Hmmm..How often does 2d scan miss twins?

[Sophist]

If twins are missed on a scan, I highly doubt it's because they just stopped looking, unless like below zero said, they were sloppy. That's one of the things they're supposed to be looking for at scans. At my 12 week scan, one of the first things they said to me was "there's only one baby in there."

I get this, but what I'm referring to aren't clinical scans with an agenda of what to look for. (I don't know how many times I can say that!) It's literally just a very quick in-office look at the baby.

Here its not routine to do a full scale ultrasound until 20 weeks unless there's a problem, and from my experience it would be laughable to compare these little in-office scans to a full scale ultrasound. There literally was no checking of ovaries, measuring size of baby, head, limbs, etc dating of pregnancy, or checking for twins. It was quite literally, "there's your baby, HB is 145, snap a picture" and that's it.

I would think a second baby would be quite obvious in there regardless though, which is why I was floored when my SIL thought it was so funny that I was relieved to be not having twins. Oy vey...2 weeks and I'll ask my MW to check more carefully.

 

[peanut56]

My opinion seems to have offended you. Sorry. Didn't mean to.

 

[twiceasnice]

Hi there! I am expecting twins found out at my scan at 10wks 5 days, im now 12wks 4 days and all going well! It was instant that you saw two babies on my scan though not sure how often these things are missed?! Glad i know about my two little beans now though well in advance as so much to prepare lol! x

 

[charliemidge]

A friend of mine had several scans at the hospital due to medical reasons and all said one baby .. her dr said that he had heard 2 heart beats during a routine check and this was dismissed by the hospital .. she went in to give birth and had Twins !!

It can happen !!

 

[PixieBelle]

I'm a little worried about this too as our scan was great with measuring etc at 12 weeks but it's not like they scanned all around the womb. Once they had a bean in sight that was it. My bump is huge and the midwife keeps dismissing my concerns about there maybe being two in there. I'm just waiting for my 20 week scan when we're having it done with an actual scan centre who have far more advanced equipment, then I'll rest easier.

 

[smatheson]

I think it really depends because my aunt didnt find out she was having twins until she was 6 months pregnant!

 

[Twinminator]

I was fortunate in first pg that my twins were side by side and easily identifiable, but I'm well aware that one can be behind the other so I wouldn't like to say it is not possible to miss it, as some others are suggesting.
Only one baby was spotted at my 12week scan last week, but because he got it in his sights immediately and zoomed in on it to do the measurements (which took a while as it was doing major acrobatics!!), I think there could be a slim possibility that perhaps another baby could've been overlooked IF there was one in there. xx