US/heartbeat question

ZKLBM0618 · July 2014

I called my (new -- we recently moved) doctor and made an appointment once I found out I was pregnant. I went in at 5 weeks and they took my blood and then I went back to the doctor at 7 weeks and she checked me out. I asked her when they would do the first ultrasound and she said 20 weeks and that would be the only one! I had one at 6 (supposed to be 8 but I wasn't far along as they thought) and 20 with my first baby but the doctor would pull his portable one in the exam room and show me our baby quite a few times. Does anyone else think this is weird that my new doc only does one? I don't want to wait until 20 weeks to see our baby for the first time!

Oh! And she said she doesn't check for a heartbeat until 12 weeks... With our first, we heard it at 7!

dreemkin84 · July 2014

It seems weird to me but maybe I'm just used to another way...

bes12 · July 2014

That sounds pretty consistent with my dr. Ultrasound at 20 weeks and heartbeat at 12 weeks. It sucks bc on here lots of people get earlier and multiple u/s and hear the heartbeat way sooner. I will have no news until 12 weeks. Just a regular dr app at 8 weeks, no u/s no heartbeat.

elephantsonpatrol · July 2014

20 is a bit late, but bear in mind many of us get earlier ultrasounds b/c of previous losses or issues that make our pregnancy high risk

bookworm982 · July 2014

This was the standard of care for my first pregnancy, and I lived that practice. Honestly, it is plenty. The only reason I get an early ultrasound at my new practice (I moved) is for dating since I'm still breastfeeding. Plus, I have a fibroid they need to check.

mels823 · July 2014

I thinks it's pretty normal! I had one a few weeks ago but only because I was fainting. Otherwise, I would be waiting till around week 20 also! I know that my Doctor will be listening to the heartbeat around week 12, so that will help ease my mind!

ColleenS629 · July 2014

That sounds weird to me. Around here, at minimum you have a dating u/s (6-8w), NT scan (12w), anatomy scan (20w), and often a growth scan in 3rd tri.

I had many, many more last time because I did IVF and had twins... I had at least 20 ultrasounds with that pregnancy.

This pregnancy, I had 3 with my RE and 1 so far with my OB. My next isn't until the end of July. That's the longest I've ever had to go without an ultrasound and I'm wondering how the heck I'm going to make it without going crazy with worry. After that, since this is a singleton pregnancy, I think my next one won't be until 20 weeks. I'm not sure if I'll have more than the standard from here on out. I'm hoping to get a few extra because I had an IUGR baby that had to be monitored closely and I want to make sure that doesn't go undetected this time.

alyssamskeens · July 2014

I would absolutely freak if I didn't have an u/s til 20wks! Most of what I've been reading state 2 u/s max for healthy pregnancies, high risk and others tend to have more. I had a dating u/s at what we believed to be 8w4d, and ended up measuring 7w4d.... Changing my EDD to 2/1 (praise The Lord, otherwise I would have never met you wonderful people!!) My next u/s will be the anatomy scan at 20wks and that'll be the last I get to see of little Mr or Miss til he or she make their grand appearance! We have a couple local elective ultrasound businesses that do 3d/4d ultrasounds... Haven't decided if I'm going to do one of those or not. Also, in regards to heartbeat, the u/s tech said that they don't listen to FHR in the first tri any longer due to the heat that the u/s prove emits...? However, we got to see our LO's flickering heart! Pretty neat- can't wait to hear it at my 12wk appt!!

alyssamskeens · July 2014

*Probe, not prove... Silly autocorrect. >:[

OmSweetOm · July 2014

I know we can't link but I will say this- there was a similar question asked on the first tri boards and some of the answers were killing me! Feisty over there!!

That said yes, it can be normal- although it does seem a good amount of doctors have gotten into the habit of sending patients for dating u/s around 8 weeks or so. I get one every 2 weeks due to my situation. If you feel uncomfortable waiting inquire about the NT scan done at 12 weeks. They can't say no, as it is a diagnostic test- done at a specific time.

Mommy2CB · July 2014

Are you not doing an NT scan between 11 and 13 wks?

We will basically have our dating ultrasound around 8wks, the NT scan between 11-13wks, and then the anatomy scan around 18-20wks. Hopefully that's it if all goes well. In my prior pregnancies I was high risk so we had a lot more, though we sure paid for it!

You can always pay out if pocket for an elective ultrasound too, or invest in a Doppler to hear the heartbeat whenever you'd like!

lilybug319 · July 2014

I think maybe part of it has to do with insurance. Some companies won't cover more than 2 ultrasounds so you get a dating ultrasound and an anatomy scan and that's it. With my first pregnancy I got one at every visit. It was a normal low risk pregnancy and I'd never had any losses or previous pregnancies. With this pregnancy they're doing the same thing. I'm not high risk and everything is fine but my insurance allows me to have an ultrasound at every visit.

HerHighness · July 2014

A lot of doctors dont try the Doppler before 12 weeks mostly because if they dont find it then it can really freak out the mamma. I think standard is 2 ultrasounds. I have had to have more but its because i have had issues with all of my pregnancies.

kcwnc · July 2014

Same boat here. 12 weeks=1st appt, possibly u/s but most likely just the HB. 20 weeks for a/s and then seeing the little one when they're ready to come out. It was the same with my DS except they couldn't see a few of his organs because he was so mobile so they brought back at 22 weeks to get better pictures of his kidneys and heart.

Sarmouse · July 2014

ColleenS629 said:

That sounds weird to me. Around here, at minimum you have a dating u/s (6-8w), NT scan (12w), anatomy scan (20w), and often a growth scan in 3rd tri.

This is how my OB does it.

Edit for quote box

mommy510 · July 2014

I had an US at my first appointment with both previous pregnancies because I have irregular cycles. Then I had the 20wk AS and I had one more with DS2 after we passed the due date just to make sure everything was fine and to see how big he was.

blondemarmot · July 2014

It's normal. First pregnancy was with the local yuppie hospital and the only reason I got an early ultrasound was to make sure the clomid didn't give me twins and I had to request that one. And even at the first real doctor visit at 12 weeks the OB couldn't find Squeak's heartbeat and started jabbing me with the damn doppler. Wanted to kick her in the face after she shoved her whole hand up there trying to shift my uterus to HER liking.

My insurance is crap and I paid for most of it and at the cost of $400 per ultrasound I can wait. But, that's me and my own situation.

MLSprague · July 2014

I had an ultrasound at 6 weeks (they thought it was 8 but I measured to 6 weeks), which was also my first appointment. I have struggled with my periods ever since I was 13 and I was concerned that I would have trouble getting pregnant. I won't have another ultrasound until 20 weeks to find out the gender and then another one later in the third trimester. At least, that is what my doctor and the ultrasound tech told me.

HeyStVincent · July 2014

I would want to confirm the pregnancy is in the correct spot (ie not hanging out in a tube or something). I'm getting an NT scan w/ a corresponding blood test at 12 weeks. We also have another U/S in two weeks (I should be 9 weeks at that point) to confirm everything is progressing as it's supposed to since I had a "threatened abortion" a couple of weeks ago.

I dunno...if it's important to you to know what to expect as things progress, then maybe find another doctor. If the results of the earlier U/S don't mean anything to you (won't change whether or not you go through with the pregnancy) then I suppose you probably don't really need one that early.

williamandrachelray · July 2014

You aren't on tricare are you? I know that's normal for tricare but it seems long otherwise. My husband is military and we technically are only covered for the 20 wk anatomy scan but when we went in for our first appointment at 9 weeks we had a surprise ultra sound to confirm dating!

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