How often are you able to find gender at ultrasound?

planeNsimple · November 2011

My husband and I are at a standstill. I REALLY want to find out the sex of the baby...he REALLY doesn't. So he wants to make a compromise and say that we will try to find out at the ultrasound but if for some reason they can't find it then we won't find out...even if we need further ultrasounds for some reason. So I have a silly question. Does anyone know how often the technicians are able to tell? (ie. the baby's legs aren't crossed or he/she isn't in a weird position) I'm not really talking about the people not wanting to know or to be team green. So say do you have a 70% chance of everything working out and being able to find out? I hope this makes sense...I can't think of a better way of saying it. I googled but couldn't find any about this specifically.

I tried to talk him into me knowing and him not, but he doesn't like that idea. I just HAVE to know!

pacsunqtaz · November 2011

In my limited experience they try their best to find the gender, if that's what you want of course. They don't look at the screen and go 'welp, legs are crossed- have a nice day' They'll make you walk around, cough, drink something, make loud noises etc. to get the baby to move.

You probably have better than a 70% chance of getting a gender guess if you've got a determined tech.

planeNsimple · November 2011

I sure hope you are right! My friend has had 3 ultrasounds and each time the baby has been in a position where they couldn't find out the gender if they wanted too. They are team green so it isn't a huge deal. But the baby is so stubborn that they have to keep going back because the technician still hasn't been able to see the whole face or "the goods". hahaha

cdc1982 · November 2011

planeNsimple:
My husband and I are at a standstill. I REALLY want to find out the sex of the baby...he REALLY doesn't. So he wants to make a compromise and say that we will try to find out at the ultrasound but if for some reason they can't find it then we won't find out...even if we need further ultrasounds for some reason. So I have a silly question. Does anyone know how often the technicians are able to tell? (ie. the baby's legs aren't crossed or he/she isn't in a weird position) I'm not really talking about the people not wanting to know or to be team green. So say do you have a 70% chance of everything working out and being able to find out? I hope this makes sense...I can't think of a better way of saying it. I googled but couldn't find any about this specifically.
I tried to talk him into me knowing and him not, but he doesn't like that idea. I just HAVE to know!

DH & I are completely opposite! He really wants to know & I don't! His mom suggested him finding out (getting it written down by the tech) & not telling me but that would be a MAJOR fail because he'd slip up & refer to the baby as whatever gender it is.

I think your husband's idea is a fair compromise. I personally don't think it would be fair for one of you to know & not the other because it'd be almost impossible to not slip up & refer to the baby as the gender.

As to how often, I've only heard rare occasions where the baby didn't cooperate & you couldn't find out. Most likely you'll win & be able to find out ^_^

Tambcat · November 2011

Sounds like a pretty good deal to me. I don't have a percentage, but it seems like most people are able to find out at their anatomy scan. If it were me, though, I'd just tell him that I am finding out and he can choose not to if he doesn't want to. I don't think both spouses have to do one or the other if they don't agree. We found out the sex last week, and I still refer to her as "the baby" most of the time. I don't think it would be too hard to do so all the time.

But I guess that wouldn't work well if you REALLY want a gender specific nursery or something. Ours is going to be gender neutral, so I'd just hide any gender-specific purchases I made and let him be surprised at the birth.

selenamarino · November 2011

When I was pregnant with my son as soon as the ultrasound tech put the wand on my belly we saw that little winkie.

When I was pregnant with my daughter we had about 6 ultrasounds because I had too much amniotic fluid and they were able to see she was a girl at each one.

So far with the twins I had two ultrasounds before their parts were formed and at my 14 week ultrasound we got a guess on baby A but baby B wouldn't open the legs. Then I went to the hospital last weekend and had another ultrasound and got another guess that Baby A was a girl and that Baby B was a boy however my A/S isn't until next week on Wednesday.

Good luck.

Ivana_Stolichnaya · November 2011

Oh knock it off with the games. YOU are the one carrying this child for 9 months and going through the painful part of labor while he just sits back and holds your hand. YOU get to make the decision. THAT'S THE COMPROMISE.

futuremrsbutterfly · November 2011

pacsunqtaz:
In my limited experience they try their best to find the gender, if that's what you want of course. They don't look at the screen and go 'welp, legs are crossed- have a nice day' They'll make you walk around, cough, drink something, make loud noises etc. to get the baby to move.
You probably have better than a 70% chance of getting a gender guess if you've got a determined tech.

I wouldn't say this is always the case---sex determination is typically of minimal concern to most docs (unless there is a sex linked mutation). I've had two unsuccessful sex determination US(only one was an A/S--the other was to get more heart pictures)-one when baby had it's legs crossed and another where baby was breech and nothing was visible. The tech didn't go out of there way to make baby move or get the money shot--they were more concerned with getting the require anatomy scans.

I'm hoping we'll have better luck this month though---but, I'm not going to hold my breathe with this one!

Katefor4 · November 2011

My husband did not want to know and I did with my second daughter. We did not find out at the u/s but I asked my OB at my next appointment and he pulled out all of the pictures and said "girl". I did not tell my husband that I knew until in the delivery room after he announced her. He was very surprised that I knew but it is now a funny story between us. I am tempted to do it this time as well.

BELLABAY24 · November 2011

My ultrasound tech left the room for a few minutes and told me to jump around a bit so I did and he moved into a good spot. She also kept giggling my tummy so they definitely don't seem afraid to get him or her to move about. She's like "I don't think he likes me too much after this exam" Smile

soralette · November 2011

OP, we are Team Green -- but our LO kept his/her legs together and/or a hand in front of their bits the whole time, so even the tech didn't get to find out, lol. Even if we would've wanted to find out, we couldn't've.

...

Ivana.Stolichnaya:
Oh knock it off with the games. YOU are the one carrying this child for 9 months and going through the painful part of labor while he just sits back and holds your hand. YOU get to make the decision. THAT'S THE COMPROMISE.

...Wow. Way to completely discount any possible contribution of effort, support, and help any man can possibly provide to the woman bearing his child. Not to mention discouraging communication! Great work.

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