Canadian ladies: First Ultrasound??

[GonnaBaMama]

I am reaching out to my Canadian moms to be to find out when your first ultrasound was. I have my first doc appointment at 7 weeks and was told that my first ultrasound wouldn't be until 11-13 weeks. I can't wait that long!!!!! I know many USA expecting moms had their first ultrasound at 6-10 weeks. And all my books say the same, but once again they're all American and our system is different here.

 

[wifey2013]

Hi there, I'm from Montreal and they also scheduled my first ultrasound for around 12 weeks. I couldn't wait that long so I bumped up my appointment with my OBGYN and told him I really wanted some reassurance and to have an earlier ultrasound. He told me the only way to do it was to go private. It was about $125.00 and I was able to go for a dating scan at 7weeks6days. I was actually bumped up to 8weeks6days and I got to see and hear the baby's heartbeat. The $125.00 was totally worth it as it put my mind to ease - at least for a few days. Now I'm waiting for my T21 (downs) scan and blood test which I'll be doing on the 27th.

 

[Catmat]

I am just south of Calgary, but my doctor is in the city. She has me booked for a dating ultrasound tomorrow. I am 8 weeks and a bit. This is my third child and I have always been offered this optional ultrasound for free (my first was born in the UAE). You don't see much and definitely don't learn as much as later ultrasounds but it's still great to see the little one!

Gonnabemama, are you in Alberta? Or just tell your doctor you're unsure of you date of your last period.

 

[AuntieKate]

I live in remote area of BC and my doctor did a bedside ultrasound at 6 weeks. She would have liked to have waited a couple of weeks, but I'm leaving the province for 6 weeks and it's really my only opportunity.
Hopefully you'll be able to sneak in a little earlier!!

 

[mmMlm]

With my first two pregnancies, I got the anatomy ultrasound at 20 weeks.
With this one, I decided to also get the IPS screening, with the early ultrasound at 12 weeks. Most providers don't order an ultrasound before that unless you are really unsure of your dates, you used fertility treatments, or there is bleeding/health issues/suspected ectopic.

 

[3chords]

I am doing mine at 7 weeks, but I did IVF.

 

[sarah54]

I am from Ontario, my doctor told me I could book my first ultrasound anytime between now and 12 weeks but she said it would be better to wait until you can see the heartbeat (9-12 weeks).

However I was having bleeding and went to emerg a couple days ago and had an ultrasound done while I was there. Baby is a-okay!! Thank goodness!

 

[Underduck]

Hi!

I'm in Calgary, too!

Since I've had a wacky period, my doctor wanted me to have an u/s right away to see if we could pinpoint how far along I am. That was last week at 4 weeks, 4 days. It was awful because I didn't see anything and immediately thought the worst.

I'm considering my 'real' first ultrasound to be next Thursday! Here's hoping there's something to look at!!

 

[AnonymousCAT]

I'm from ontario. My gp sent me for a dating ultrasound at 7 weeks. I had also had spotting and they wanted to make sure it was an intrauterine pregnancy. Plus I had a blighted ovum recently and she wanted to out my mind at ease all was okay. At that ultrasound the report showed a low heart rate so I had another one at 9 weeks and all was good. I was offered another around 12 weeks only if you chose to do screening for downs, spina bifida and trisomy 18. I declined this one as ultrasounds kind of stress me out. My next is 19 and a bit weeks for the anatomy scan, which is another screening test. My midwife said that you don't have to have this one but I chose to. If you don't have it they send you for a ultrasound around 34 weeks to check the placenta position only and don't really look at the baby. For my first pregnancy with the blighted ovum my gp still sent me for a dating scan that was supposed to also be around 7 weeks I think, but I couldn't get an appt until 9 weeks.

 

[AnonymousCAT]

My friend is also pregnant in ontario and she wasn't offered an ultrasound until 20 weeks! She said she was low risk and doc didn't feel it was needed any sooner. Seems like there is so much variation even within the province. Al depends on the doc. My gp had a baby with ivf so I think she is more sympathetic to scans just for reassurance compared to other docs as she has been there herself.

 

[kimmy04]

I'm in kamloops, BC and I have had ultrasound around 8 weeks for all 3 pregnancies. I thought that was the norm haha. My second ended in miscarriage but they weren't sure at my 8 week ultrasound as I was measuring 7 weeks so I had another at 9 weeks. This pregnancy I had one at 8 weeks, one at 20 weeks, one at 21 weeks and another one just a few days ago at 26 weeks due to complications!

 

[ItsJana]

I'm in Vancouver bc. With my first pregnancy I was in a different country, so I'm not going to count it. With my second I had my first ultra sound at 6 weeks and this pregnancy my first ultrasound was at 12 weeks, although my ob was a little disappointed that my family doctor didn't schedule one earlier.

 

[ThinkPositiv]

Unless warranted as some of the ladies have described in Canada your first scan is 20 weeks. What is becoming more common esp with midwives is a dating scan to confirm dates in first trimester. Canada is much different than USA!

 

[Catmat]

This thread got me asking my mommy friends and moms-to-be about their u/s. Everyone got (or is scheduled) the 8, 12, and 18 week scan. That is 7 low risk, one c-section moms. So I am guessing the norm in my area (Southern Alberta) is to get all three u/s. There are definitely enough places to get scans done without needing to pay extra. It is interesting to see how different provinces and doctors do things differently.

 

[readynwilling]

The trick is to have weird periods. If your AF cycles are not regular they will send for a dating ultrasound around 7-8w. I have odd cycles never the same # of days and vary between 30-40 days. Even though i used OPK's and Temps and could pinpoint conception the dr's STILL sent me for a early u/s..... This time i have had no period between last baby and this pregnancy, I still know what day i o'd on, but im expecting to get a dating scan.

 

[floatingbaby]

I'm on the BC Coast and with #1 I was on fertility meds, so I had a scan at 9w to confirm dates and # of babies.

With #2 I was sent for a 9w dating scan again because I have irregular periods - even though I was sure of my ovulation date.

I have declined the neural screening tests with both babies so I skip the 12w scan and will be scanned again at about 20w. And that's all

 

[Feronia]

My midwives only offer an ultrasound at 20 weeks unless there is a reason to get one earlier. In my first pregnancy, I had an ultrasound at 12 weeks ONLY because I had a huge amount of cramping and had a history of miscarriage, but otherwise it would have only been at 20 weeks.

Fine by me, I still don't fully trust ultrasound technology as there has been research that shows that the sound waves are potentially dangerous to unborn babies. I will still do my 20 week scan, but will avoid all others unless warranted, especially early ones where the potential for damage is higher.