18 week appointment question

beasley1114 · January 2014

I haven't posted much here but have a question for you ladies. I have an appointment tomorrow and I'll be 18 weeks. I could have sworn at my last appointment the office said I would be getting an ultrasound, but I'm looking at a printout of my appointment and it lists it as a short visit (10 minutes) and it listed my previous appointment (14 weeks) as a long visit (1 hour) even though they only used a Doppler and drew blood. I thought 18-20 weeks was normal for an anatomy scan so I'm hoping they won't make me wait until 22 weeks to do it. Anyone else have this happen and had to wait later? Is that standard? I realize I could just wait until tomorrow and then I'll know, just curious of others experiences.

MrsRahl · January 2014

My doc has our 18 week appointment as super quick but out ultrasound is done outside of the office. I think most obgyns don't do ultrasounds in office, at least not where I'm from. All my girl friends had theirs done at another imaging center. So it's possible your appointment will be quick and you'll get the script the go get the one ultrasound done then.

beasley1114 · January 2014

I hope so! I'd hate to go there expecting an ultrasound and have to wait another month.

ElTrain5 · January 2014

Same as pp, my midwives send me to the hospital for the ultrasound (since they have better machines, more highly trained techs, etc.) so my 20 week appt is the usual time.

beasley1114 · January 2014

How likely is it they would have me come in then send me to an ultrasound and come back? Surely if I did get an ultrasound like that the Dr wouldn't wait until my next appointment to go over it with me.

christinemurray91 · January 2014

My doctors office doesn't do ultrasounds, we're always sent to the hospital for them. So, I have my 18 week appt, which will only be about 15 mins, but I have my anatomy scan at 20 weeks. They only do the anatomy scan at 20 weeks or later, I've never heard of them doing it before.

But, again, we don't do them in office, so I really can't help much, lol.

owlcup · January 2014

beasley1114 said:
How likely is it they would have me come in then send me to an ultrasound and come back? Surely if I did get an ultrasound like that the Dr wouldn't wait until my next appointment to go over it with me.

Some might wait. My follow up OB is 3 weeks after my scan. If anything shows up I would get a call and then go in if its serious. If nothing comes up then I will get the "everything looked great" at my next appointment.

bebemac · January 2014

My anatomy scan is at a maternal fetal medicine in a hospital an hour away. Perhaps you will go to a different facility? I get mine done at the same place that did the NT scan and Verifi testing.

almendarez · January 2014

My 18 week appointment will just be a checkup and listening to the heartbeat. For the anatomy scan I have to go to a prenatal diagnostic center (conveniently 1 floor down from the obgyn) which involves making a separate appointment through the hospital and not through the obgyn's office.

Shineoncrazy · January 2014

My doctor does u/s in office, but he is pretty clear about when I have one scheduled. He usually provides a run through of the next appointment before I leave). My a/s is scheduled on Tuesday (18 weeks, 5 days), which is fairly early due to my weird schedule.

FX you get to see your LO tomorrow!

MrsRahl · January 2014

I will have to wait 3 weeks after my a/s for my next appointment so I would say yes its very possible you will wait. I'm a ftm so don't take this as gospel but I'm pretty sure they explain a lot to you at the scan and doc calls if there's an issue much like a blood test result.

MrsRahl · January 2014

christinemurray91 said:
My doctors office doesn't do ultrasounds, we're always sent to the hospital for them. So, I have my 18 week appt, which will only be about 15 mins, but I have my anatomy scan at 20 weeks. They only do the anatomy scan at 20 weeks or later, I've never heard of them doing it before.

But, again, we don't do them in office, so I really can't help much, lol.

My a/s is at 18w3d but 18 is the earliest they will do it.

bebemac · January 2014

My a/s will be at 19w3d - not until 1/28.

Kristalyn85 · January 2014

My dr. has a specialist come in two days a week to do the ultrasounds. So FX for you!

beasley1114 · January 2014

Thanks! Hoping I get one tomorrow but if I have to wait then oh well. I'm thinking I might have to go somewhere else to have the scan anyway since its a small office.

bebemac · January 2014

It's so hard to wait, I know! I wish I could have an ultrasound every week!

MissBHaven1024 · January 2014

I bet that your appt tomorrow is just a standard OB checkup (weight, questions, maybe hear the HB on the Doppler). A lot of offices have ultrasounds done in radiology or imaging depts, so tomorrow I'm sure they will process your referral for your ultrasound to be done around 20 weeks. I'm sorry, but I wouldn't get my hopes up for an anatomy scan tomorrow.

whoberry · January 2014

nelleebelle said:

We schedule our ultrasounds separate from our appointments. Maybe that is the case?

This is the way mine is. My anatomy scan is scheduled in the afternoon and my appointment is 30 minutes afterwards.

anordstrWed114947 · January 2014

I have friends who are prego too. One has to wait until 22 weeks for her anatomy scan. I had an emergency anatomy scan after being admitted and I didn't even have a follow up appointment. I got an... All is well email or phone call. We have a very advanced Internet care also. I have to have another scan as I was 17 weeks and heart was too small to see everything then so I go Thursday for my scan and Friday for my 19 week appointment.

colllydon · January 2014

My doc office does ultrasounds one day a week. I scheduled my A/S and my every 4 wk appointment at the same time so I didn't have to come back in a week or two. They found something on mine and told me right away, well the doctor did after I left the Ultrasound tech.

Kamiegrace1 · January 2014

beasley1114 said:
How likely is it they would have me come in then send me to an ultrasound and come back? Surely if I did get an ultrasound like that the Dr wouldn't wait until my next appointment to go over it with me.

It is possible to have your a/s and not have another OB appt for days or weeks after. This is how it is at the office I work it. Of course, if there is an issue on the u/s, the doctor will call the patient ASAP to discuss what's going on and and set up follow up testing if needed.

Savvy122 · January 2014

Kamiegrace1 said:

How likely is it they would have me come in then send me to an ultrasound and come back? Surely if I did get an ultrasound like that the Dr wouldn't wait until my next appointment to go over it with me.
It is possible to have your a/s and not have another OB appt for days or weeks after. This is how it is at the office I work it. Of course, if there is an issue on the u/s, the doctor will call the patient ASAP to discuss what's going on and and set up follow up testing if needed.

Yep, this. My midwife put in the order for my anatomy scan at my 18 week appointment (I had to schedule the scan at a separate imaging center). Unless something serious shows up, we won't discuss the results until my next appointment on 1/27.

kibean · January 2014

My OB practice does have a u/s machine in office, but sends patients to the perinatal center at the hospital for the a/s at 20 weeks. My understanding is because they have the better equipment, 3d/4d machine, and specialists available. My doctor also checked a box on the u/s order for "follow up by perinatal center as needed." So I assume they will be determining if I have additional risks that need to be addressed by a specialist.

Deems83 · January 2014

My OB's office has radiologists on staff with the ultrasound machines as well. At each monthly visit I am
Given a ultrasound. From reading on here this does not seem like the norm but most of my friends have experienced the same as me. Maybe it's a NY thing? I have no idea but my anatomy scan is next week and I'll be 19 & 1/2 weeks.

flerlgirl · January 2014

At my old office they didn't like to wait past 20 weeks to do the a/s, so they did a separate appointment for it. Then my appointments resumed as usual (22, 26, etc)

diagonalley · January 2014

Originally the office tried to schedule them separately but at my last appointment I had them schedule them on the same day (they would have been a week apart which is just annoying considering I'd have to take time off to go). They are technically considered two different appointments though. I don't have my a/s until I am 21 weeks!

hubbs173 · January 2014

My OBGYN does do u/s at both of their locations. I just had my 18 week appt last week and have my a/s this thurs. I did call a week before my 18 week appt to double check that it was just a check up and not both because I didn't want my DH to miss the a/s. Just call and check what your appt will include.

katekat8721 · January 2014

I have my a/s on 2/04 with the imaging center, then my OB appt on 2/10.

I'd plan on not getting the a/s done tomorrow so that way you won't be disappointed. They usually give you instructions before the a/s and if you haven't hd those then it's not likely you're getting it done quite yet. Waiting is hard

BabyCurtiss2014 · January 2014

Your anatomy scan s/b separate from your OB visit. They typically don't preform that in their office and is scheduled separately bw 18-20 wks!

wtfisup · January 2014

Yeah, my AS is separate from my prenatal checkups. While your doc/midwife has an US machine, it's likely not as advanced nor are they as skilled as the folks in the fetal medicine services.

Also, while I love the practice I use, they never have their crap together. Like, there are always surprises at my appointment. Including a surprise pap smear that my H got to watch! (He was like, "Should I leave the room?" I replied, "No, this is only a warmup for the big show.")

britleann26 · January 2014

My OB has an U/S tech in her office. I did my first u/s in the office with her tech. For my 18-20 week u/s scan, I had to make a separate appt at clinic with a more advanced machine.

TheMrs820 · January 2014

Similar to pp. I have my office visit today & my anatomy scan ultrasound tomorrow @ the hodpital.

beasley1114 · January 2014

You ladies were right. It was just a regular check up today. They are sending orders to the hospital to schedule my anatomy scan. My Dr wants me to have it done by a maternal fetal specialist since I was born with a cleft palate and they want to check baby to make sure all is well.

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