Nervous first time mom. 20 week scan questions.

[NatalieFar07]

Hello everybody :wave:

I am going for my 20 week scan on the 4th of August and being a first time mom I am wondering what exactly happens during this scan? What are they looking at and what information can they give you about baby at this point?
I read online somewhere they can give you a rough idea of how big the baby will be when born, is that correct?

I live in central Scotland and I know they might do things different in different area's.

 

[Mummy to be x]

When I was pregnant with my daughter they didn't give an estimated weight but they check things like baby's limbs and heart, brain, kidneys, spine etc... Basically just make sure there is no abnormalities etc. I think some hospitals will tell you the gender if you ask but from what I understand not all hospitals will do this.

Best of luck with your scan

 

[junbait]

They will probably check on all the organs to make sure they are developing properly. My friend who is also pregnant was given a rough estimate at how much the baby might weigh at birth if development continues at that pace. However, I was told they cannot estimate how much baby will weigh at birth, but only estimate how much the weight is for 20/21 weeks of growth.

 

[mammag]

That's when my ultra sound is! I'm not sure what all they do either. Good luck!

 

[MommyFirefly]

I was really nervous about mine too! I had no clue what all they were going to do. They checked the baby's growth of limbs to make sure everything was growing on schedule. And then they looked at things like the brain, the 4 chambers of the heart, the kidneys, spine, etc. It's basically just checking to make sure there are no abnormalities. They didn't estimate how big she would be at birth though. They just told me how big she was at that point. Oh, and I found out the sex of the baby.

Best of luck with your scan!!

 

[Bmama]

I just had ours done, and although I had a level 2 ultra sound, from what I understand they are looking for the same things- making sure babies growth is matching up to your due date, checking organs, limbs, fingers, toes, structure for abnormalities, and the big thing is checking the heart to make sure all looks as it should. They also usually check the umbilical cord and babies privates, and will ask you if you want to know the gender at this time! WIth out US the tech/dr also checked blood flow through the arteries and veins, and even did a 3D ultrasound and we got a sneak peak of baby's face.

Enjoy your ultrasound! it really is so fun to see your baby grow in your belly

 

[NatalieFar07]

That's when my ultra sound is! I'm not sure what all they do either. Good luck!

Aww really that's fantastic! Let me know how you get on!

 

[NatalieFar07]

I just had ours done, and although I had a level 2 ultra sound, from what I understand they are looking for the same things- making sure babies growth is matching up to your due date, checking organs, limbs, fingers, toes, structure for abnormalities, and the big thing is checking the heart to make sure all looks as it should. They also usually check the umbilical cord and babies privates, and will ask you if you want to know the gender at this time! WIth out US the tech/dr also checked blood flow through the arteries and veins, and even did a 3D ultrasound and we got a sneak peak of baby's face.

Enjoy your ultrasound! it really is so fun to see your baby grow in your belly

Thanks for the information it certainly cleared a lot of things up!
I had my gender scan two weeks ago and I can't wait to see baby again on screen it certainly is amazing to see

 

[AnonymousCAT]

They will also check the placenta position and cord insertion. They checked the cervix length as well at mine

 

[Mushymilkfor2]

Just a tidbit of info though is don't expect the ultrasound technician to tell you anything. They're not allowed to, it doesn't mean your baby isn't healthy.

 

[AMB1216]

I just had mine a few weeks ago, it was my first ultrasound with my OB (I got a few free ones thanks to my MIL) she basically measured the baby, like his arms, legs, head, and over all length. She told us the gender, she checked the lenses in his eyes and that was kinda weird. She checked things like my cervix and ovaries as well as the placenta and the umbilical cord. She told us he was 13 oz which was in the normal range but didn't say he'd be ___lbs at birth. She said everything looked normal, I think they check for abnormalities in development, the growth rate (which every baby grows different but they have a "normal" range) the sex if you want to know. Just stuff like that.

 

[RaspberryK]

Just a tidbit of info though is don't expect the ultrasound technician to tell you anything. They're not allowed to, it doesn't mean your baby isn't healthy.

That's only in the US, in the UK the tech talks you through everything and prints out all of the information and sticks it in your pregnancy notes which if all is well or have anything minor your midwife goes through it at the next appointment, or of they think there is a problem then they will call in a consultant or Senior for a second option and you would then have a referral for a consultant appointment and further testing if you wish and or a scan later to see if it's resolved itself depending on the nature of the abnormality.
Xx

 

[Bmama]

Just a tidbit of info though is don't expect the ultrasound technician to tell you anything. They're not allowed to, it doesn't mean your baby isn't healthy.

That's only in the US, in the UK the tech talks you through everything and prints out all of the information and sticks it in your pregnancy notes which if all is well or have anything minor your midwife goes through it at the next appointment, or of they think there is a problem then they will call in a consultant or Senior for a second option and you would then have a referral for a consultant appointment and further testing if you wish and or a scan later to see if it's resolved itself depending on the nature of the abnormality.
Xx

I just wanted to add since I'm in the US, if you get a really nice tech who has been doing it for a long time, she may talk to you throughout the scan and tell you what she's seeing- mine told me "oh there's 2 kidneys, there's 4 chambers in the heart". They can't say "your baby is perfect/healthy" but they can give you an inside scoop that everything is okay before the Dr comes in

 

[Mushymilkfor2]

Just a tidbit of info though is don't expect the ultrasound technician to tell you anything. They're not allowed to, it doesn't mean your baby isn't healthy.

That's only in the US, in the UK the tech talks you through everything and prints out all of the information and sticks it in your pregnancy notes which if all is well or have anything minor your midwife goes through it at the next appointment, or of they think there is a problem then they will call in a consultant or Senior for a second option and you would then have a referral for a consultant appointment and further testing if you wish and or a scan later to see if it's resolved itself depending on the nature of the abnormality.
Xx

I just wanted to add since I'm in the US, if you get a really nice tech who has been doing it for a long time, she may talk to you throughout the scan and tell you what she's seeing- mine told me "oh there's 2 kidneys, there's 4 chambers in the heart". They can't say "your baby is perfect/healthy" but they can give you an inside scoop that everything is okay before the Dr comes in

Lucky ladies! Mine wasn't rude but she didn't say anything the whole time. And I just got an email from my doctor the next day saying everything looked good.

 

[RaspberryK]

Just a tidbit of info though is don't expect the ultrasound technician to tell you anything. They're not allowed to, it doesn't mean your baby isn't healthy.

That's only in the US, in the UK the tech talks you through everything and prints out all of the information and sticks it in your pregnancy notes which if all is well or have anything minor your midwife goes through it at the next appointment, or of they think there is a problem then they will call in a consultant or Senior for a second option and you would then have a referral for a consultant appointment and further testing if you wish and or a scan later to see if it's resolved itself depending on the nature of the abnormality.
Xx

I just wanted to add since I'm in the US, if you get a really nice tech who has been doing it for a long time, she may talk to you throughout the scan and tell you what she's seeing- mine told me "oh there's 2 kidneys, there's 4 chambers in the heart". They can't say "your baby is perfect/healthy" but they can give you an inside scoop that everything is okay before the Dr comes in

Lucky ladies! Mine wasn't rude but she didn't say anything the whole time. And I just got an email from my doctor the next day saying everything looked good.

I think that's awful I would be so upset xx

 

[princessatmey]

at all my 3 20weel scans i was nvr told weight etc of bubs the just looked to see if everything was normal ie heart right place an blood flow correct. Brain looks norm. An checks lip for holes (cleft lip) did say amniotic fluid vol norm and where placenta was. Took head size, abdo size and leg length of baby. Looked at handa a feet to see if looked norm dnt count toes etc.

 

[princessatmey]

Just a tidbit of info though is don't expect the ultrasound technician to tell you anything. They're not allowed to, it doesn't mean your baby isn't healthy.

if you mean tell you if somethings wrong then they are supposed too, sonogeapher said so as well as letter an also if you didnt want know then you have opt outa scan. i also had option of gender but opted out have done all 3 pregs my scan was on mon past.

 

[emeeorevan]

I guess I feel lucky. I'm in the US and every time I have an ultrasound (which is every time I have an OB appointment) My OB performs the ultrasound. He really does not talk much through it but he says "there's the heartbeat" ( we saw at 6 weeks but didn't Hear til 8 weeks) "spine looks good" "there's the arms, legs, face, eyes" and gives us the crown to rump length. I have a DVD that was given to me at very first appointment and I bring back each appointment. All of my ultrasounds are recorded on this DVD! (I've had this with all three pregnancies, but with DS#1 it was so long ago that it was a VHS cassette!) Monday August 11 will be ultrasound #4 @ 18 weeks should be able to see gender!! I'm excited!