feedback for improvement?) about my experience but I don't want to be that person. This woman was supposedly already an OB and only had one year left to become a MFM but her bedside manner was awful... Anyway, baby is healthy and that's all I care about. 

LJMoon6

@nomangos23 I sometimes get follow up emails asking me to review my recent visit. Do you ever get something like that?

lillywonderland

@nomangos23 Lady, you have been through hell and then some during your babymaking time. I would let it be known that she should NOT have said something like that without conferring with someone else. A simple “let me confirm” or “I need to just get the right angle” would have worked wonders in your situation. As would have reading your history and having some empathy. 

eta - F*CK YEAH FOR A PERFECT LITTLE DUDE IN THERE!!!

RedBreast35

@nomango23 first off, I am SO EFFING HAPPY for you that everything looks good    But why the actual eff would a doctor (on any level) think saying something like that without any explanation is appropriate?!  I second (third, fourth?) that you should say something.  You don't have to be rude about it (though it would be warranted if you wanted to!) but that is honestly something that doctor should hear.