Ultrasound places making a policy against telling gender?

[allisonrose]

I have an appointment with my midwife yesterday. We have our ultrasound appointment coming up next week. I'm excited to find out the sex but the midwife was telling me that some "professional" ultrasound places are beginning to not tell the parents the baby's sex to distinguish themselves from the "fun" ultrasound places that do ultrasounds for entertainment.

I really hope we don't have an issue because I only want to do one ultrasound, like the reassureance of an diagnostic one and really hope to find out boy or girl. I figure we'll play innocent at the appointment if the tech starts saying s/he's not supposed to tell.

Has anyone heard of this?

[babyjelly]

not to distinguish "professional" places from "fun" places, but I have heard of both types not telling to prevent a woman from aborting the "wrong" gender...
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[angelpie545]

I haven't heard of this in the US. In China and India I believe against the law to reveal the gender because boys are preferred over girls. I think it's a poor choice personally. If you are there for medical reasons anyway it seems punitive.

[gummibears]

I've never heard of this and am hoping to find out the gender this time as well. Last time I only had ONE U/S my whole pregnancy at 12 weeks - too soon to tell. Good thing we wanted to be surprised that time.

This time I'm in another area and new hospital in a much smaller town and I worry they won't give me the U/S to determine sex.

[SumnerRain]

For a while I heard there were several Army hospitals that would not tell the gender because from what I was told someone sued them because they were told one gender and got the other. Not sure how true this is, especially because I didn't think you *could* sue the military... but I do know when we were at Ft. Hood in 97-01 we had four pregnant friends who wanted to know the genders of their babies and had to either go to a regular OB and pay out of pocket, or drive to Austin to some u/s college to get one there. I also heard the same thing about Ft. Carson... but I cannot confirm nor deny that because in 2005 when I was pregnant with my son I was risked out becuase I was "too high risk" because of a BMI of over 35.

Not sure if there is any truth to this, or even if it is true, but I too have heard about certain places no revealing gender for various reasons.

[SumnerRain]

Originally Posted by allisonrose

I have an appointment with my midwife yesterday. We have our ultrasound appointment coming up next week. I'm excited to find out the sex but the midwife was telling me that some "professional" ultrasound places are beginning to not tell the parents the baby's sex to distinguish themselves from the "fun" ultrasound places that do ultrasounds for entertainment.

LOL I just wanted to add also. The $650 bill I got from the professional place was MORE than plenty to remind me it was not a for FUN place.

[GuildJenn]

In my first pregnancy they would not tell me until the 20-something week ultrasound. In my city (Toronto) there are large populations of several cultures that might abort girls and this particular lab had made that rule. I got an earful about it from my very indignant about the reasons hijab-wearing tech when I asked. (She supported the policy.)

In my second it didn't come up until a later ultrasound but I imagine they just had a similar but quieter policy. I have to admit I didn't really believe that until while at that clinic (a really large one attached to a high-risk clinic) I witnessed a mother of 4 girls in utter and absolute grief - shrieking and sobbing and lying on the floor - when she found out she was having a 5th girl. I felt so bad for everything in her life that had led up to that, but kind of mad that the four girls were witnessing this behaviour. She was being extremely vocal about the reasons. (The staff intervened kindly but firmly.)

In this pregnancy they told me at the ER when I went in for bleeding at 16 wks 5 days which was really sweet. Mostly to distract me I think.

Anyways - just to say that depending on your area there may be real reasons for it.

[nintendork]

A friend in Canada told me that you have to pay extra to find out the gender there.

[AFWife]

Originally Posted by SumnerRain

For a while I heard there were several Army hospitals that would not tell the gender because from what I was told someone sued them because they were told one gender and got the other. Not sure how true this is, especially because I didn't think you *could* sue the military...

Just an FYI: If you're a military member you cannot sue the military. However, if you're a civilian (or dependent) you can sue...or, in the even that you are unable for whatever reason (like wrongful death), your spouse/parent/etc can sue FOR you.


I'd keep a good eye out during the ultrasound. DH said he spotted the sex during my last one really early on and didn't say anything until mid-scan.

[orange_mommy]

It makes sense if they are protecting a child's life to have that policy, however it sucks for the rest of us who just want to find out our baby's gender beforehand!

Originally Posted by nintendork

A friend in Canada told me that you have to pay extra to find out the gender there.

Nope, everything is free here... even that!

[CherryBomb]

I was told the hospital that did mine might not tell me because they don't want to be sued if they're wrong, but the tech told me and never made an issue about it

[CherryBomb]

Originally Posted by orange_mommy

Nope, everything is free here... even that!

Well, idk about that, I have a friend in Canada who wants a private post partum room and apparently she has to pay a couple hundred dollars a day to get one.

[gemasita]

I haven't heard of that but I do admit that PART of the reason I didn't want to find out the gender at the u/s is because I felt strongly that I was only there for checking on the baby, not for kicks. That's just me...no offense to anyone else!

[~Adorkable~]

Army medical center told me without any issue, not until the anatomy ultrasound, they didn't even look at a earlier one, said it was wrong too often when they are younger.

[DanielleT]

I'm from Canada and we don't pay extra to find out the gender, the only way you'll pay extra is if you do go to the "fun" places and get the 3D ultrasound which isn't covered by healthcare...

Also i've had two hospital delivers and both times i had a private room before and after; I think it depends on how busy the hospital is...

[quiero a mi bebe]

I'm from Canada too. I had 2 ultrasounds with dd and i never paid a cent as it is covered by health care. But I never found out the sex because I wanted a surprise. If i wanted to I could have at no extra cost. But who knows if soon they will change as well and won't tell anyone, it makes sense in a way, but it's sad that abortion when it's the "wrong" sex is even a reason for anyone to find out. In china they will leave their new born baby girls to die if they want a boy, so it shouldn't matter anyways, which is worse? Abortion should not be an option that far along anyways........so sad.

[my kidlets and me]

Originally Posted by orange_mommy

It makes sense if they are protecting a child's life to have that policy, however it sucks for the rest of us who just want to find out our baby's gender beforehand!

Nope, everything is free here... even that!

I'm in Victoria and the u/s places have recently changed their policy and will NOT tell you the gender of your baby at the diagnostic 18 wk u/s. You can book a 4D ultrasound (for extra $$$) later in the pregnancy and find out the gender, but the "free" one won't reveal gender.

This policy has been in place since the spring (May, I think).

[pregnant@40]

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[Megan73]

British Columbia, a province in Canada, recently instituted a policy that parents-to-be need to pay $50 to find out the sex at a routine ultrasound, the rationale being that checking sex isn't under most circumstances an essential medical service. I agree, frankly.
(And I don't think any Canadian province covers private post-partum rooms unless it's deemed medically necessary for some reason. Many employed Canadians get supplementary coverage through their jobs that takes care of things public medical insurance doesn't - dental care, prescriptions, massage therapy etc.

[allisonrose]

I'm going to be traveling to the outskirts of the Los Angeles basin to have the ultrasound done. As with any metropolitan area, I imagine they get a culturally diverse clientel.

This is the 20-ish week ultrasound. Like quiero a mi bebe, I didn't even think of abortion as a option so far along.

I mostly just want to know if I can buy some girly cloth diapers! Since we have a son already, we have a slight preference for a girl but will be thrilled either way with a healthy baby.