Best week for anatomy u/s?

[HeatherB]

We have made a practice of having one u/s with each of our home birth babies. I'm approaching 16 weeks now and getting excited to take a peek! I know my boys are really looking forward to seeing their baby, too.

My MW recommends not getting an ultrasound BEFORE 18 weeks. I'm wondering, now, if there is a benefit to getting it at 18 vs. 20 vs. something else.

Any thoughts?

[Ellen Griswold]

My NP told me that there really is a large jump in development right around the 20 week mark (though I'm sure that's a huge generalization). She even went so far as to tell me that later in the 2oth week was better than earlier. I think if you're just going in for the one scan, then maybe you ought to make sure that everything is going to be able to be seen. Maybe someone else will have more advice for you.

[CherryBomb]

It depends on what kind you're getting. If you want a 3d/4d, after 24 weeks is best. For the anatmoy scan, I think they usually say between 18-22 weeks is best. If you're wanting to know the sex, wait until at least 18 weeks, they have a better chance at getting an accurate sex shot.

[ILoveMySofie]

For me with 3D i have always preferred before their usually mentioned 24 weeks because I liked seeing the baby floating freely in lots of space

Last two times we found out the sex was with 3D u/s-first time at 13w3d and second time at 13w2d. Very clear and accurate-but again, that was 3D. I would say if you are doing 3D and looking for gender, anytime after 14-15 weeks is ok.

Now if you wanted to see more of facial features with the 3D then Id say after 24 weeks would be best.

[MaerynPearl]

My doctor prefers 20-24 weeks. Both because baby is most developed then and they are not able to bounce around quite as much. I had a scan at 18 weeks with DD and had to go back at 23 anyway because they could not get a good shot of her kidneys (thank goodness, because they didnt see gender either and I wanted to know!)

This time, I was 21 weeks... and while she was moving a lot it was wiggling and moving arms/legs rather than completely flipping over and such.

[HeatherB]

Thanks for the input! We're not interested in gender and we don't do 3D. It will be our only scan (unless there are issues, of course), so we do want to get a good look at organs and such. Last time, I ended up going at 16w because I was convinced I had twins and needed to know. (He may be as active a two, but he's just one!)

[lmevans]

Originally Posted by HeatherB

Thanks for the input! We're not interested in gender and we don't do 3D. It will be our only scan (unless there are issues, of course), so we do want to get a good look at organs and such. Last time, I ended up going at 16w because I was convinced I had twins and needed to know. (He may be as active a two, but he's just one!)

I've been watching this thread because I'm in the same situation. I'm just starting to think about it, I still have time to do it, since I'm only 8 wks now.

The part I bolded is exactly the same way I feel. I know I want to wait until after 20wks, but I was also wondering if there was a better/best time to see everything that needs to be seen. We're planning on a homebirth as well (our first hb) and just want to make sure there's not anything we need to be aware of.

[terra-pip]

I don't like to have unnecessary u/s but I do have the one at about 20-24 weeks because i want to make sure that baby is good, waters are good, placenta is good etc. and I like to try know the sex before birth. I'm a serious nester so i NEED to know. I do not like surprises. lol. I had one with my oldest and then several with my second after he was way past my due date. I've had two this time because I was measuring too small at one prenatal visit. Everything looks good but turns out that I'm consistently measuring smaller now..but not so much that there is any concern. I'm still within the range I need to be for my due date.

[lizardmom]

My midwife reccomends I get my one scan at 24 weeks. She said the only reason most docs order them at 20 weeks is because it is easier to get an abortion then if they find something wrong. By 24 weeks the organs are better developed but the babe is not yet so scrunched up that it's difficult to see everything.

[Midwesterner04]

I always have heard and read that anatomy scans provide clearest results at 22-23 weeks or so. It is easier to view and measure the bladder, kidneys, and heart at that age than at 18 or 20 weeks, and developmental markers in the brain are more evident. As other posters have mentioned, larger and older babies also may not flip around quite as much, which is also a help!

[Galatea]

Originally Posted by Midwesterner04

I always have heard and read that anatomy scans provide clearest results at 22-23 weeks or so. It is easier to view and measure the bladder, kidneys, and heart at that age than at 18 or 20 weeks, and developmental markers in the brain are more evident. As other posters have mentioned, larger and older babies also may not flip around quite as much, which is also a help!

This is what I have heard, too. But his sex was quite obvious, being so much bigger than an 18 week baby, so consider that!

[annettemarie]

If I can jump on Heather's thread do the recommendations change with twins? We are interested in finding out the sex but not in 3D/4D.

[MaerynPearl]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

If I can jump on Heather's thread do the recommendations change with twins? We are interested in finding out the sex but not in 3D/4D.

babys development is the same with twins... they would be best developed in the time frame already stated (though they would be a little more squished by then than a singleton)

[Midwesterner04]

Originally Posted by Galatea

This is what I have heard, too. But his sex was quite obvious, being so much bigger than an 18 week baby, so consider that!

I could see where a 22-23 week anatomy scan could be tricky if one really does not want to know the sex. I had an anatomy scan with my baby girl in order to be able to prepare for any special needs she might have at birth, and found about halfway into the ultrasound that she was most certainly a girl--while the sonographer was measuring a particular body part (I can't remember which, so I'll blame pregnancy brain...) the baby bent up her legs and put those three lines on very clear display. We had been hoping to find out whether she was a boy or a girl, but it seems possible that we would have found out either way--she seemed to want us to know!
I guess there are many factors to consider.

[~Adorkable~]

I am bumping this good thread back up rather than start a new one because I am pondering this very same thing and I too have twins. I have read from two very reliable sources that twin naturally develop faster than singletons. Not that they get bigger but organ development and similar things are moving at a slightly faster pace. So I also wonder if I should be ok with going in towards the early side of the window at least? Annette, you just did yours, did they say anything about this?