Third Trimester Ultrasound

amydesh · April 2015

I asked my doctor if I would be having another ultrasound since I haven't seen the baby since week 18 at our AS. They told me they typically don't do one unless I had high blood pressure or other signs of concerns.

I am getting anxious at 32 weeks and am curious how they "know" everything is okay without another scan! I feel like a lot could happen since 18 weeks. Maybe I am just being crazy. Just curious if anyone else is having a third tri scan or if anyone is requesting one for the same fears I have?

Frogger5 · April 2015

What are you worried about that they would see on u/s? You can feel the baby, right? And your belly is growing at about the right rate? And you don't have GD, PIH, or any other symptoms that might cause trouble? It's not like doctors have no idea what's going on just because they can't see with their eyes. Sounds like you should go to an elective place if you want to see the baby again before birth. Lots of people do, it's a big industry!

rqcollin247 · April 2015

I will be 33 weeks on Saturday and I am having my second u/s today. I didn't realize that I was pregnant for five months so my first ultrasound was done to check on baby and to estimate conception date. I am measuring two weeks behind so I think they want to do a second ultrasound to make sure he is growing okay. My doctor isn't concerned though. I think doctors like to do two ultrasounds so that they can compare the two to track growth and development. That might be the reason why I'm having a second one because I have no idea when I got pregnant!

aj1327 · April 2015

I'm getting a ultra sound next week at 32 weeks. I wasn't supposed to, but I have a small fibroid. The doctor just wants to make sure it's not taking blood flow from baby. Apparently they can do that during the 3rd tri. That's the only reason I'm having one though.

HoosOnFirst · April 2015

My doc says no reason to have another unless he sees a complication. Mine were at 8 and 20 weeks.

mrs1374a · April 2015

That's normal. In the first pregnancy, I had one every 2 weeks starting at 30 weeks due to low fluid levels. However, this time everything is still going great, I'm 30 weeks now and I don't anticipate any more sonograms.

Mommaswizz · April 2015

i understand where you're coming from. My doctor is the same. They don't do anymore ultrasounds unless they need to. It's very frustrating because everyone else i know has had a growth scan after 30 weeks just to see where the baby's at. I'm considering going to a 3d ultrasound place just cause i want to see my baby again (not because i fear anything is wrong). It's annoying to pay extra money but i'm impatient and don't wanna wait to see her till june. if you're concerned about your baby, you should discuss these worries with your doc and maybe they can help you feel better about everything

KaLikeAWind · April 2015

I had my anatomy scan at 19 weeks and I'm not having another one unless there are complications. Like @Frogger5 said - its not like the drs don't know what's going on in there without seeing it. Remember that women have been growing babies for ages and ultrasound technology is fairly new, in the grand scheme of things. Even our parents didn't really have ready access to this technology and you were born just fine, right?
The Dr can make a determination about the necessity of another ultrasound based on what you report in your visits, how you are measuring, etc. Instead of worrying - I'd suggest being grateful that your pregnancy is going smoothly enough that its not raising any red flags for them to want to order another one.
Hugs! Try to relax and destress, mama.

CheerfulMama · April 2015

I am now at 32 weeks and have the option at every appointment if I would like to do an ultrasound or just the doppler (this has been the case at the majority of my appointments) I am low risk and have never had any issues during this pregnancy. Talking to my other friends who see different OB's this is not common practice and they have scheduled ultrasounds. I feel lucky to have the option to see my baby at every appointment if I want to.

laurendutch · April 2015

I can understand! My first pregnancy was twins so I had lots of appts, ultrasounds and NSTs. This time around I did get lots of ultrasounds at the beginning because of my low lying anterior placenta. But nothing since 22 weeks. I'm thinking I might get a few more bc of my GD dx.

ksimo6 · April 2015

I'm considered high risk so I have had 5 ultrasounds so far. I think 2 is the norm.

Frogger5 · April 2015

ShannonKiefer said:
I am now at 32 weeks and have the option at every appointment if I would like to do an ultrasound or just the doppler (this has been the case at the majority of my appointments) I am low risk and have never had any issues during this pregnancy. Talking to my other friends who see different OB's this is not common practice and they have scheduled ultrasounds. I feel lucky to have the option to see my baby at every appointment if I want to.

Not bashing you (who wouldn't take the opportunity to peek at baby at least a couple of times if it was presented like that!), but this is so wasteful. I don't know how a doctor could justify that ethically as medically necessary. And ultrasounds aren't completely risk-free. I'd be pissed if I knew that my insurance company - or Medicaid - was paying for that many ultrasounds for no reason for some women (and they may be, I just don't know about it!). It makes everyone's costs go up, and honestly getting an ultrasound at your doctor's or hospital probably still costs you more than an elective place. Obviously that depends on your insurance, but I certainly paid more than $100 out of pocket for my anatomy scan.

devyns2nd · April 2015

I had three with DD and just had my 30 week or third U/S this week. I think it depends on your Dr and what your insurance will cover.

KonaCoffeeBean · April 2015

I will have a very limited US at 36 weeks to verify position. However, my understanding is that it's more common than not for AS to be the last US in the absence of complicating factors.

karaelaine1991 · April 2015

I totally 100% get why you want another ultrasound, but not having one after the A/S is pretty standard. Also, ultrasounds *do* carry a certain amount of risk due to radiation, so I think that the thought process is that if you have no reason to believe that there's something wrong with the baby, then there's no need to expose him/her to extra radiation. If there is a legitimate reason to check on baby, then that's worth the risk. I'm sure doctors have other reasons, too; that's just the one that I've seen most often. And, I have to say, to me it makes sense.

klkonwi · April 2015

OMG rant here but I paid 289.00 for my anatomy scan........ahhhh money.

essablero · April 2015

If I don't see them on ultrasound I go crazy lol I'm having ultrasound every 4 weeks , sometimes when I have something that I feel it's wrong I go often , and my doc said why u are coming so often I'm not gonna see u anymore lol but I have twins and of course the visits would be twice, tomorrow I'm going to the hospital for advanced women imagine and I have ultrasound , I'm little scared cause I saw bad dreams these days

upandbelow · April 2015

I'm in Alberta here, but it's my doctors practice to have a standard 32 week ultrasound.

dancegurl1118 · April 2015

@klkonwi I paid the same. With my "top of the line" top 10 hospitals in America insurance. Bullshit. My delivery will also be around $3k. And they just introduced co-insurance in the plans. Shameful that a nationally recognized healthcare organization treats their employees this way. Ok my rant is over now!

It's completely normal to only have 1 or 2 ultrasounds the whole pregnancy. I understand the nerves about not "catching" something that's wrong however a lot of what can be "wrong" is detected by the primitive measuring of the uterus at appointments (low fluid, high fluid, growth restriction). I had a quick 32 week ultrasound to see if my low lying placenta moved (it did, wahoo hopefully vaginal delivery here I come) but they didn't measure baby, or fluid, or anything else because there were no indications of an issue. It's nerve wracking, but rest assured that everything is fine, mama!

SammeMotley · April 2015

I've never heard of an ultrasound carrying a risk of radiation? It's sound waves.....

kyleegail89 · April 2015

I have to have an ultrasound and NST done every week, my insurance won't pay until I reach my deductible of $2000 even though they're medically necessary due to PIH. Trust me, I was totally okay with just having 2 ultrasounds! Be grateful that you don't have to pay for these things.... Oh how I wish I had Medicaid.

karaelaine1991 · April 2015

SammeMotley said:
I've never heard of an ultrasound carrying a risk of radiation? It's sound waves.....

I don't know the science behind it at all and I could absolutely be wrong about this! But that is what I've heard.

KaLikeAWind · April 2015

SammeMotley said:
I've never heard of an ultrasound carrying a risk of radiation? It's sound waves.....

Even sound waves are not risk free. Dunno if you remember hearing about dolphins who were sickened and thrown off their migrations due to sonar frequencies from submarines / military ships?

And, I do think there is some low level something in an ultrasound

dancegurl1118 · April 2015

I 100% believe there are some sort of waves emitted during both ultrasounds and external monitoring. As soon as I put a monitor on mom, usually the baby starts kicking and often kicks the exact spot the monitor is on...it's not a coincidence. It's gotta be a sound that bothers them

Frogger5 · April 2015

karaelaine1991 said:

SammeMotley said:
I've never heard of an ultrasound carrying a risk of radiation? It's sound waves.....
I don't know the science behind it at all and I could absolutely be wrong about this! But that is what I've heard.

Here's a link: https://www.fda.gov/Radiation-EmittingProducts/RadiationEmittingProductsandProcedures/MedicalImaging/ucm115357.htm

This says it's "non-ionizing radiation," which it says is less risky. I don't really know the difference, but I know there I one!

ngaines27 · April 2015

I had one two weeks ago and will have another at 32 weeks, but only because my fundal height measures 3 weeks behind. Baby looked great at the last ultrasound, so we aren't expecting any complications but my doc just wants to be cautious.

SammeMotley · April 2015

Interesting. I wouldn't think it could cause any damage though, unless you were exposed for a long period of time. My doctor ordered several ultrasounds In the beginning of my pregnancy and I'm low risk. I think it just depends on their preference. But I haven't had one since my a/s at 16 weeks. If a 4d wasn't almost 200$ I would consider it.

delujm0 · April 2015

I didn't expect any after my 18w anatomy scan...but I had one at 26w because my fundal measurement was large, and it uncovered that the baby was breech. The doctor told me today at my 30w appointment that they'd do another one, likely at 36w, to make sure she's flipped.

amydesh · April 2015

Thanks ladies for all of your insight! I am very thankful to have a smooth, uncomplicated pregnancy thus far. I guess I am just anxious to see my baby girl and want everything to be perfect!

rklinge0 · April 2015

Be grateful, I got my bill for my specialist u/s and it was 650 with insurance. I honestly wish I didn't have to have them every 4 weeks in my 3rd trimester.

queequeg09256 · April 2015

I've had 3 so far one at 8 one at 12 for the sequential testing I think, and one at 20. I'm having two more done because I have high blood pressure. One at 32 and one at 36 I think they said. That being said my doctors office does have an ultrasound machine they use if they can't find a heartbeat. They used that once on me and I never got a bill for it.

47923ang · April 2015

rklinge0 said:
Be grateful, I got my bill for my specialist u/s and it was 650 with insurance. I honestly wish I didn't have to have them every 4 weeks in my 3rd trimester.

I've had 3 ultrasounds with maternal fetal medicine (for twins) and my portion of the bills, after insurance, has been over $1300 for EACH ultrasound. BUT, I've hit my out of pocket max now, so everything else (birth included) will be free.

47923ang · April 2015

kyleegail89 said:
I have to have an ultrasound and NST done every week, my insurance won't pay until I reach my deductible of $2000 even though they're medically necessary due to PIH. Trust me, I was totally okay with just having 2 ultrasounds! Be grateful that you don't have to pay for these things.... Oh how I wish I had Medicaid.

That's how deductibles work. Doesn't matter if it's medically necessary or not.

janinebean84 · April 2015

I am 29 weeks pregnant and I have had a ultrasound every two weeks since 14 weeks. I am HR, I have had three previous miscarriages. Starting at week 32 I will get two ultrasounds a week until delivery. The Doctor only does measurements every 4 weeks. I get very anxious in between the two weeks, I know it sounds crazy bc I get to see him so much. I don't know how yall can go so long without seeing your baby on ultrasound.

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