Ultrasound scans and testing in pregnancy
By maximax8
@maximax8 (31046)
United Kingdom
February 16, 2010 4:50am CST
In my locality a pregnant lady has her booking in visit with a midwife at around 10 weeks pregnancy. She might have a dating ultrasound scan at 12 weeks pregnancy. She will have a 20 week detailed ultrasound scan to make sure the baby is healthy. Some ladies have ultrasound scans in later pregnancy for reasons like to check on the baby's growth or position in the womb.
In my first pregnancy I had a 12 week and a 20 week scan. I wasn't told my baby's gender because of hospital policy.
In my second pregnancy I had private scans: one for dating at 11 weeks and another to find out the gender at 16 weeks. Then I had a detailed 20 week scan at the hospital. They missed seeing the my second son has spina bifida and hydrocephalus. At 36 weeks pregnancy I was ill and an ultrasound scan showed the fluid on the head which is the hydrocephalus. I was told by a midwife that my son has spina bifida and hydrocephalus. I had plenty more scans at the fetal medicine unit.
In my third pregnancy I had a dating scan at what I thought was 12 weeks but it was 13 weeks. Then I had a 16 week scan and a 22 week scan at the fetal medicine unit. I had a very detailed 20 week scan at the hospital. In later pregnancy I had a presentation scan to check on my daughters position. I had another scan to check on her weight.
What sort of testing and how many scans does a pregnant lady get in your home country or locality?
Did you have ultrasound scans in pregnancy?
2 people like this
10 responses
@homeshoppers (6166)
• Philippines
8 Mar 10
in my country its up to the mother of how many though of course need to ask doctor first. first ultrasound is transviginal ultrasound to check the correct position of the baby, if the fetus is inside or outside the wall, they also see that i had subchronic hemorrhage which other said its just normal but will be gone on the 2nd trimester and only need bed rest but if it become bigger then it already dangerous. thats why they advised me to have a second ultrasound to check if the hemorrhage become bigger or slightly gone. then the other ultra sound is the tummy ultrasound to check if its a boy or a girl also to check other condition of the baby but im not done with it yet maybe soon.
@str8_up_cutie83 (217)
• United States
6 Mar 10
When I was pregnant with my first I didnt find out I was pregnant until I was 20 weeks so at my first appt I found out the gender of the baby and they checked her growth and measurement. When I was pregnant with her I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes so I had an ultrasound every week to make sure every thing was ok.
With my son I found out I was pregnant early on and did an ultrasound at 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 20 weeks and almost every week after that. I probably ended up paying big money for that somewhere along the line. :)
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
17 Feb 10
As far as an ultra sound..that's usually just once unless they think there is a problem of sorts. I've has three children and with each one it was pretty much the same as far as that went. Now testing..there were tests left and right. There were fasting tests and then there was an optional test that actually was to detect birth defects in the fetus. They took some fluid from around the baby and run tests on it. There were constant tests for the heartbeat and position was told by the pelvic examines that was pretty much everytime you walked in. There were monthly visits until the last two months and then it increased to once a week until birth. I didn't get the optional test done because I couldn't stand the thought of the needle in my belly button. I am a big chicken.
@OpinionatedLady (5965)
• United States
16 Feb 10
My last Ob did an ultra sound in office at every visit. Didn't help as he missed some things that resulted in us losing our baby at 20 weeks. This time around I went for dating and was about 6 weeks. Then had several more two weeks apart because of bleeding behind the placenta and gestational diabetes. I then had the normal 20 week one and one next month to check her heart (yeah number four another girl no boys for us!) apparently this is normal with patients with G.D. I will begin to have growth checks around 30 weeks as well they have said. because of the G.D. and because I have very long babies to begin with.
@Ambreya3 (100)
• United States
16 Feb 10
Typically where I am from, Pennsylvania, USA, you can get a scan early to be certain of a healthy pregnancy and then at 20 weeks for a detailed anatomy scan to make sure the baby is developing on target and at this time you can find out the gender of the baby if you wish and if what baby gives the technician a clear view! I had a leep procedure done not long before I became pregnant and there was a concern that my cervix would not stay closed so I had a few additional scans of just the cervix and two extras of the baby as well. I enjoyed seeing my son before he was born but I know people who get additional scans done (not at a medicial center) and pay for them later in pregnancy just to see the baby. I don't have that kind of money plus I think it is pointless since when the baby is born you can take all the pictures you want of him or her!
@mslena75 (561)
• United States
16 Feb 10
I think the number of ultrasounds depends on the patient. Sometimes if a pregnancy is deemed high risk, they will do more frequent ultrasounds to ensure that the fetus is developing normally. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I had 2 ultrasounds. One was early in the pregnancy and then one was in the 16-20 week mark which was the full biophysical profile to do all of her physiological measurements and also to determine gender. I am interested to know what the hospital policy was in place during your first pregnancy that they couldn't tell you your baby's gender? Also here there are stand alone businesses that do ultrasounds so people can see what their baby looks like, 3-D ultrasounds that show scary detail. I never got one of these as I just couldn't justify the expense all for 'fun'.
@Flight84 (3048)
• United States
16 Feb 10
In the United States it depends a little on the doctor or midwife's preference and your health. I've only had a 20 week scan so far and it checked my son's health and his gender. Several women here do have them at 12 weeks or around 18 weeks and I'm not sure about later in pregnancy yet. This is my first time so I'm learning as I go. :) I think a lot of places here do an ultrasound in the third trimester to make sure everything is okay though.
@bananamen1 (442)
• Bulgaria
16 Feb 10
In my country there are 2 scans that a lady can do free. That's why most women go to private doctor too. When I was pregnant, I went to a public doctor and to a private one. The public one asked me if I want to see the baby every time and I said - yes and I paid for this too. So I have scans 2 times every month. Also I went twice to have fetal morphology in the weeks that it's recommended. I know that if the doctor has doubts in this check, then can be done amniocentesis.
