No ultrasound until 20 weeks??

Vdavis3425 · May 2013

Hi everyone!! FTM here and first post on TB :. I'm 15w4d today.

I was wondering if its normal to not have ultrasound until 20 weeks. My doctor told me at my first appointment6 1/2 weeks that she would be doing the anatomy scan where I would receive my first baby pics and find out gender at 20 weeks. My hubby and i were shocked.

After some spotting in my first tri at 9 weeks I ended up having an ultrasound and my first pic of the LO but no others since. Side note spotting subsided and all is well so far :

Dr has a small mobile sonogram machine that shows me LO and we can watch babys heart beat at my visits but it seems like people here and friends on FB seem to get many U/S pics along the way. Just curious if this is normal!!

yesthisiskim0401 · May 2013

It's very normal to not receive an u/s before 20w. There was a optional NT scan during your 12th and 13th week that some women have done. The NT scan is time sensitive and cannot be done outside of the 13th week so unfortunately at 15w4d it is too late. I hope these next four and a half weeks fly by so you can see your baby again! Welcome to TB.

adcc43 · May 2013

I had my first u/s at 9 weeks and won't again until 18.5 weeks. We decide to have the elective u/s which we paid for and is separate from the doctors office. With my first, we only had 2 u/s total. So it is completely normal.

allymp13 · May 2013

I personally don't think that's normal, but ever doctor and practice is different. I've already had 3, partly due to dull cramps at 6 weeks, but even still I would have 2 at this point. At 20 weeks I will have had 4.

HFrizzle · May 2013

We had an initial u/s for saying at 8 weeks, happened to have one at 12 weeks cause they couldn't find the hb and then we won't have another till 21 a/s.

Gwyneddlesliegrace · May 2013

Very very normal.

Vdavis3425 · May 2013

yesthisiskim0401:
It's very normal to not receive an u/s before 20w. There was a optional NT scan during your 12th and 13th week that some women have done. The NT scan is time sensitive and cannot be done outside of the 13th week so unfortunately at 15w4d it is too late. I hope these next four and a half weeks fly by so you can see your baby again! Welcome to TB.

I was never given this option for an optional scan. I am new to this doc since becoming pregnant and relocating cross country just 4 months prior to the pregnancy. I like the doc in general and was referred by my boss to her however my boss has never had any children so only saw this doc for birth control needs. I am wondering if this doc is the best choice for me. I don't want to oversee the doc but I don't want to fall under the radar either as a FTM.

Welshgirl12 · May 2013

With the midwife group I'm with it is typical unless you have a problem with spotting like I did.

lissymissy11 · May 2013

I had my first us at 6 1/2 to confirm then another at 10 1/2 weeks. Then at my 14 1/2 week appointment they just used the Doppler to hear lo heartbeat. My husband and I had already cheated though and bought at home Doppler before the that appointment. Our next ultrasound from our dr is at 20 weeks now.

Vdavis3425 · May 2013

Well I guess it's good to know that's its normal. I hope the next 4 1/2 weeks go quickly. We see doc next week for a normal 4 week check so hopefully we will get to see LO on the machine again!! Will consider doing a 4D scan later since I don't think I'll receive anything else after the 20 wk from my doc.

crystalc012182 · May 2013

It is normal. I work in OB/GYN office and most insurance companies will now only cover one ultrasound unless there is a "medical reason" to have another one. They usually only do early ultrasounds if you having problems bleeding, cramping, check dating, etc... I hope this helps:

Jalee85 · May 2013

I will not get one until 20werks and I'm considered hirisk... so I guess its normal

shelley1002 · May 2013

I had a dating ultrasound at 7w and will get my anatomy scan done at 19w. I get no other ones unless there is an emergency. I did opt to get the NT Scan because DH and my OB recommended it since I am over 35 and considered high risk.

Not getting an ultrasound till 20w is fairly common. But at least you get the sonogram at every appointment. A lot of doctors don't do that.

yesthisiskim0401 · May 2013

RedheadBaker:
Vdavis3425:
yesthisiskim0401:
It's very normal to not receive an u/s before 20w. There was a optional NT scan during your 12th and 13th week that some women have done. The NT scan is time sensitive and cannot be done outside of the 13th week so unfortunately at 15w4d it is too late. I hope these next four and a half weeks fly by so you can see your baby again! Welcome to TB.
I was never given this option for an optional scan. I am new to this doc since becoming pregnant and relocating cross country just 4 months prior to the pregnancy. I like the doc in general and was referred by my boss to her however my boss has never had any children so only saw this doc for birth control needs. I am wondering if this doc is the best choice for me. I don't want to oversee the doc but I don't want to fall under the radar either as a FTM.
Some doctors only offer it to women they think are high-risk for genetic disorders -- usually women of certain ethnicities, or women of advanced maternal age (over 35)
Edited to add: NT scans always aren't covered by insurance

All of this.

reneeandbill · May 2013

Lots of women only have the 20wk u/s. I had to have a dating u/s due to irregular cycles. I have had cycles last as long as 3 months, so LMP wasn't a good option. Then I had another at 8wks because I have had 3 m/cs around 6 wks, so they wanted to verify the baby made it through my "danger zone." Had another at 12wks due to trauma. My next one is at 20wks a/s. I will then have u/s every apt to check my cervix and baby's growth because of health concerns that could interfere with baby. There are some ladies on here whose drs practice an u/s at every apt, but that isn't the norm. I do enjoy all the extra pics, but I think I would trade them in heartbeat if it meant I didn't have the risks to cause extra stress.

KristinNB · May 2013

I can only speak from my OB's practices, which vary greatly from yours. I had a dating/viability ultrasound at 8 weeks and an ultrasound as one part of the NT test at 12 weeks. My anatomy scan is scheduled for 20 weeks. My insurance has covered my first two ultrasounds since they were recommended by my Dr.

kimbo1216 · May 2013

The average, complicationfree pregnancy will only have 1 or 2 sonos plus the NT scan which is optional and can only be done between 11 and 13 weeks. The first is generally a dating u/s, but not all docs do these. The second is the a/s.

I seem to go against the norm though. I had 5 with my last: dating, NT, a/s and two more to check fluids and growth because I was measuring so far ahead.

This time I have already had 2: dating and NT. I will have another next week to check on a lowlying placenta. My fourth will be the a/s in June. We'll see if I'll need any more this time. Lol

babyLOLO13 · May 2013

As a low risk pregnancy and no problems so far i only had my first dating one at 7 weeks, then doppler rest of monthly visits until my 18 week a/s scan on May 23rd.

pandaglitter · May 2013

All of the doctors at my practice are different haha. My first one only wanted to do one...the anatomy scan at 20 weeks. I switched for various reasons, and ended up with a doctor who ordered a dating ultrasound at 10 weeks and does the 2 or 3 minute ultrasounds each visit to check heartbeat and see how the baby has grown. My next real, high quality ultrasound, and probably last, will be around 19 weeks.

vhaag11 · May 2013

I had one at 6.5 weeks to estimate the due date, had another at 14 weeks to investigate some minor bleeding (all was well), and we will have our gender u/s right at 20 weeks. Doc told us it would be week 20 from our first appointment at 6 weeks. I've heard of some docs doing them anywhere from 16-20 weeks for the gender reveal. Just depends on the docs confidence in reading the u/s.

Misskristal31 · May 2013

Well we got an ultrasound at 8 weeks I think and then no other ultrasound until 20 weeks. I'm so jealous cause I see so many people finding out the sex pretty early and my drs won't let us go any earlier then 19 weeks. :

huntjul · May 2013

There are many different philosophies to prenatal care. According to ACOG, the organization that provides guidelines to OBs, an early (e.g. before 20 weeks) ultrasound is recommended in patients who don't know their LMP date, have irregular cycles, are experiencing symptoms such as bleeding or cramping, have histories of early losses, are suspected of having twins or an ectopic pregnancy, or want to do a NT scan to screen for Down Syndrome.

Otherwise, the usual ultrasound is at 18-22 weeks. For some women, this may be the only ultrasound they get during pregnancy. This is normal and acceptable.

I am 18 weeks and have had no ultrasound yet - our scan is Saturday. I plan for it to be my only ultrasound.

amandabananda · May 2013

When I have mine next week, I'll be just over 19 weeks. Last pregnancy I had one just under 19 weeks. That would have been the only one, but dr. got a look at DH's shoulders and wanted to make sure I would be OK at delivery (ie. wasn't having a giant baby)

Want a personalized experience?

No ultrasound until 20 weeks??

Re: No ultrasound until 20 weeks??

Choose Another Board

Search Boards