Question about ultrasounds

JustcallmeGG2

How often did you have your ultrasounds in the beginning?

 I have been kind of pampered because my RE has been doing them like every week and a half.  Now she is "releasing" me to an OBGYN.

I had an u/s at 7 weeks.  When i called the OBGYN office, they said that they don't do another ultrasound until 14 weeks.  THAT IS ALMOST TWO MONTHS!

I was under the impression that when you are having twins, they should be checking on you more often,

And... this is my odd concern.  DH asked the RE if one could randomly split and we could end up having 3.  She said it was possible.  I DO NOT want 3 and by 14 weeks, what's done is done.

 So how often did you go in the beginning?

leslie13510

Well for one thing, if one was going to split into identical twins... it would have done so weeks ago.  They really only split within the first 10 days or so of being fertilized.  You're not going to have triplets, so you can calm down on that one. 

Yes multiples pregnancies should have more monitoring, but really it isn't that important in the beginning.  I had several u/s's between 7 and 14 weeks, BUT I was also bleeding/spotting that entire time.  If I had been having a "normal" multiples pregnancy, I wouldn't have had any between 7.5 weeks (when I was released from my RE) and about 12-13 weeks, and then *maybe* one between then and my anatomy scan at 19 weeks.  It's not until a little later on that they'll want/need to do more u/s's and monitoring than a singleton pregnancy. 

I would highly recommend educating yourself more on multiples pregnancies (sticking around this board is a good way to do that), or you are going to drive yourself crazy long before you give birth.  

JustcallmeGG2

leslie13510:

Well for one thing, if one was going to split into identical twins... it would have done so weeks ago.  They really only split within the first 10 days or so of being fertilized.  You're not going to have triplets, so you can calm down on that one. 

PHEW!  thanks for making me feel better.

I was thinking about getting the book everyone is talking about "what to expect for twins, triplets, etc".  Right now I just have the regular "What to Expect" and a book on preparing for twins.

And of course trying to read as many posts as I can. 

pink100

As a former RE patient, I'll chime in (lurker from March 2012).

I got released to my OB at 8 weeks and didn't have my first appt until week 12 (for my NT scan).  I dont think you can wait until 14 weeks because the NT scan needs to  be done prior.  I have not been monitored more b/c of twins.  I've only had monthly appts thus far (not including 20 week anatomy scan and fetal echo).  Will start my every-two-week appts this month.

Also, I think if the embryos were going to split, they would have done so by now, but I could be wrong.

august8080

My twins were spontaneous so I wasn't under the care of an RE, but here's my experience.

I had an u/s with my OB at 9 weeks-my first one- and that's when we found out it was twins. 

The next day I saw my MFM and they did a more detailed u/s and told me they're di/di (two sacs, two placentas--lowest risk) and I spent a lot of time talking with the MFM. 

I went back at 12 weeks for the NT scan and I don't have another u/s til 20 weeks. After that, I'll have them about once/month with my MFM as long as things are going well. Obviously, if at any point the u/s had been concerning, I'm sure I'd be getting more, but right now, everything and everyone is looking good. 

07may07

I was with my RE until 8 weeks.  I had an u/s at 6, 7 and 8 weeks.  When I graduated, I did not have my NT scan until 13 weeks.  I had my A/S at 18 weeks and now will have appointments every 4 weeks with my MFM doctor for ultrasounds.

allisonmarie22

I had ultrasounds every 2 weeks during my first trimester. When I had my last appointment at 12w5d my OB said he wanted to see me back in 1 month. He said to expect monthly appointments throughout 2nd trimester and then back to every 2 week during 3rd trimester. Of course, I'm seeing an MFM as well, so I will try to stagger the appointments so I the LOs can be monitored as frequently as possible (and so I can see them as much as I can ).

adacopeach

Well, I echo what the previous person said about your worry of triplets.  As for the US, I had one with an OBGYN at 7weeks just a few days after my last RE US because my RE didn't see a seperate sac for the babies.  I did have another US with my OBGYN at about 10 weeks where they did end up seeing a seperate sac.  So, i don't know if they scheduled another US so quickly because of the sac concern??  I just had the NT scan with the perinatal (sp) at 12 w 4ds, which is where they measure for signs of downs and just do a more thorough check, overall.  During this visit, the peri said that he didn't see a separate placenta for the babies.  So, now we're going to have to keep an eye out for that.  I will go back to the peri at 16 weeks, where they will look for TTTS and tell us the sexes (hopefully).  I do have another OBGYN appointment scheduled for next week, as well.

 So, I would ask your OB about it if you have concerns.  Personally, I would want another US between the 7-14 weeks just to make sure that everything is looking good and ease your mind, as well.  Did your RE see two seperate sacs??  They can tell if there are two placentas as early as 9 weeks.  I never would have imagined that we would have a mo/di scenerio because we did IFV.  However, if that is the case with us, I'm certainly grateful to find out now rather than later on down the road.

BlakeG

I was released from my RE at 8 weeks.  I had an u/s with my OB at 9 weeks and then had nothing until 17 weeks when I started having monthly growth scans with my MFM.  I opted out of the NT scan so I didn't have an u/s at 12 weeks but if I had opted for that screening I would have had another u/s at 12 weeks as well.  Since I've had no issues, my u/s have been every 3-4 weeks.   

 

Fancy3Face

I was released from my RE at 10w and didn't have an u/s with my OB until almost 17w.  I only got that b/c they couldn't find Baby B with the doppler.  I also started with my MFM then, so I got an u/s with him as well. 

My OB treated my first and most of my second trimesters as if I was pg with a singleton.  I didn't have any complications, so I was good with that.  If I had started to have complications I would have seen her more often.  I saw her every 4w and I saw the MFM in between.  I only really got 2-3 u/s with my OB and it was later in pregnancy to figure out their positioning for delivery.  My MFM I had one everytime to check cervix, growth and hr. 

 

naflmj

After being released from RE, I requested an u/s and the Ob obliged around 10w. I had an NT at 13w1d and now won't have one until between 18 and 20 weeks. She said after that u/s there will be more frequent u/s' to monitor their growth but she said prior to 20 weeks, it wasn't really needed anymore than with a singleton.

JustcallmeGG2

It sounds like most of you had an U/S somewhere between 7 and 14 weeks.  Even if my last one was at 9, i would be happy.

I am going in to meet the OBGYN in a week or so, and I am going to tell her that I would really like another before 14.  

Just to check in on the jellybeans.

 

blondek8

I had one u/s at 6 weeks and the anatomy scan at 18 weeks. After that I had a growth scan every month until the end.

SLPMel

JustcallmeGG2:

It sounds like most of you had an U/S somewhere between 7 and 14 weeks.  Even if my last one was at 9, i would be happy.

I am going in to meet the OBGYN in a week or so, and I am going to tell her that I would really like another before 14.  

Just to check in on the jellybeans.

 

Just be aware that based on your insurance you may have to pay for it out of pocket.  

If you choose to do the NT scan, you'll be able to see them-it's why a lot of people choose to do it.

We only had one at 12 weeks in L & D because I had an episode of bleeding, other than that we would have had to wait until our scan at 22 weeks. 

ColleenS629

My first u/s was at 5w2d. I had weekly u/s with my RE after that. I was released from my RE at 8w but didn't have my first OB appointment until 10w. I had some spotting in between so I had like 3 more u/s with my RE between 8-10w. I had another u/s at my first OB visit because she couldn't get the HBs on the doppler. I had another one at the hospital a few days later due to more spotting. My NT scan was at 12w. I had another at 14w because the doppler wouldn't pick up the HBs again. I had about a million u/s during my pregnancy.

ninjabridemom

I had an u/s at 8wks to date the pregnancy, and they found it was twins!  My OB then said I'd be seeing the High-Risk OB, too, and I started seeing them at 12wks.  I got an u/s at 12wks, and every 2 weeks since then.

 

I think around 12/14 weeks is reasonable, but I wouldn't let it get past 16 w/o another one for sure.  Too much to check on!! 

Mrs. Alice

I had an u/s at every OB appointment starting at 10 weeks and 14 weeks. Then begin seeing a MFM in addition to my OB at 18 weeks and 22 weeks.  After that it was every week to 3x week.  In spontaneous ID twins the split happens close to conception either before implantation or shortly after.

pea-kay

ain't nothin' wrong with triplets. :P

but even so, i had an u/s at 7w, and the next one was at 16w. fortunately i have a friend who's an OB, so he did them for me practically every week in between.

macchiatto

Definitely get Dr. Luke's book! It'll help.

I had my first u/s at 11w5d. That is (of course) when we found out I was having twins, and I had a u/s at every single visit from that point on. 16w, 20w, etc.