When is usually the first ultrasound

The full anatomy scan is a transabdominal ultrasound. It uses a transducer that looks a lot like a store checkout scanner. The ultrasound technician will put warm ultrasound gel on your stomach and then slide the transducer in the gel around your stomach. The gel helps the sound waves travel through your skin. Tip: Come to your appointment with a relatively full bladder. This will make it easier for your ultrasound technician to get better images of your baby.

Because there are so many things to look for, this ultrasound will take at least 45 minutes—if your little one cooperates! During the full anatomy, week ultrasound, you can find out if your baby is male or female. When the scan is complete, Meriter will even send you a link to view some fun photos of your baby! After your ultrasound technician has captured all these images and measurements, your OBGYN will review the pictures and look for abnormalities such as congenital heart defects or cleft lip or palate.

In the meantime, you can enjoy those 2D or 3D photos of your baby! Sometimes, women need additional ultrasounds during pregnancy. One way doctors estimate whether your baby is growing as expected is by measuring your fundal height.

Fundal height is the number of centimeters from your pubic bone to the top of your uterus. This measurement typically increases about 1 cm each week. Most scans show that the baby is developing normally and no problems are found. This is because most babies are healthy.

You can continue with your routine antenatal care. If the scan shows your baby is more likely to have a condition, the sonographer may ask for a second opinion from another member of staff. You might be offered another test to find out for certain if your baby has the condition. If you're offered further tests, you will be given more information about them so you can decide whether or not you want to have them. You'll be able to discuss this with your midwife or consultant.

If you want to find out the sex of your baby, you can usually do so during the week mid-pregnancy scan but this depends on the policy of your hospital. Tell the sonographer at the start of the scan that you'd like to know your baby's sex. For example, if your baby is lying in an awkward position, it may be difficult or impossible to tell.

Some hospitals have a policy of not telling patients the sex of their baby. Speak to your sonographer or midwife to find out more. You will need to check if your hospital provides this service. If they do, there may be a charge. Page last reviewed: 9 December Next review due: 9 December Pregnancy ultrasound allows your provider to check on your baby's health and development, monitor your pregnancy, and look for any physical abnormalities. It's also used for some genetic tests, and to make sure your baby is doing well in late pregnancy.

What is ultrasound? When do you get your first ultrasound? What happens during a pregnancy ultrasound? Why do I need a pregnancy ultrasound? How long does an ultrasound take? How many ultrasounds will I have during pregnancy? Are ultrasounds safe? What if a pregnancy ultrasound shows a problem?

Sources BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. Featured video. Quad screen second-trimester prenatal screening. Chorionic villus sampling CVS. Prenatal visits: What to expect and how to prepare. Rh factor testing. What to know about your first prenatal appointment. New to BabyCenter? Join now. Password Forgot your password?

Keep me logged in. Your first ultrasound , also known as a baby sonogram, might take place when you're six to eight weeks pregnant. But not every woman will get this scan; some doctors only conduct it for certain high-risk pregnancy conditions like bleeding, abdominal pain, and history of birth defects or miscarriage.

An early pregnancy ultrasound may be done transgvaginally so doctors get a clearer picture of your baby. In this case, the OB-GYN will place a thin wand-like transducer probe—which transmits high-frequency sound waves through your uterus—into your vagina. The sound waves bounce off the fetus and send signals back to a machine that converts these reflections into a black and white image of your baby.

At six weeks' gestation, it's possible to see the baby's heartbeat. Your practitioner will also predict your baby's due date, track milestones, determine the number of babies in the womb, and see whether you have an ectopic pregnancy. Those who forgo the six to eight week ultrasound might have a "dating ultrasound" around weeks 10 to 13 of pregnancy. This gives parents the same type of information: due date, your baby's "crown-rump length" measurement from head to bottom , the number of babies in the womb, and fetal heartbeat.

Between 14 and 20 weeks, you may also have a nuchal translucency NT test to check for Down syndrome, heart defects, or other chromosomal abnormalities, says Joanne Stone, M.

Women should consider getting it if their screening test revealed a potential problem, they're 35 or older, or they have a family history of certain birth defects. In a nuchal translucency screening, the doctor will use an ultrasound to gauge the thickness at the back of the baby's neck they'll also measure hormones and proteins with a blood test.

A thicker neck may indicate an increased risk for birth defects like Down syndrome and trisomy This detailed pregnancy ultrasound, which generally happens between weeks 18 and 20 in the second trimester, lasts 20 to 45 minutes if you're having one baby and longer if you're having multiples. It's the most thorough check-up your baby will have before they're born.