Dr appointment at 17 weeks?

Re: Dr appointment at 17 weeks?

• mrstrax member

  October 2015

  The anatomy scan (at which you can often find out the sex) is usually recommended to be scheduled for at or after 20 weeks, but I've heard of as early as 18 weeks. 17 is too early for them to check the major organ systems that are the reason for doing the u/s.

   
  

  

  

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• RoseShadow873 member

  October 2015

  I have an appointment at 17.5 weeks and the weird thing is my OB said they were giving me an ultrasound at it but it was not going to tell me the sex. I'm confused because I know that should be late enough to tell the sex so I don't know why they wouldn't do it while they were already doing an ultrasound. At this doctor's rate my "20 week" ultrasound will be at 22 weeks or later.... I think the idea is to have that ultrasound that tells the sex at 20 weeks but not everyone can have it at exactly 20 weeks due to scheduling. I seem to be a couple weeks behind....

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• hlynnkose member

  October 2015

  I would love to have just a US at my 17 wk appt! Then my bf could come with me and actually see the baby. I don't feel it's worth it to have him come if they're just checking my BP and giving me a pap.

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• Jules08 member

  October 2015

  hlynnkose said:

  I would love to have just a US at my 17 wk appt! Then my bf could come with me and actually see the baby. I don't feel it's worth it to have him come if they're just checking my BP and giving me a pap.

  Why would you be getting a pap?  Most do that at the first appointment; did yours not? 

  Typically the appointments between the "milestone" appointments are peeing in a cup, checking weight and BP, Doppler (to listen to the heartbeat) and eventually fundal height measurements.
  

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• fourtsixand2 member

  October 2015

  This is normal.  I had my first appointment at 12 weeks (I didn't know I was that far along, though) and they did a sonogram. I followed up with a family history, pap, and bloodwork.  
  My next appointment is scheduled at 16 weeks, which is just a followup - no sonogram.

  
  

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• Ready4theParty member

  October 2015

  Agreed normal. I go in at 16 weeks for blood and a basic appointment. I go back at 18 weeks for my anatomy scan.

  

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• ladylolly89 member

  October 2015

  My ultrasound should be at 17 weeks according to my 4-week appointment schedule, but my doctor wanted me to wait another week and have it at 18 instead. She said 17 weeks was early enough to find out the sex, but a bit soon to check up on everything else. Your doctor probably thinks it's a bit early too. You'll probably get your ultrasound at 20 or 21 weeks.

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• momofmanyinthemitten member

  October 2015

  Our a/s is scheduled separate from an OB appt. He will give us a script for it when we get closer to 20wks.

  
  

   
  
  

  

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• cmjenkies member

  October 2015 edited October 2015

  Just a FYI - the ultrasound that is scheduled for ~20 (anywhere from 18-22 is standard really) weeks is an anatomy scan, and the primary purpose is to check development of major organs, particularly the heart. You may get to learn the child's sex, but be aware, they're more stubborn than you think and I know more than one momma who left in tears because she couldn't find out the child's sex, even though the actual scan came out perfect otherwise.
  
  Anyway, just wait til your anatomy scan is scheduled and bring boyfriend to that one. It's more important that it be in the correct time range for heart development, which is what actually matters. Problem solved.

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• eastdurian member

  October 2015

  The anatomy scan, where you'll just happen to find out the sex if baby cooperates, is usually scheduled during the 19th or 20th week. I prefer to wait until 20 weeks just to make sure the technician can get the best picture possible so I'll be having mine at 20w+5d. 

  
  

  Does your OB do the A/S there? I had to schedule mine at a different place because it's a far more in depth scan vs just a quick ultrasound.

  
  

  I'll be in at 16w and it's just blood pressure/symptom check. 

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• imrachellea member

  October 2015

  ***trigger, loss mentioned***

  
  

  As PPs have said, please focus on the HEALTH of your baby and not the sex. With my DD, I was so excited about finding out if she was a boy or girl that I forgot that its purpose was to find out if baby is developing properly. That changed when I got a call a few days after the scan and told I needed to get a higher level scan because they thought they saw something that may have been a soft indicator of Down's. I was very lucky that it was just a glitch in the scan and that there were not developmental or health issues. However, I have almost given up caring if its a boy or girl this time around because a good friend of mine received devastating news at the anatomy scan for her second a year ago. She found out that her baby had a congenital heart defect, and it suddenly didn't matter if it was a boy or girl. All that mattered was that there was something affecting the health of her baby. She ended up losing her son a week after he was born. So in the end, all we should care about is the growth and development of our baby and knowing if there's a problem and how to address the problem if possible. The sex of the baby is just a happy extra.

  

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