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Question

I have 3 children and never had an ultrasound before the 4th month. Everyone on here says they had them in the first few weeks. Did you request an ultrasound? It has been 6 years since my last child. Are they just routine at your first visit now?

Answer 1

I had a routine ultra sound before the 2nd trimester, but it was not at my first visit. The doctor wanted to see how far along I was and this was a pretty accurate way of doing so. Not every doctor does this, and not every insurance provider is going to pay for these so I would say if you get one you do and if you don't you don't. Most women get at least one ultra sound at some point to determine that the baby is growing and thriving, and I believe that is usually done at the time when the doctor will be able to tell the sex of the baby.

Answer 2

I, too, have had 4 children. With my first, I didn't have an ultrasound until the standard 20 week one. After a miscarriage, though, I had an ultrasound early on (6 weeks) with the subsequent pregnancies in order to confirm that the pregnancy was progressing as it should. I think most obs and midwives will do an early ultrasound if you have concerns about your pregnancy or if there is a question about the dates--like if you are not sure when you got pregnant.

Answer 3

The usual healthy pregnancy is always around the 20 week. I think the most times that they have an early ultrasound is because of high risks or possibility of a miscarriage. Otherwise there's no need for an earlier ultrasound. My mom told me about this girl she works with that requested an early ultrasound and when she brought in the sonogram she said the baby (fetus) was the size of a kidney bean. Personally i would wait so that you can see what your baby is beginning to look like, bones. Unless your doctor thinks it's necessary i wouldn't bother with an early ultrasound.

Answer 4

I think it must be dependent upon who your doctor is and whether or not your insurance covers it. In my case, in my first pregnancy I had one ultrasound at 20 weeks. I am pregnant again and I expect to have an ultrasound again at 20 weeks this time. Unless there were complications, I don't see a reason for it. Sure it would be great to see my baby now, but at 20 weeks you see so much more.

Answer 5

My dr.'s protocall is to do an ultrasound when you first come in to his office to check and make sure everything dates right. Because alot of women don't know when their last period was or when they could have gotten pregnant. But now I do know a lot of dr.'s that won't do an ultrasound before the 16 week mark unless there have been past complications. I think that more dr.'s are starting to do an ultrasound in the first trimester and then on in the 2nd trimester to make sure the baby is developing right. I had 4 ultrasounds 1 to meausure dates, 2 to check and make sure she was developing right, 3 because I was measuring large, and 4 to make sure she was in position. But I'm in Kentucky, I don't know where you are at...

Answer 6

There is no real reason to have an ultrasound in the early weeks. Normal times are 12 weeks and 20 weeks. The 20 week scan is really the only important one. There are possibly some risks with scans and it's best to keep them to a minimum. People just tend to have them because they are excited/ worried and want to see their baby.

Answer 7

I wasn't offered an ultrasound at all. My doctor normally performs them around 20 weeks. But, after two visits and my doc. not being able to find the heartbeat of the baby at 14 weeks, I requested one. If your insurance covers more than one ultrasound, then you can simply ask your doctor if they can give you one early. I would wait until after 12 weeks tho, anything before that and there's not much to see. I had my regular 20 week u/s and I'll probaby ask her to do one more before the baby is born if she doesn't bring it up herself. It's a covered expense and I find it comforting, so why not? :) Congrats!

Answer 8

With my first I had one ultrasound near the 20 week point. My second child I had two ultrasounds. First was at 20 weeks, second was at 35 weeks or so.

Second one was because of how big I had gotten - Doctor was concerned that if I went the full 40 weeks with that pregnancy my daughter would be 9lbs + and near impossible for me to deliver vaginally. I was induced at 36 weeks and she weighed almost 8lbs....

Answer 9

I am also pregnant. My doctor actually gave me the option he asked if I wanted to get ultrasound sooner than 20 weeks, otherwise we are waiting until 20 weeks.

Some people have to get them sooner to check their due date, but I am certain about my dates, so there is no reason to get an ultrasound sooner.

Hope this helps. Make sure your insurance will cover extra ultrasounds, because sometimes those damn insurance companys won't cover extra ultrasounds.

Answer 10

I had 2 ultrasounds with both of my kids. I had one at 8-9 weeks to make sure the baby was growing properly and then another at 20 weeks to check for gender and abnormalities!!! This is the normal way they do things...unless you are considered high risk!