best time for anatomy scan

[mommajewels]

The tech in my midwifes office absolutely won't do an anatomy scan before the 20th week. She will preform ultrasounds for other reasons of course, but not the anatomy scan. I've grown to know her quite well over 8 years & 6 pregnancies and she says that 20 weeks is the optimal time because 1) most babies have hit that "peak" development they need to have reached in order for her to see what she needs regarding their brain, heart, kidneys, bladder, stomach, etc. and 2) while they're normally at that peak development, they're not too big to where it's hard for her to get those pictures & measurements she needs.

She said when she was doing them earlier than 20 weeks, a lot of time the women would have to come back later because their baby wasn't developed in certain areas enough for her to be comfortable with what she was seeing or get the right shots she needed to complete the a/s.. so that caused them (the mom) unnecessary worry over X amount of weeks until the ultrasound was done again and it was determined baby was fine, he/she just wasn't developed enough prior to then.

I totally understand why the one woman gave the other woman a "look" when she said 17wks and they're "doing them ealier" now. I'd have given her a side eye, too. I'd also be willing to bet she will be one of those women who has to go back to be rescanned. So much development happens between 17 & 20 weeks.

[itiswhatitis1984]

Originally Posted by my2sweets I've always heard (and had mine done) b/t 18-20 wks

This is what I was told too. The tech explained that if I wait till closer to 20 weeks we will have a better chance of seeing if we are having a boy or girl.

[songbird516]

Mine were both around 21 weeks, I think. It wouldn't surprise me if some offices wanted them earlier in case there was something found and parents wanted to terminate, though. That was my first thought.

[canadianbakers]

Originally Posted by mommajewels 20 weeks is the optimal time because 1) most babies have hit that "peak" development they need to have reached in order for her to see what she needs regarding their brain, heart, kidneys, bladder, stomach, etc. and 2) while they're normally at that peak development, they're not too big to where it's hard for her to get those pictures & measurements she needs.

I've heard 18-24 weeks. By, say, somewhere from 18-20 weeks baby should be completely done forming everything (not to say everything is able to function, but what is going to be there, is). But if dates are off a bit, 18 weeks could actually only be 16-17 weeks - and that could make a big difference in development in for baby.

After that point, it's not that baby wouldn't be fully developed, but that baby would be getting big enough to get squished in there and measuring is difficult.

Originally Posted by songbird516 It wouldn't surprise me if some offices wanted them earlier in case there was something found and parents wanted to terminate, though. That was my first thought.

Unfortunately, that is my thought, too.
Like I said, though, if dates are off just a bit, an u/s at what should be 17-18 weeks could actually be showing an earlier baby - what if baby was long/tall and happened to measure size-wise for the "right" gestational age, but just wasn't actually quite there and hadn't fully developed things it needed - what if that led to a misdiagnosis... and the parents ended up aborting a baby that actually was totally healthy and normal, just had impatient parents.

My u/s is on Friday - I'll be 19+5. I think I'm okay/comfortable with it being before 20 weeks (though ever so slightly, I know). I mean, at this point 2 days shouldn't make, really, any difference.
I'm just for a healthy Hiccup in there.

[RunawayBunny]

Thanks! You were all kind of my outlet because I wanted to talk about it more with the ladies at the meeting, but felt it wasn't the right timing/place (LLL meeting with lots of first time pregnant moms, unsure of breastfeeding/parenting). I didn't want to call her out and was afraid that no matter how I asked more about it, it would come off wrong, like I was questioning her judgement.

Originally Posted by mommajewels The tech in my midwifes office absolutely won't do an anatomy scan before the 20th week. She will preform ultrasounds for other reasons of course, but not the anatomy scan. I've grown to know her quite well over 8 years & 6 pregnancies and she says that 20 weeks is the optimal time because 1) most babies have hit that "peak" development they need to have reached in order for her to see what she needs regarding their brain, heart, kidneys, bladder, stomach, etc. and 2) while they're normally at that peak development, they're not too big to where it's hard for her to get those pictures & measurements she needs.

OK, this is kind of what I remembered DS's OB saying something about.

Originally Posted by canadianbakers My u/s is on Friday - I'll be 19+5. I think I'm okay/comfortable with it being before 20 weeks (though ever so slightly, I know). I mean, at this point 2 days shouldn't make, really, any difference. I'm just for a healthy Hiccup in there.

I pray every day for you and Hiccup. I think you are going to get very good news on Friday. =) And I'd totally feel fine with 19w5d, too. That was actually the exact day and week I was originially planning on, but doc decided to line it up with my appt. Ah well. Do we have the same due date and I just never realized it?

[canadianbakers]

Originally Posted by RunawayBunny I pray every day for you and Hiccup. I think you are going to get very good news on Friday. =) And I'd totally feel fine with 19w5d, too. That was actually the exact day and week I was originially planning on, but doc decided to line it up with my appt. Ah well. Do we have the same due date and I just never realized it?

Aww, thanks Meg. It means a lot to have care and support on here
I think all my other u/s's were right at/around 20 weeks - within a day or 2 either side. And, really, I don't think there's going to be nothing showing on Friday that would suddenly be there a few days later, kwim?

April 14th? That would be silly not to have realized that