20 week scan & gender prediction accuracy

[Noelle610]

Hey girls... hope you're all doing well this week.

So at my scan I was told with no hesitation I was having a girl. I'm thrilled.

BUT, I thought for the entire pregnancy I was having a boy. I'm carrying low and have hot lots of salty cravings. I know these can be old wives tales. The real kicker is that my acupuncturist - who has great intuition - told me she thought I was having a boy. She claims that she's never been wrong. Again, superstitious, I know. But I just had this “feeling” I was having a boy. In all fairness, I have friends who have had feelings about the sex of their baby only to be wrong.

I’m getting nervous that my little girl is really a boy. I really don’t have a strong preference, I just want a healthy baby. That said, I’ve been connecting the little one over the past few weeks as my little girl. Calling her a girl’s name, imagining her as a girl. My husband and I just registered and are about to paint the nursery – pink. I really don’t want to be prepared for a girl and then find out I’m having a boy. The hardest part is feeling like I’m bonding with a little girl and then to find out I’ve been connecting with my baby all wrong, if that makes sense.

Recently, two of my husband’s coworkers came home with stories of being told they were having girls at their 20 week ultrasounds and then having boys. It made me very nervous. Granted, one of the woman gave birth over 20 years ago, when I’m sure scans were less accurate. The second woman is very much overweight. I don’t know if that contributes to uncertainty about the sex, as I know an ultrasound can be more difficult to interpret if the patient is obese.

My question to you is, how accurate are scans? I am going to one of the best hospitals in the country for care, so I’m sure the techs are very experienced. I’ve been looking at my photo and while it does look like “lady parts” to me, I can’t quite make out the three white lines that are indicative of a girl. Should I go and have a private scan to be sure? Have any of you moms been told you are having one gender, only to find out you had the opposite after delivery? I hear a lot of stories about “a friend of a friend”, but I’ve not actually met anyone with the experience.

I’m feeling really anxious. I’m a total control freak and that fact that I can’t know definitely until baby is here is stressing me out.

 

[jessicatunnel]

Well, when my brother and sister-in-law were pregnant, they were told through the entire pregnancy they were having a boy, but surprise! She actually came out to be a girl! Scans are not 100% accurate, so if you're that worried I would book a private scan

 

[NannyWhitney]

This is one of my biggest fears too! A woman I know was told she was having a girl, and it turned out to be a boy!

I'm planning on doing a private 3D scan to be sure. They're much more accurate than the typical ultrasounds found in doctor's offices. In fact, I think it's like 99% sure. Is there a place around there that might offer that? I just Googled 3D ultrasound and found a terrific place. We already went and got to see our LO at 10 weeks on a normal ultrasound. The tech was terrific...30 years of experience! It was only $39 for that scan, and I think $59 for a gender scan. I'm sure they have something like it in your area.

 

[3buutifulgirl]

Hey girls... hope you're all doing well this week.

So at my scan I was told with no hesitation I was having a girl. I'm thrilled.

BUT, I thought for the entire pregnancy I was having a boy. I'm carrying low and have hot lots of salty cravings. I know these can be old wives tales. The real kicker is that my acupuncturist - who has great intuition - told me she thought I was having a boy. She claims that she's never been wrong. Again, superstitious, I know. But I just had this “feeling” I was having a boy. In all fairness, I have friends who have had feelings about the sex of their baby only to be wrong.

I’m getting nervous that my little girl is really a boy. I really don’t have a strong preference, I just want a healthy baby. That said, I’ve been connecting the little one over the past few weeks as my little girl. Calling her a girl’s name, imagining her as a girl. My husband and I just registered and are about to paint the nursery – pink. I really don’t want to be prepared for a girl and then find out I’m having a boy. The hardest part is feeling like I’m bonding with a little girl and then to find out I’ve been connecting with my baby all wrong, if that makes sense.

Recently, two of my husband’s coworkers came home with stories of being told they were having girls at their 20 week ultrasounds and then having boys. It made me very nervous. Granted, one of the woman gave birth over 20 years ago, when I’m sure scans were less accurate. The second woman is very much overweight. I don’t know if that contributes to uncertainty about the sex, as I know an ultrasound can be more difficult to interpret if the patient is obese.

My question to you is, how accurate are scans? I am going to one of the best hospitals in the country for care, so I’m sure the techs are very experienced. I’ve been looking at my photo and while it does look like “lady parts” to me, I can’t quite make out the three white lines that are indicative of a girl. Should I go and have a private scan to be sure? Have any of you moms been told you are having one gender, only to find out you had the opposite after delivery? I hear a lot of stories about “a friend of a friend”, but I’ve not actually met anyone with the experience.

I’m feeling really anxious. I’m a total control freak and that fact that I can’t know definitely until baby is here is stressing me out.

I know the feeling. I am having another scan done. Just 5 months ago a friend of mine was told she was having a girl and she didn't question it bought all pink had pink ribbon and balloons in her room and out popped a BOY.

 

[3buutifulgirl]

Do you have a pic of your gender scan?

 

[Noelle610]

I do have a photo, but I'm currently at work. I'll try to scan it for you ladies and share at a later time.

I know scans are 100% accurate, but I want to be as sure as possible. Sounds like I might opt to do the 3D - there's a place near my husband and I.

 

[Noelle610]

Well, when my brother and sister-in-law were pregnant, they were told through the entire pregnancy they were having a boy, but surprise! She actually came out to be a girl! Scans are not 100% accurate, so if you're that worried I would book a private scan

Now that's really interesting! I have heard about "girls" being "boys", but usually not the other way around.

 

[staralfur]

I know how you feel! I had a strong intuition that I was having a boy as well, and had I gone by old wives tales, every single one pointed to me having a boy. I'm still carrying really low.

I was ecstatic to find out we were having a girl though, and then started hearing "horror" stories about wrong gender assessments and panicked. I did book a 3D scan to be sure. I would highly recommend it!! It's really put my mind at ease and had I not gotten it confirmed, I know stressing about it would've just become worse over time. Plus there's really no mistaking it with a 3D scan.

 

[candylok]

Ultrasound scan is definitely not 100%!

 

[tmr1234]

With my LO i was 100% he was a girl untill are 20 week scan and they said it is a boy i realy could not take it in as i had all girl feelings and every thing but sure he was a boy. I think this 1 is a girl *agane* but trying to keep an open mind if you are still unsure go for a 3d/4d scan.

 

[bumpycat]

About the 3D/4D scans - just so you are aware, and are not surprised by this, the sonographer will very likely flip to 2D view when they start to look for the gender, and if you ask for a "potty shot", a black and white 2D is probably what you'll get.

I don't clearly understand the reason for this myself, but I believe it has to do with the way 2D works vs. 3D. 2D images are cross-sections that you view one level at a time. A 3D ultrasound image is a composite of all the slices along a single axis. I'm guessing that baby's legs and body are often between the sonographer's viewing point and the genital area. Building up a 3D image of this area may not let them view the genitals properly, while looking at 2D cross-sections is more accurate.

 

[bumpycat]

p.s. The anxiety about "did they get it right" was my OH's main concern about finding out. He thinks I worry too much about everything as it is, and didn't want to add to it. He thought it would be better for us to enjoy the anticipation of not knowing rather than risk the shock of our imagined boy or girl being the other. I still kind of wanted to find out, but luckily for him baby didn't co-operate and I'm now reconciled to waiting.

But I love love LOVE hearing about other people finding out and their joy at being able to name their babies and imagine them as older children and growing up.