Trying to decide when to do an ultrasound...

rwamyett · December 2012

Our deductible is high, so, long story short, we're probably going to be able to afford only one ultrasound since we'll be paying out of pocket. We've been thinking we would just do the 20 week one, but today I've been thinking it would be nice to have an earlier one. With my daughter, it didn't bother me to just have the 20 week one, but I miscarried my last pregnancy, and it would be nice to see the baby earlier and know everything's okay. We're not finding out the gender anyway, and it would be neat to maybe use the 8 week ultrasound as part of our announcement to our families. Anyway, just looking for opinions. What would you do if you could have only one?

rissa06 · December 2012

If I could only ave one, then I would do the one at 20 weeks. That is where try check all the major organs and baby. It's not about finding out the gender.

WashingtonQueen · December 2012

If you are only doing one ultrasound you should get the 20 week ultrasound. It is the most important u/s in making sure the baby is healthy. Does your office use a doppler at every visit?

rwamyett · December 2012

Yeah, I should have written that I realize it's not just about gender, that's why I'm having a hard time deciding, because it would definitely be nice to have that one since they make sure everything's forming well and all that. It was wonderful to have the reassurance with DD, and we didn't find out the gender with her either. Ugh. Wish we had better insurance that would cover at least one and then we could do the other one out of pocket.

rwamyett · December 2012

My midwife does listen for the HB at every visit, but my first appointment I'll be 10 weeks, and may or may not be able to get the HB. And right after that I'm going out of town to visit my family and announce the pregnancy to them, so I hope we do get to hear it.

WashingtonQueen · December 2012

rwamyett:
My midwife does listen for the HB at every visit, but my first appointment I'll be 10 weeks, and may or may not be able to get the HB.

They should be able to get it. If you are able to listen to the heartbeat at every appt. that is even more reason to wait for a 20 week u/s.

Iblamethebeer · December 2012

I would talk to your DR.

I think the 20 week (or 17/18/19 week) sonogram is pretty critical, whereas the 8 week doesn't serve much purpose other than reassuring you that there's a baby in there.

Major (and solvable!) problems can be diagnosed at the 20 week sonogram... do you really want to miss that so that you have a cute picture to show to your family?

andthatmakes4 · December 2012

They should be able Hear the heartbeat then. I would definitely get the 20 week one. It's too important!!

JannyLynn410 · December 2012

I'd wait if I could only have one. I've been reading a lot about people already having one and I'm amazed actually. My first pregnancy, I had my first ultrasound at 5 months and we found out the gender. I didn't realize so many people have them so early! Lol

wifeyvana · December 2012

rissa06:
If I could only ave one, then I would do the one at 20 weeks. nbsp;That is where try check all the major organs and baby. nbsp;It's not about finding out the gender.

This. It's considered the big u/s and not just because they can determine gender.

MrsI · December 2012

lmlorenz12:
They should be able Hear the heartbeat then. I would definitely get the 20 week one. It's too important!!

I too would do the 20week one. At 8 weeks there is not much to really see as the baby is just beginning to form, at 20 you can actually see your baby and features and everything. You can also call around to labs in the area there are some places that do u/s for pretty cheap 5075 dollars if mobile erases the symbols. A lot of people use this visit to find out sex early around 16 weeks but you could do it whenever.

tarapike86 · December 2012

With my first pregnancy I had one at 7 weeks, one at 24 weeks, and one at 33 weeks. With my second I had two before 10 weeks due to dating, one at 16 for gender, one at 21 for anatomy scan, and four following due to lowered fluid. Every pregnancy is different. I think that it sucks that your insurance doesn't cover them. Sometimes they are medically necessary for the monitoring of you an your baby's health. Maybe think about looking into state funded health coverage. Good luck
Tara

plunderb · December 2012

I agree ? you have to prioritize the anatomy scan at 18-21 weeks.

There are private places that will do ultrasounds for $50-75. They're often in malls and will do 3-D or gender scans, but would probably do earlier ultrasounds if you wanted.

cinderin · December 2012

what is your deductible?

aren't you going to meet it in 2013 anyway, with all of your appointments and the birth?

Hearhoot · December 2012

I'd do the 20 week one as well....as much as it would be fun to use the us in the announcement...the 20 wk us would serve better functionally for diagnosing/ helping your baby be healthy.

Audaciousarica · December 2012

cinderin:
what is your deductible?
aren't you going to meet it in 2013 anyway, with all of your appointments and the birth?

This. And what is your copay for appointments? I'd pay for another one. But I just paid 10k for IVF so $200 for an oop u/s would be nothing now.

coleann04 · December 2012

If it were me I would to the 20 week scan, they look for much more than just the gender of the baby and it's a very important u/s.

That.Just.Happened · December 2012

If I could only have one, I would do the 12 week NT scan.

atoz625 · December 2012

13 week NT or 20 week anatomy, IMO.

NiksMama · December 2012

I'd be willing to bet your doctor will tell you which one is most important. I'm surprised this is an issue. My prenatal care is lumped together in one insurance category and includes all the necessary u/s. with my first, it was medically necessary to have one every few weeks after our 20 week appt and we never got billed. I had pretty cruddy insurance at the time, too.

NiksMama · December 2012

cinderin:
what is yournbsp;deductible?nbsp;aren't you going to meet it in 2013 anyway, with all of your appointments and the birth?

This.

macdidlyicious · December 2012

12 week NT scan or anatomy scan.

Are you sure ultrasounds aren't covered under the diagnostic section of your insurance? I would call to. Be sure if you haven't already.

SaranJonathan · December 2012

The anatomy scan hands down. I work in a large children's hospital and many things can be detect Then. God forbid your child needs to go straight to the operating room after birth u would have missed it without the 20 week scan. It's not optional IMO

mbf124 · December 2012

I don't think any decent OBGYN would let you skip the anatomy scan. It's critical. Just so you know, they discovered a brain abnormality in my daughter at 20 weeks. It wasn't present at the 12 week NT scan, so that one doesn't really matter as much. Can't believe this is even a debate.

rwamyett · December 2012

Wow now I feel really stupid. It would be nice to get opinions without the snarkiness some people have. Of course I understand that the 20 week ultrasound is the most important, and would find any abnormalities, and that is what I'm planning on doing. It would just be nice to see the baby before then since I had an MC before. Our deductible is $3000, and until we've paid that, they don't cover anything else. Yes, once I have the baby, the deductible will be more than met, but that doesn't really help me right now. Also, when I got the ultrasound for my daughter and got the statement from the insurance company that said how much was covered (which was everything because we had a different plan at that point; hubby has changed jobs since then) the ultrasound was almost $800! No way can we afford to pay that twice. I am planning on checking around on Monday and talking to my midwife to see if there's somewhere else we could go that would be cheaper so that we possibly could afford both. If there isn't a cheaper place to go, we will just wait for the 20 week. That was the plan all along. I just wanted to see what others would do.

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