No ultrasound?

[yellowbee]

Anyone choosing not to have any ultrasounds (unless truly medically necessary)? Anyone waiting to find out the gender of the baby until birth? I am really thinking about not having an ultrasound to find out the sex, since its not medically necessary.

[rmiriam]

I know people do it, and it's completely fine. Certainly women in past decades/centuries didn't have ultrasounds. But I did want to mention that the 20-week ultrasound isn't to find out the sex of your baby; it's to find any problems, some of which may need immediate attention after the birth, and some that it would just be helpful to know about.

[Aliy]

I'm having my 20 week one but that will be it unless nesscary.

I will also be waiting till the baby is born to find out the gender. It's a personal choice but One I really like. I loved guessing and getting to see when they were born.. 9 this wil be my third)

[rockycrop]

I think I'm gonna skip the ultrasound this time around unless something comes up.

One reason is that we'd have to pay extra for it, and also because I'm not feeling like it's necessary. I think it's a great tool for those who want to use it (I got two ultrasounds with my first) though.

[crayfishgirl]

Some serious (i.e. fatal soon after birth if not diagnosed) heart defects are most easily detected in utero, which is why we're doing the 20 week scan. I had an early US as well because I miscarried my last pregnancy and I needed the reassurance of a heartbeat early on. We're not finding out the sex though (we didn't for our daughter either even though we has the 20 week US then too).

[Banana731]

I won't be having an U/S unless my mw feels it's necessary.

[yellowbee]

Good thoughts. It's a little different when you go with a midwife as we are, I can relate to rocky crop and banana731. Our midwife doesn't do them, we found a nice strong heartbeat twice already, she says my measurements are normal and right on track, so my husband and I would have to go out and pay extra for an u/s basically just to find out the sex...so anyway, at first I thought we would go for it, but now I'm thinking I'd like to not have one, let my little one grow in peace and kind of anticipate that excitement of not knowing.... just curious what people's thoughts were about that.

[Marissamom]

we're planning on doing the 20 week US to check for heart defects, all the vertebrae being closed, etc. we will also be finding out the sex. we did last time because otherwise we were having naming issues, this time I need to know if I need to plan an entire new wardrobe. I still have all DD's clothes and stuff, but it's all pink, so if we have a boy, we're going to need new clothes. I think finding out the sex is a completely personal choice. planning can be easier if you know ahead of time, but it does take away that element of surprise.

[VeganCupcake]

We didn't have any with our DD and we probably won't have any this time around. If there were any indication of anything amiss, we would certainly have one. I am sort of on the fence about an anatomy scan this time. If I feel like we should do it, we will, to check the heart, etc., but we most definitely, absolutely *do not* want to find out baby's sex.

[Ola_]

To me they're two separate issues also. We are most likely going to do the 20 wk anatomical scan but I don't want to know the sex of the baby. But both items are currently under discussion with DH.

[changingseasons]

We're not doing one, and I actually wrote a thread about that too. But I do want to point out that if you're already hearing heartbeats I'm assuming you're using a doppler, and a doppler IS ultrasound. So you are using ultrasound.

[Lady Lilya]

Since we had a minor mid-line defect with the first pregnancy (tongue-tie), I want to do the 20 week anatomical scan just in case there is a glaring major mid-line defect that we need to prepare for. At that time, I would love to find out the sex.

Other than that, I do not want any ultrasounds. And I asked my midwife if we could completely avoid the doppler during the first half, and keep it to a minimum during the second half. And I told her I was fine with it being used rationally during labor and birth. She seemed really happy with that, and in complete agreement.

[goldingoddess]

We won't be having any unless of course something major comes up.

Originally Posted by rmiriam

I know people do it, and it's completely fine. Certainly women in past decades/centuries didn't have ultrasounds. But I did want to mention that the 20-week ultrasound isn't to find out the sex of your baby; it's to find any problems, some of which may need immediate attention after the birth, and some that it would just be helpful to know about.

I'm curious as to what these things are that could need immediate attention directly after birth that could be detected by ultrasound.

[yellowbee]

Originally Posted by changingseasons

We're not doing one, and I actually wrote a thread about that too. But I do want to point out that if you're already hearing heartbeats I'm assuming you're using a doppler, and a doppler IS ultrasound. So you are using ultrasound.

Good point Sorry I should have been more specific, I meant the one where you can actually see the baby.

[SilverLace]

I'm not going to get an ultrasound unless (like lots of others) there is some reason to do one.

I had two surrogate and those both required many ultrasounds (because that's how they do it, not because anything was wrong). And, having had that experience contrasted with having none when I was pregnant with DD I like not having any.

I am finding it harder to not do it this time that I did with DD- and I think it is because it was just such an expected part of my last two pregnancies.

I do listen to the baby with the doppler occasionally (less than a minute, every 2-3 weeks).

[Marissamom]

things that can be detected at the 20 week ultrasound that require surgery: certain heart and kidney problems, cleft lip/pallet, issues with lungs, liver, stomach, and intestines, and spina bifida. since we're planning a homebirth, I want to be prepared ahead of time if it looks like we're going to have to go to the NICU. most of these problems would be detected soon after the birth, but I prefer not to be surprised with that type of thing when I don't have to. even if the chances are rare, it still makes me feel better.

[changingseasons]

Originally Posted by yellowbee

Good point Sorry I should have been more specific, I meant the one where you can actually see the baby.

Yeah, I knew what you meant. I just wanted to point that out because not everyone releases that doppler is a form of ultrasound. So when people say they want to avoid ultrasound but that they are getting doppler, I get confused.

[jcregan]

With DD I did the anatomy scan but we chose to not find out the gender. I liked not knowing and until I got pregnant again figured I would not find out... but now I do want to know and since we plan to do the anatomy scan we will try to determine the sex.

DD was actually born with a teratoma (stem cell tumor) that we did not detect on the 20 week ultrasound - normally they would be detected but hers was much smaller then normal and I guess had not really grown much at 20 weeks. (she is now fine by the way).

I know for a fact that some unexpected things can happen so even though her tumor was not detected I still want to do the 20 week u/s to check for things.

[rabrog]

I'm having the 20w one on Monday, but that's it unless I need one later on for some medical reason (possible thin uterus so there's a chance I may need one toward the end).

A friend of mine refused any u/s, birthed at home with a midwife and had twins...having no idea she was having twins. Talk about a shock! LOL!

Jenn

[mrslainez]

i posted here by mistake.  sorry T_T

Edited by mrslainez - 4/6/11 at 2:40pm