no ultrasound until 18 weeks?

alliewernerr · December 2014

At my last appointment I asked my doctor when I could have my first ultrasound. She said because I was sure of when I got my last period I couldn't get one until 18 weeks! Has this happened to anyone else? I'm 11 weeks 4 days and I haven't announced anything yet. I wanted to with an ultrasound So I knew everything was okay but I don't want to wait that long..

SyvannaLouise · December 2014

I would tell them that you would feel better if you had one...If they don't agree maybe you should go to a new OB..

imavera · December 2014

I won't have one until my anatomy scan at 20 weeks. Same thing with my second.

tmorash · December 2014

I don't have my first ultrasound until 18 weeks either. Apparently it's par for the course in my area. I don't know how I'm going to last until February - it's brutal.

alliewernerr · December 2014

Thank you ladies, it makes me feel better I'm not the only one! It seems like everyone I know gets them so early on, I'm jealous!

frig05 · December 2014

I don't think that is unheard of.

I don't have my first official appointment until I'm 12 weeks and then they will only do an US if they have trouble finding a heartbeat. Otherwise I won't have a US until I'm 20 weeks is what the doctor's office said. I only get one covered by my insurance.

alliewernerr · December 2014

She said since I was positive of my last period they won't because they usually do it early to see how far along you are? I did get to hear a heart beat though so that made me feel a lot better

other than that they've only taken my blood for testing

Verdahekawi · December 2014

I wouldn't have had one until then if I'd known my dates either. I only got an early one because there was no way my LMP could be even close to accurate (and in fact would have put my EDD two MONTHS early) but I wasn't charting so I really had no idea. Only the one anatomy scan is standard with my midwife's practice, they don't do more than that without a specific reason or concern, though I think if I had known my ovulation date but had begged to have an early one for reassurance she would have obliged.

alliewernerr · December 2014

I wish I would have lied an said I wasn't sure now

haha but yes hearing the heartbeat made me so happy! I guess I can wait it out, and think of another way to announce before I really start showing!

Ashelee13 · December 2014

My first appointment was thursday and they only did heartbeat too which was awesome. They didn't even take blood. They said at 13 weeks they will take blood...not sure about ultrasound though.

aimbje88 · December 2014

Wow ): in new zealand our first one is at 6(ish) weeks for a dating scan, 12 weeks for nuchal and 20 for an anatomy. Sorry you all have to wait so long! Must be awful. Try keep positive

ashiscute · December 2014

It's pretty normal to only have the anatomy scan. Unless you are high risk or need a dating scan most providers only do the one between 18- 20 weeks.

MaritimeMama3 · December 2014

My first is at 20 weeks. There's no real medical need to have one before then if you're low-risk, have heard the heartbeat, and your bloodwork came back normal. Go ahead and announce! I'm going to once I've heard the HB at 12 weeks.

MissJennC15 · December 2014

I was told 18 weeks as well! I'm going in at 12 weeks (I'm 10) to (hopefully) hear the heartbeat - I think once I get to do that, then waiting until 18 won't be so bad!

TealAppeal · December 2014

This seems like a long time, but my first appointment is only at 11 weeks and I don't know if they'll do an US if they can hear a heartbeat with Doppler. As PP said, I'm sorry you have to wait so long but glad of the HB! In your shoes, I'd probably wait only bc they may tell you the gender at 18 wks if you want. You could announce with a gender!

mehlaknee · December 2014

I figured my doctor would make me wait so I lied about when my last period was. More like just stretched the truth...said I wasn't sure.
Got the ultra sound and sure enough, dated almost a week ahead of what I thought!
Don't even feel the least bit guilty.

Beachy730 · December 2014

SyvannaLouise said:
I would tell them that you would feel better if you had one...If they don't agree maybe you should go to a new OB..

Seriously? It has nothing to do with the OB, it's going to be what insurance covers. If an OB gave an u/s everyone time someone wanted one because it made them "feel better" then they would be doing them at every single appointment. If someone wants one so bad that they would be willing to switch Drs then I really don't know what to say. I picked my OB for many reasons; the amount of u/s I got was nowhere on that list.

Beachy730 · December 2014

A lot of insurances have changed recently with Obamacare and what they cover. DS is 18m old, and I'm at the same practice with the same insurance. Last time I had a dating u/s at 9w, but this time they said insurances are much more strict on it. So if all goes bormally then I won't be getting an official u/s until the a/s. I have an appt this week that they said they will use the portable u/s machine on though.

Make your announcement as planned. If your OB, who does this for a living, is confident that a strong heartbeat is means enough to believe that it's a healthy pregnancy, then you should too.

muffyvonmuff · December 2014

Thats such a long time to wait but it also happened to a friend of mine. Sometimes is has to do with what insurance covers. She went and paid something like $100 to just get her own ultrasound done for peace of mind around 14w.

IsItJuly3rdYet · December 2014

With my first I had one US at 16 weeks (the anatomy scan) and one at 32 weeks. This time around my first US will be next week. I'll be 12 weeks and it will be for a screening for Down syndrome and other things that can go wrong during pregnancy. I've never had that done before so I don't know what to expect with that. My doctor did say that I'll probably have 2 or 3 after because I am considered high risk.

keniialise · December 2014

Do you live in area that has specialty ultrasound offices? We just moved to a place that has one that does early dating ultrasounds as well as the gender reveal ones. We paid $30 to get a early dating one and it was worth it to us, and even if you can't find one the does the early one a gender reveal at 15 weeks is still closer than the 18 weeks.

vanessaw78 · December 2014

I'm with you! We have Goldenview Ultrasound here in the Boston area and I went with my last pregnancy at 15 weeks to do the early gender reveal ... I'm so impatient so it was worth it to me and I just love seeing the little one on the screen

I plan to go again this pregnancy, especially since my midwife office usually doesn't do the anatomy scan until about 22 weeks. I just don't have the patience knowing I have the ability to find out earlier on my own

Yianna2013 · December 2014

So strange! I had my first UltraSound at 7 weeks! I have another one sceduled for 12 weeks and another for 20 weeks..

sschwege · December 2014

That's the way my office does it. I only had 1 with DD, I had 2 with DS because they were looking for the source of the spotting I was having and God willing I will just have one with this one.

onefineday102 · December 2014

My first one is on Jan 15th at 12 weeks. Not that long of a wait, but my HCG count is already over 200,000! So that seems like FOREVER..I'm freaking out.

kacdanz · December 2014

That seems like a really long time. I had one at 6 wks and have another scheduled at 12 wks. If you can't wait that long I would call and ask of get a new doctor

alliewernerr · December 2014

If I can't wait my next appt is January 7th and I will be about 15 weeks then, I might see if there's anyway I can get an early US if it's covered, or if it isn't too much. Otherwise, 3 more weeks after that wouldn't seem too long!

momok1215 · December 2014

My ob has a little one they rolled into my appointments (8-week and 11w 6d) because I specifically asked for them. They don't charge extra, but they also don't offer them unless I specifically ask. I go to a separate facility for my "official" ultrasounds - one at 12-13 weeks for screening, and the 20-week anatomy scan.

I would just ask at your next appointment?

JennyJensing · December 2014

I was under the impression that, unless you're high risk or have a history of loss, this is pretty normal.

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